HEADQUARTERS

486TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)

APO 550

 

                                                         11 November 1944

 

SUBJECT:  Report of Operations Officer — Mission of 10 November 1944 — Airfield

          at Wiesbaden, Germany.

 

TO     :  Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H).

 

486th "A" Squadron

 

1.     General Narrative:   Pursuant to the 3rd Bomb Division field order #483 and 92CBW Field order #163, ten (1) a/c plus two (2) additional PFF a/c took-off from 0759 hours to 0834 hours to form the 486th "A" Squadron which was the lead squadron of the 92nd "A" Wing.

 

          A visual ascent and assembly over Buncher #22 was made and the squadron was formed at 0940 hours.  The group was assembled at 18,000 ft. at 1035 hours.  The squadron and group leader, command pilot — Major Newman, left the formation during assembly but rejoined and took over the lead at Buncher #22, the start of the wing assembly line.  The assembly points were made good almost as briefed and the English coast was departed (1) minute early at 1106 hours at an altitude of 20,000 ft.

 

          The route across the channel was as briefed and the French coast was crossed at 1118 hours at an altitude of 20,000 ft.  At this point, the climb to bombing altitude was begun and was reached at 1222 hours.

 

          The course to the IP was approximately as briefed although the leader drifted a little south of course.  Some �S�ing of the lead squadron was necessary in order to allow the high and low squadrons to maintain proper position.  This �s�ing resulted in the squadron and group arriving at the IP late.

 

          The IP was overrun slightly but a course parallel to the briefed target run was possible.  Bombs were away in the lead squadron which bombed by means of instruments and information with the low squadron which bombed visually, at 1248 hours on a mag. heading of 87� from an altitude of 28,600 ft.  Bomb results were good.

 

          Immediately after �bombs away�, the leader turned out of formation, due to battle damage, and the lead was assumed by the deputy lead.  Several minutes later, the leader assumed the lead and the group ran into the Trier defenses, at which time, the lead was again taken over by the deputy.

 

          A course North of the briefed route was followed to the Belgian coast which was crossed at Ostend at 1422 hours at an altitude of 9,000 ft., the descent having been started upon reaching friendly territory.  The English coast was crossed at 1459 hours and the base was reached at 1515 hours.  Landing for the 486th �A� squadron was from 1525 hours to 1550 hours.

 

          No enemy fighters were encountered and friendly fighter support was good throughout the mission.  Moderate but very accurate flak was encountered in the target area and when the group came over the Trier defences, this resulted in moderate to severe battle damage in some cases.

 

          The weather and winds varied slightly from those briefed.

 

2.   Aircraft Not Attacking: Ten (10) a/c plus two (2) PFF a/c released on the squadron leader.  All bombs released satisfactorily except those in a/c #001 which had intervalometer trouble causing 10x100 lb. bombs to hang.  These were released 40 miles west of Southwold as well as those in a/c #314 which returned early.  A/C #314 is not included in the number of ships going over the target.

 

3.   Lost Aircraft:  Of the ships dispatched to fly as the 486th �A� squadron, one (1) a/c, #025, landed in Belgium and one (1) a/c, #311, landed at Woodbridge.  Battle damage was the cause of both emergency landings.

 

486th �B� Squadron

 

1.     General Narrative:  The a/c scheduled to fly as the 486th �B� Squadron which was the high squadron of the 92nd �A� Wing, were airborne from 0818 hours to 0850 hours.  At 15,000 ft. the lead of the squadron left the formation and returned to the field for another ship.  At 1020 hours with a spare a/c, the squadron leader again assumed the lead and departed with the squadron for Bunch #22, on time, on the wing assembly line.  The rest of the mission was flown as the high squadron of the 486th Group which made the 92nd �A� Wing.  At the IP, the leader of the squadron developed supercharger trouble and as a result the squadron lagged behind slightly and did not bomb with the lead and low squadron.

 

          The bombardier synchronized for rate and bombs were away on a mag. heading of 55�, from an altitude of 28,100 ft., at 1240 hours.  Bomb results observed, were good, the bombs hitting in a dispersal area South of the target.

 

          Of the thirteen (13) a/c scheduled to fly as the 486th �B� Squadron, there were two (2) early returns.  A/C #892 which was replaced by #910 with a new crew, and a/c #302 which was replaced by a/c #800 with Lt. Chappelle as pilot

 

          Landing for the squadron was from 1516 hours to 1545 hours.

