The 514 Sqdn left from Waterbeach at 1944-11-20 at 12:35. Loc or duty Homberg
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type I, serial LM286, code JI-F2).
Campaign report of the USAAF:
(Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 718: 172 B-17s are sent to hit the Schowen oil plant at Gelsenkirchen (61); 93 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Munster; 25 B-17s are damaged.
Escort is 214 P-47s and P-51s; no losses.
Other flights: 12 of 12 B-17s fly a screening mission.
310 P-47s and P-51s make fighter-bomber strikes agains miscellaneous targets in W Germany; 1 P-47 and 7 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
12 of 12 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
Mission 719: 6 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets on the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS [First Tactical Air Force (Provisional)]: HQ 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 34th and 37th Bombardment Squadrons Medium) move from Corsica to Dijon, France with B-26s.
(Ninth Air Force): Bad weather prevents bomber operations; fighters fly sweeps and night patrols over broad areas of W Germany and strafe and bomb numerous railroads, trains, buildings and various military targets.
In France, the 365th, 366th and 367th Fighter Squadrons, 358th Fighter Group, move from Mourmelon to Toul with P-47s.
In Belgium, the 389th Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, moves from Couvron, France to Asch with P-47s.
Campaign report of the RAF:
20 November 1944
183 Lancasters of No 3 Group made a G-H attack on the oil plant at Homberg but the weather was stormy and many aircraft were not able to maintain formation with the G-H aircraft on the bombing run. The bombing, through cloud, was believed to have been scattered. 5 Lancasters lost.
3 RCM sorties, 2 Mosquito Ranger patrols, 3 Hudsons on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.
20/21 November 1944
43 Lancasters of No 8 Group made an unusual Pathfinder solo raid on Koblenz without loss. The purpose of the raid was not recorded. It is possible that either the large road and rail bridges over the Rhine and Mosel or the local railway yards were the targets. Only high-explosive bombs were carried. Koblenz was completely covered by cloud and all bombing was by H2S from 15,000 ft. The local report states that some bombs fell in the town, blocking several roads and railways and scoring hits on a road and a rail bridge, although these remained usable.
63 Mosquitos to Hannover, 14 each to Homberg and Castrop-Rauxel oil plants and 9 to Eisenach, 17 RCM sorties, 17 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!
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