HEADQUARTERS 486TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) Office of the Operations Officer
MISSION ANALYSIS REPORT I. PLANNING: DATE: 8 January 1945 GP MSSN NBR: 129 TARGET: (P) M/Y - Mainz, Germany, (S) M/Y - Frankfurt, Germany ALERTED AT: 1820 BOMB LOAD REC'D AT: 2300 WG AWO REC'D AT: 2155 WG F/O REC'D AT: 0230 DIV F/O REC'D AT: 0405 ZERO HOUR: 0930 FORCE REQUIRED: One (1) gp of three (3) squadrons (plus six (6) a/c to 385th and three (3) chaff a/c).
FORCE FURNISHED BY SQUADRON — Planned (Actual):
: 832nd : 833rd : 834th : 835th : Total Crews : 14 (14) : 8 (8) : 12 (12) : 13 (14) : 47 (48) A/C : 14 (13) : 12 (13) : 11 (12) : 10 (10) : 47 (48) AIR LEADER: Major Howell (Div Lead) PARTICIPATING STAFF: LEAD CREWS: (1) Capt Miller (Dep gp ld) (1) Stroebe (Gp ld) (2) Lt Whitney (Ld-hi sq) (2) Krock (Dep gp ld) (3) Capt Skipp (Gp Nav) (3) McIntire (Ld-Lo Sec, ld sq) (4) Capt Cusack (Sq Nav) (4) Ogle (Ld-Hi Sq) (5) Capt Gillespie (Sq Nav) (5) Bacher (Ld-lo Sec, Hi Sq) (6) Lt Boyle (Sq Nav) (6) Berodt (Ld-Lo Sq) (7) Cat McDermott (Sq Bomb) (7) Himel (Ld-Lo Sec, Lo sq) (8) Capt McNiece (Sq Bomb) (8) Bereman (Ld-Chaff a/c) (9) Capt Buchenau (Sq Bomb) (9) Beard (Ld-Lo Sec, 385th sq) (10) Lt Scott (Sq Bomb) BRIEFING OFFICER: Capt Rex, J.L. BRIEFING TIME: 0330 BOMB BRIEFING: Capt McNiece NAV BRIEFING: Capt Baguley S-2 BRIEFING: Maj Morriss BOMBING ALTITUDE: 25,000' POSITION OF TASK FORCE FORM: 4TH "A" grp (Div Lead). ESTIMATED TIME OF TAKE-OFF: 0600 RETURN: 1448 ASSEMBLY ALTITUDE: GP 22,000' WG 22,000' DIV: 22,000' REMARKS: No difficulties encountered in planning this mission.
II. EXECUTION: TAKE-OFF: 0616-0724 RUNWAY: 25 WIND: 290° @ 25 MPH. A/C TAKING OFF: SQ "A" 12 SQ "B" 12 SQ "C" 14 SQ "D" 6 CHAFF a/c 3 TOTAL 45 ASSEMBLY ALTITUDE: GP 22,000' WG 22,000' DIV 22,000' ELAPSED TIME OF ASSEMBLY: Three (3) hours and two (2) minutes from take-off. Lead a/c reached assembly altitude at 0716 hours and group was formed at 0918. ASSEMBLY (GP, WG, & DIV): Group assembly was slow due to darkness, and haze and contrails which existed at assembly altitude. After daylight, group assembly was rapidly effected over SPL #11. The first point on the Wing assembly line (SPL #11) was made on time at 0913 hours. Here the groups rapidly fell into position on the 4th "A" group. However, the 4th "C" group was out of position, railing the 4th "D" group (briefed position not being taken until after CP #2 was passed). Proceeding on towards SPL #9, the group was formed to deviate from course due to interference by an unidentified group of a/c. Forced to cut inside SPL #9, the group headed towards CP #1. ARRIVED 1ST PT WG ASS'Y LINE: 0913 (on time) ARRIVED CP "A" DIV ASS'Y LINE: Omitted. POSITION IN TASK FORCE FORM: 4TH "A" gp (first gp in task force formation). DEPARTED CP "1": 0934 (four (4) min late). CLIMB TO ALTITUDE (ROUTE IN): After having been forced from briefed course and cut [unintelligible] the group arrived at CP #1 at 0934 hours, four (4) minutes late. Climb to bombing altitude had been scheduled to begin at Zero plus 39 but due to weather, did not begin until CP #1 was departed. Proceeding across the channel, climb was begun and a point five (5) miles north of CP #2 was crossed at 0952 hours (five (5) minutes late) at altitude of 24,600'. Continuing on to CP #3 on a course alternately slightly south and north of briefed, the group passed a point four (4) miles north of CP #3 at 1046 hours. Briefed bombing altitude (25,000') was reached at this point. TARGET MANEUVER: Reaching the Pre-IP at 1057 hours, briefed course was resumed and the group fanned out in squadron formation. After crossing the IP, weather in the target area caused the group to climb an additional 1,000'. A good run was made on the secondary target, the lead, high and low squadrons maintaining a thirty (30) second interval. TARGET ATTACKED: (S) M/Y - Frankfurt, Germany. TYPE OF BOMBING: PFF H2X (Sq Formation) TIME OF RELEASE: 1115-1117 NBR A/C OVER TARGET: 39 OUT OF 48 NBR A/C ATTACKING: 39 NBR SORTIES CREDITED GP: 42 TOTAL BOMBS LOADED ON A/C TAKING OFF: 360 X 500 lb. M-43 90 X 500 lb. M-17 DISPOSITION OF BOMBS: Secondary (PFF) Target: M/Y - Frankfurt 304 X 500 lb. M-43 76 X 500 lb. M-17 Total Jettisoned 8 X 500 lb. M-43 2 X 500 lb. M-17 Total Returned to Base 48 X 500 lb. M-43 12 X 500 lb. M-17 Total loaded on a/c T.O. 360 X 500 lb. M-43 90 X 500 lb. M-17 BOMBING RESULTS: Unobserved (PFF). RALLY AND ROUTE BACK: A sharp right turn was made off the target and the group proceeded to rally at the briefed RP. A Good rally was effected, 1,000' altitude being lost between the target and RP. Deviations from briefed route (due to weather) were made