 

2.     Aircraft Not Attacking:  Twelve (12) a/c went over the target.  Ten (10) a/c released on the leader, a/c #94x [NOTE: number illegible] returned its bombs to the base due to a bomb bay door malfunction.  A/C #968 returned 12 x 100 lb. bombs to the base which could not be salvoed due to a collision.  A/C #027 returned 10 x 100 lbs bombs which were not released due to a frozen bomb bay door, and a/c ##867 returned 12 x 100 lb. bombs to the base due to intervalometer trouble.  A/C #x00 [NOTE: number illegible] aborted just before reaching the target and jettisoned its bombs 40 miles west of Southwold.

 

3.     Lost Aircraft:  A/C #903 with Lt. Dimel as pilot, received severe flak damage in the target area and is outstanding but is believed to have landed in Belgium.  A/C #007 with Lt. Rapp as pilot safely made an emergency landing at Woodbridge.

 

486th �C� Squadron

 

1.     General Narrative:  Thirteen (13) a/c scheduled to fly as the 486th �C� squadron, the low squadron of the 92nd �A� Wing, were airborne from 0855 hours to 0835 hours 0842 hours.  The squadron was assembled at 1011 hours and at 1035 hours was in group formation as the low squadron.  This squadron flew in this position throughout the mission and released its bombs on the lead squadron at 1248 hours from an altitude of 28,000 ft on a mag. heading of 68�.

 

          Landing for the squadron was from 1517 hours to 1532 hours.

 

2.     Aircraft Not Attack:  All a/c released on the leader and all bombs were away with no trouble.  All thirteen (13) a/c scheduled for this squadron went over the target.

 

3.     Lost Aircraft:  None

 

RICHARD B. UHLE,

Major, Air Corps,

Operations Officer.

 

 

 

    A-2 Reporting

Section, 92nd C.W.                       XXXX

 

     486th Group                                          XX X

    10   1920    S-2

 

OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT, 486TH GROUP, WIESBADEN MISSION.

10 NOVEMBER 1944

 

1.  Leaflets

      None.

 

2.  Bombing Results

 

Primary target was bombed on Micro-H by �A� and �C� squadrons, and visually by �B� squadron, with good results.  SAV�s show �A� and �C� squadrons� bombs hitting along N edge of field with some bombs on the field.  �B� squadron�s bombs hit in hangar and barracks area at the S side of the field.

 

3.  Enemy Fighters

 

   None.

 

4.  Flak.

 

Accurate, moderate, tracking type flak was encountered at the target.

Accurate, meager, tracking type flak was encountered at approximately 5007N-0705E.

Accurate, meager, tracking type flak was encountered at approximately 5011N-0651E.

 

5.  Weather

 

Did not affect the mission.

 

6.  Observations

 

At 1352 hours, 5044N-0442E, 13,000 ft., a B-17 approached the formation from 6 o�clock and flew level with the formation 2000 � 3000 yds. to the left for 10-15 minutes, then peeled off and flew toward Germany.  No markings seen.

 

At 1415 hours, 5125N-0122E, 7,000 ft., u/i aircraft, believed to be JP, made a pass from 8 o�clock high, on A/C 010, which had aborted, and was returning to base alone.  The a/c did not fire, but broke away in a chandelle at 1000 yds and headed for France.  The a/c left twin contrails.  It was black or some dark color, and no markings were visible.  The fuselage was slim, with a very high tail.  There were twin nacelles, underslung and protruding ahead and behind the wings.  The wing had a straight center section, with swept back outer panels and square tips.

 

7.  Other Information

 

Fighter support was good.

 

Four a/c landed away.  Two landed in Belgium, and two landed at Woodbridge.  The crews of those landing at Woodbridge have returned to base, with the exception of one tail gunner who is missing.  The other a/c is outstanding.

 

PFF equipment functioned satisfactorily.

 

 

HEADQUARTERS

486TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)

APO 550

10 November 1944

 

SUBJECT:  Results of bombing Wiesbaden Airfield on 10 November

 

TO     :  Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H)

 

1.     Bombing in group formation lead and low squadrons dropped a compact pattern along the north boundary of the field.  Most of the bombs fell outside the boundary of the field on cultivated land.  Several fell in the dispersal area with probable hits on two or more shelters.  Quite a large number fell on the center of the field.  A hangar on the Northwest side of the field probably received a direct hit.

 

2.     The high squadron dropped a compact pattern on the hangars and personnel and administration area on the south side of the field.  Many direct hits on hangars, personnel and administrative buildings are probable.  Several bombs of this pattern fell on the runway area.

 

 

3.     The pattern is scored as follows:

 

                     CE       �            1000�

                     500�     �            2.5%

                     1000�    �            7.6%

                     2000�    �            49.4%

 

                                  For the intelligence officer:

 

RALPH D. SHEARER

Captain, Air Corps,

P.I. Officer

 

Flimsy

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