The crews arrived at their aircraft by 0755 and began to pre-flight checks when word arrived that take-off was delayed due to the limited visibility. The crews stood down and waited by, or in, their aircraft and anxiously awaited a decision to go, or abort. After half an hour, the fog had lifted sufficiently to allow the mission to continue and crews resumed the remainder of their pre-flight checks. At 0835, the group started engines. The lead began to taxi at 0845 and took off at 0900. Because of the reduced visibility, the take-off interval was increased from 30 seconds to 60. All ships were airborne 32 minutes later. The 486th sortied two groups (486A and 486B) of 20 B17s each. The 487th Heavy Bombardment Group, stationed near Lavenham, and the 486th comprised the 92nd Combat Bombardment Wing. Today, the 487th would lead. The 487A and 487B groups were designated the 92A and 92B groups of the wing and the 486A and 486B groups were designated the 92C and 92D groups. Walthall's lead, LT FItzsimmons, took off at 0911 hours flying straight while ascending to 1,500 feet. The aircraft broke through the soup at 600 feet. Fitzsimmons flew straight for 6 minutes allowing his ships to take-off before beginning his turn. All of the ships of his section began their turn at the same time to fall into their proper positions. Once his section was assembed, they flew on to group assembly altitude. The 486A group assembled at their assigned altitude of 5,000 feet. The 486B group assembled at 6,000 feet. During assembly, the aircraft flew a racetrack pattern around the radio beacon located on the airfield and designated Buncher 22. Lieutenant Dale, flying #942, nicknamed “The Blue Fairy”, took off after his element lead, LT Stewart in #916, nicknamed “Smokey Stover.” Dale was to fly on the right and behind Stewart. LT Harper, in command of #145, was next and was to fly to the left and rear of Stewart. LT Walthall, in #909, was “tail end charlie” of the low squadron and took off last. However, somehow Dale and Walthall managed to find themselves out of position and swapped positions in the element. According to Harper’s copilot, LT Harry Scully, Walthall’s formation flying was not very good and his position at the rear of the squadron was planned to keep him out of trouble. Now, he was on Harper’s starboard side. Harper directed Scully, and the tail gunner, to keep an eye on Walthall and to warn him of any trouble. The radio beacon at station 174 (called Buncher 22) was not working during part of the assembly. It was decided to fly both groups northerly toward Buncher 12, located near Thurston, east of Bury St. Edmonds, while they waited to assemble with the 487th. As they were flying back over station 174 Buncher 22 came on the air. The 487th arrived a minute late, forcing the 486th formation to execute a series of "S" turns to get into its proper position behind them. Once the Wing had assembled, they flew back to Buncher 12, then turned NE to Buncher 9, near Attleborough. From there they assumed an easterly course toward the radio beacon Splasher 9 near the coastal city of Lowestoft. At 1113 hours (one minute late) the bomber stream crossed the English coast at 13,000 feet, and turned NE to climb to altitude cruising altitude. Nine minutes after crossing the coast, the crews tested their guns. In the air, the crew relaxed and waited. The Luftwaffe would not send fighters out to harrass them, because the fighter escort made it a costly intercept over the sea, and rescue of downed airmen would be difficult. The crews couldn’t even sightsee, given the ocean offered nothing noteworthy to view, and the clouds obscured most of that. |