on the withdrawal. Letdown was begun after CP #4 was departed and continued as weather permitted. The French coast was crossed at an altitude of 13,600', descent to minimum altitude being continued over the channel. RETURN TO BASE AT: 1420-1501 PFF OPERATIONS: Four (4) PFF a/c were scheduled for today's mission. A/C #073 (M/O Walter) led "A" sq, a/c #002 (M/O Humphries) dep lead "A" sq, a/c #453 (M/O Yep) led "B" sq and a/c #075 (M/O Foty) led "C" sq. (M/O Walter) "Performance of set was fair. APC kept cutting out leaving blank sectors on scope. Could not pick up target at IP but had it at 40 N.M. The set was giving inadequate returns. DR Nav turned us at IP. Drift was killed by three (3) corrections, 50, 20, and 5 mile scans used. Target somewhat broken up on 5-mile scan." (M/O Humphries) "Performance of set was excellent. We were advised by lead to stand by on bomb run, as lead a/c's Mickey set was fading. Course on bomb run was good." (M/O Yep) "Performance of set was fair. Target identified fifty (50) miles away. Drift believed to be killed until eighteen (18) miles from target. Stopped scan to read drift. When spinner was turned on again, target was lost. When target was again picked up on scope, it was too late to make corrections." (M/O Foty) "Performance of set was fair. Poor spinner pattern and definition. There was a good wind on bomb run. Gave bombardier check points. Picked up target at forty (40) miles." WEATHER: Weather at base was 3-7/10 covered by varied amounts of stratocumulus with tops at 4,000'. Surface visibility was from 5-6 miles; above 7,000' visibility was unrestricted. On route in, scattered stratocumulus in southern England became 4-8/10 at mid-channel and developed to 10/10 after French coast, with tops at 14-15,000'. Wispy cirrus formations at 22,000' were associated with cumulus tops. Over target, overcast cumulus was encountered. Top was at 15,000', with 4-6/10 thin cirrus clouds, tops at 22-23,000'. Visibility aloft still unrestricted. On route out, cumulus slowly built up, remaining 10,[unlegible] 15-17,000', lowering to 10-12,000' towards French coast. Just inside coast, cumulus rose again to 15-17,000'. Scattered thin cirrus clouds were encountered along the entire route back. Base on return was 8-10/10 covered, with tops 4-5,000'. Snow showers were encountered at base. Visibility was seven (7) miles. Free air temperature at bombing altitude (26,000') was -53°C. COMMUNICATIONS: Communications in general was good. Two (2) minor difficulties were encountered. One (1) liaison receiver was reported bad. This receiver was repaired. On a/c #031, the headset and mike wires were knocked or pulled out of the waist jackbox. The jackbox was knocked almost entirely from the side of the a/c. This was due to the carelessness of a crew member. Communications between weather a/c and groups was excellent. Weather reports were received very well. VHF discipline of our group was very good. The 385th and 447th groups were reported as having used channels "A" and "B" excessively. E/A AND FIGHTER SUPPORT: No enemy a/c were encountered on today's mission. Meager to moderate tracking flak was encountered. This was seen bursting into chaff that had been dropped. Crews believe chaff from chaff a/c drew majority of fire. Fighter support was fair - not too close in target area. FORMATION: Formation was very good in both group and squadrons on route in. On route out, formation was generally poor due to the weather, which caused individual a/c to lag behind. ABORTIONS (INCLUDING A/C OVER TARGET AND NOT ATTACKING):
MALFUNCTIONS: None. EVALUATION OF LEAD CREWS (BY COMMAND PILOTS): PILOT
OFFICER TAIL GUNNER REPORTS: (Pilots receiving lower than average grades and why).
SUGGESTIONS AND REMARKS BY OTG'S: None. LOSSES: None. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Considering the difficulties encountered on this mission, it was well executed. An early take-off which necessitates formation in the dark should be avoided as much as possible. Nothing is accomplished except an increased fuel consumption, and the fact that time is wasted trying to find a formation. In addition to the six (6) other abortions on this mission, one (1) a/c (#010), which flew with the low squadron of the 4th "B" group, failed to attack because the bomb bay doors were not fully open. The bombardier on this a/c had the engineer check the doors visually and apparently, assumed the bomb bay doors to be open. If a closer observation had been made, this a/c could have dropped its bombs with the rest of the squadron.
RICHARD B. UHLE Major, Air Corps. Operations Officer.
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