posted 12-02- 03:30 PM               

While on the return journey from Essen on 26 Mar 44 Hal ac K serial # LW415 of 429 sqn was attacked by 3 unidentified aircraft believed to be single engine at a position between 5028N 0540E and 5103N 0325E and interception commenced at 2249 hrs and the attack was broken off at 2320 hours. The Hal was at 21,000 ft when first attacked and was flying a course 284(M) IAS 170 mph. Vis was moderate with some haze and 8/10 cloud, tops 10,000 ft at the beginning of the attack but during the cbt the cloud dispersed and vis improved. The first indication of attack came when the rear gunner saw yellow tracer coming from both quarters and dead astern. He immed ordered the capt. to corkscrew starboard and at the same time opened fired in the direction of the tracer.

From then on the Hal was attacked more or less continuously until 2320 hrs when the captain was able to resume course. No searchlights were in evidence at the time of cbt but two fighter flares were dropped dead astern of the bomber just before the attack and Monica gave warning intermittently. There were no other signs of imminent attack. The Hal was not hit but judging from the large flashes the crew are of the opinion that the fighters were using heavy calibre armament. Following one long burst from the RG a bright explosion appeared in the sky and the capt., engr, MUG and RG saw an ac fall earthward ending in a flash on the ground. The MUG was in the under blister lookout posn at the time and the WOP/A went over to the MUG. A few seconds after getting in he saw tracer coming from the starboard and opened fire in the direction of the trace. The en ac moved round to the starboard quarter still firing when the RG joined the MUG in sending a long burst in the direction of the trace.

Suddenly a burst of yellow flame appeared where the trace was coming from, followed by a red glow and the outline of a single en ac as it dived towards the round. A few seconds later a red glow was seen to be burning on the ground. All this was witnessed by the engr,WAG, RG. Both en ac are claimed as destroyed. The RG fired about 800 rds from 4 guns with one No.2 stoppage. The WAG fired about 500 rds experiencing link stoppage in all four guns in turn. The rear gunner, Sgt. Faulkner and the WAG Sgt. Wilson WR

When they landed the Tail Gunner decided he never wanted to fly ops again. He was transfered off the base on 4 Apr 44 as LMF.

The full details of this story are at my website at http://free.prohosting.com/~kopper/429sqnpuskas01.htm

The detailed story was provided to me by the pilot Steve Puskas. The funniest thing he said was, "those damn tail gunners used to get so cocky. They would say just turn a bit and I can get him. My response, SCREW THAT we are getting the hell out of here. The gunners forget that we weren't there to shot down fighters we were there to bomb targets."

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Kopper

Fortunae Nihil
(Nothing to Chance)
OPPs Making SDOE a Dangerous place.
One plane at a time.

posted 12-03- 07:26 AM               

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-Sv =FC=

WWI in SDOE!

posted 12-21- 02:55 PM               

We were slated to bomb some target in occupied territory. After awhile they all appear the same. (When will this war end!) This was to be a joint venture with the Yanks. They were to take out a target South of us and help split/confuse the Germany Luftwaffe. Which is not a hard thing to do!

I am flying my trustie "K" for Kopper Lanc.

Our Mossie escorts, as usual, went running off to hunt for the hunters! It never works. Wait for them to come to you.

I see a dot on the horizon off my starboard wing. Don't pay any attention to it. The yanks are over there.

The dot gets larger. Humm, what could that be? Before you know it, its an FW190 bearing down on me! Arrggghhh. A message comes in to the WO/AG - the yank force was jumped early and they were all shot out of they sky.

My WO/AG puts in a desperate cry to the escorts: "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? WE HAVE AN FW ON OUR TAIL. GET THE HELL OVER HERE NOW!!!!" My WO/AG was never a subtle guy.

Trusstie "K" is pretty good on tight turns so I do these as well as corkscrews waiting for the cavalry to show up. This krauts cannon rounds and 8mm are dancing all over me. He is bang on, for some reason I am not going in. I thing he was hitting me in the main fuselage all the time. Anywhere else and I would have been hitting the silk long ago.

Mossie radios in, he's coming just hold on!!! Easy for him to say. I have 3 engines on fire by now and I expect my plane to explode at any minute.

Finally, the Mossie shows up. Guess he didn't find any krauts out there. BUT I DID!!!

He eventually dispatches the jerry.

We are still over the Channel, miles from the objective. If we turn back now there will be no credit as an Op to my tour. No choice I bash on! Plus, one of the other guys in the Sqn got a DFC for flying to the objective and back on 3 engines. So this should be worth at least the DFC!!! Another gong for my big chest, hehe.

It is difficult as hell to hold it straight and level. I am yawing all over the sky the wings keep stalling. Finally, over the target at a mear 4,000 ft. Kind of low! The blast on those mother bombs might blow me up. Oh well, for King and Country!

Bombs gone! Target destroyed! We have one hell of a Bomb Aimer, he never misses! Now, we are flying on our own time. Lets get the hell back! Slowly but steadily we are lossing altitude. The English coast is ahead. No time for a pretty landing. Gear down, flaps down. Cut my last good engine. 5 bounces later we are landed near the radar installation on the south coast.

The wingco put me in for an immediate DFC. One more red inked op in the log book. One less to do!!!

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Kopper

Fortunae Nihil
(Nothing to Chance)
OPPs Making SDOE a Dangerous place.
One plane at a time.