FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1847.PDF
SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1944 FLIGHT *57 The Work of Our Fastest Twin-engined Fighter-Bombers Which Harass the Qermans by Day and Night From Our Own Correspondent at S.H.A.E.F. MANY of the prisoners captured in the Falaise pocket and in subsequent operations have said that our night fighter-bomber patrols were the worst part of all the fighting. This is easily understandable if one goes to one of the stations which operate these patrols and sees the quality of work put in to make the patrols as effective as possible. Hundreds are flown every night in all weathers, and much useful work is done. It is impossible to go on ops. with these boys because , j. the Mosquito only carries two—pilot and navigator—and * there is no place at all where a third person could be tucked away. However, having flown in one of the Mos quitoes during a night-flying test, and having had a very detailed description of a typical operation from a wing commander who has done many of them, I think I can reconstruct the picture fairly faithfully. Aircrews who have flown the night before generally put in an appearance again round about 2 p.m. in readiness for another night's work. These boys fly quite a number of ops. in a short while—two in a night is quite common. When some very special target, such as the Falaise pocket, is being attacked, as many as three trips to the battle area are made during the hours of darkness. This is a very great tribute to the aircrews, to the ground crews Ground crews of a Polish squadron • prepare one of their Mosquitoes for opera tions. for a quick turn-round, and to the Mosquito for its speed. During the early evening the night's work for the Wing comes in from Group H.Q., and a conference is held to allocate the tasks. This conference is attended by the Station Commander, Gamp Capt. L. W. C. Bower, D.F.C., Wing Cdr. Intelligence, Wing Cdr. Flying, an Air Liaison Officer and the squadron commanders. In addition to these, specialist officers—armourer, engineer, meteorological and flying control—will attend to obtain a clear picture of the night's work. According to the distance away of the target areas, orders will be given for long-range tanks to be fitted or removed. The armament officer will decide what load is to be carried and the types of bombs, fiares and illuminating cartridges to be used. "Met." givjes a ficture ofrwhatAfff'weather will be, both at home* |*Jd fver the fargetf during the
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
