Flight information

From a report from a returned flight crew:

Pilot: Touched twice by heavy and light flak (Flugabwehrkanone). Seen fantastic fire and smoke columns on the target. Bomb load of 12,000 pounds.

Navigator: The objective was the oil refinery in the highly industrialized Ruhr region of Germany. We dropped 12,000 pounds. Very intense flak and searchlight activity. Have been damaged by the anti-aircraft guns. We saw huge fires and large columns of smoke over the target area. Total flight duration 4 hours and 40 minutes. We hated going to the Ruhr area.

Mid upper gunner: The goal was the synthetic oil factory in "Happy Valley". The bombload was a "cookie" of 4000 pounds and 1000 pounders. Have at 20,000 ft. bombed. Very heavy flak and intensive activity of fighter aircraft. It was a miracle that we returned. Affected at two places. The flight lasted 4 hours and 40 minutes. We lost two planes from the same base.

Air bomber: We were hit by flak and I sat pretty low in the front in the turret. A serrated shrapnel about the size of an ostrich egg hit the plane about 3 inches above my head.

A German industrial report states that all production in the refinery has been stopped and there is a loss of 1,000 tons of aircraft gas per day for several weeks. Moreover, there is the loss of other products.

Source: From the archives of J. Zengerink

For more information about the LM158 and the crew:

www.kinderen-in-eerbeek.nl/Information-LM158.htm

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