Thanks Mick, and sorry you had a rather pedestrian experience. Alas, them's the breaks with a dynamic campaign, if I could ensure some sort of targets I would but I have zero control over that aspect.
Debrief is ready...
Well 402nd certainly had the lions share of the luck today, with the boys 485th left hungry for action.
Having been directed to Aachen to strike rail targets in and around the city, on arrival the 402nd found pickings moderately slim. A single train with only a handful of wagons was observed in the wrecked station and a few AAA guns surrounded the station area. 402 made short work of these but just prior to completion E/A were spotted to the Southwest - on inspection these became 6x Ju 52! However, just as Leakage White flight were about to engage, Leakage Red Leader reported enemy fighters above Red Flight over Aachen - White flight disengaged from the Ju 52s and headed back to Aachen. However a flight of P-51s of the 354th FG covering us, and they apparently made short work of the enemy fighters, the only moment of worry being generated by a single Fw 190 which dived towards and through White flight but whom inexplicably carried on all the way down to terra firma and crashed with a spectacular fireball into woods West of the city.
Now free to engage the transports, the 402nd took off to the Southwest and encountered the '52s formed in two flights of three and a merry party ensued; 2nd Lt. Bertram Finknottle downed two of them for his first victories - nice way to break a duck Bertie! The rest fell singly to Lt. Arjen Efftee and 2nd Lts. Casey Baker, Fenton Rea and Dennis Mcfly, the latter on his first mission.
A full house gents! Nice work on the clean-up - the Krauts will be smarting that loss, though sending groups of transports out in broad daylight and CAVU conditions, one wonders whet they expected. One assumes a measure of desperation on their part...
Gathering the squadron back together Lt. Per Fesser led the group to Eupen to see what they could find as there were still unused bombs hanging off the racks of some of their aircraft - it would be a crime to waste them. Fortunately a train, some howitzers and a smattering of AAA guns were discovered and despite the obscuring of the targets by heavy smoke in and around the town the squadron set to and left the majority of the targets smoking wrecks. However, Bertie Finknottle was in for some excitement when a AAA gun disabled his right engine. Fortunately he was able to feather the engine in good order and, after some discussions as to whether to make for Bierset or try for home base, took off for Florennes with Red 3 covering. At this time, Lt. Per Fesser called a general regroup and RTB, with White Flight taking the opportunity to strafe a AAA gun and an artillery position as they crossed the front.
Finknottle made a beautiful singe-engine landing first and the remainder of the squadron landed without incident at Florennes.
The 485th saw little of any remark on their patrol near Houffalize, but Lt. Artiesbi managed to vent the squadrons collective frustrations on an AAA gun near Malmedy. All landed safely.
No losses today gents - and it's not often we get to say that, so a very big positive in that regard.
Another gong has been awarded! Congratulations Lt. Arjen Efftee, it seems your superiors hold your flying skills in some regard as they have deemed you fit for the Distinguished Flying Cross. Well done that man! Drinks are on Arjen boys! Hold up....Where'd he go....?
Weather is looking ropey for the next couple of days, but we are expecting conditions to clear on the 24th October. [to be flown on Sunday 20th September]