Finally, success! The crew will be celebrating tonight.
We were still over the North Sea when Wyatt saw a twin-engined fighter coming up on us. A well-placed burst must have gone into a fuel tank, as we watched it disintegrate in flames as it fell.
The next one got by Wyatt — the first we knew of it was from the sound of cannon fire below. Almost unbelievably, it missed. As I threw I Know Why around the sky, Cymbor got it in his sights once, but it still kept after us for a while.
Nearing the target, we once again heard cannon fire below. Shells pounded our starboard wing. Again I took evasive action, and this time Czechowski got a solid hit that tumbled the Me-110 to Earth. As Czechowski moved to the bomb sight, I Know Why was lit up by searchlights. We attracted more than our share of flak, but took no damage. A FW-190 made a head-on pass, and with Czechoski at the sight and holding us steady on the bomb run, we simply had to take it. Fortunately, we took no damage from this, too. The photo shows that Czechowski kept us smack on the target.
I thougth we might make it back without incident, but well over the North Sea we were suddenly hit in the fuselage. Evasive action gave Cymbor a good shot at the Me-110, which broke off for home.
With only the most minor damage, including a holed fuel tank that self-sealed, we landed safely.
P/O Steven Wynn
Pilot, I Know Why
April 8, 1945
8 Peckham Damage Points