Steven K. Dixon 2024
Squadron: 102 Aircraft Name: Hotspur III
Crew:
Position |
Name |
Rank |
Pilot |
Hector Chard |
FO |
Navigator |
Frank Blissett |
PO |
Bomb Aimer |
Wallace Allenby |
F/SGT |
Wireless/Gunner |
Alec Childs |
F/SGT |
Engineer |
Arne Storm |
F/SGT |
Mid-Upper |
Patrick Gibbs |
SGT |
Tail |
Patrick Weeks |
SGT |
1942 Missions Click Here
1943 Missions Click Here
1944 Missions Click Here
1943 Missions Click Here
1944 Missions Click Here
Mission # |
Target |
Result |
1 |
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2 |
Sterkrade |
On Target 30% |
3 |
Bingen |
On Target 20% |
4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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1944/45 Missions Campaign 4
1944 Missions Campaign 3 AARs
Previous Plane - Hotspur - lost on Rostock raid (Mission 7 - 1942) - Previous plane Hostspur II lost on Bristillerie, Fr. (Mission 13 1943)
Mission 1 - DNF
Mission 2 - Takeoff was OK as course was set for another city in the Reich. Inbound over the Netherlands the ship evaded enemy searchlights while flak bursts lit up the night sky. Two night fighters then attacked in succession, but thanks to a vigilant crew and vigorous corkscrewing neither scored hits before disappearing into the murk. Even at low altitude it was extremely cold, however, and this jammed the nose turret guns for the rest of the op. Sterkrade was mostly obscured (possibly from smoke machines), but the drop was on target after having to evade the searchlights and flak. As Hotspur III turned for home, two more night fighters attacked, but as luck would have it the ship only suffered superficial damage. The tail gunner was nearly decapitated by a 20mm shell but emerged unscathed, if a bit shaken. One of the jerry fighters was damaged by return fire. The return leg was without incident, and the landing was good. The Germans appear to have recovered from their heavy losses of the summer, and with the failure of Market Garden, it looks like the war will go on well into 1945. Result: A/c superficial damage, bombs on target (30% accuracy), 1 x NF damaged.
Mission 3 - Takeoff was OK and course set for Bingen in Germany. With most of Belgium liberated and the German night fighter defenses on the back foot, the outbound leg was without incident. The ship was not targeted by flak in the run-in to or over the target—however, the enemy night fighters gave Hotspur III a warm reception as she came about after dropping her cookies. An undetected Me 110 hit the ship hard, and before disappearing succeeded in holing the port wing inboard fuel tank, left rudder, dinghy, tailwheel, and tail turret. The tail gunner was lightly wounded by shrapnel. Luckily the leaking fuel did not ignite. However, it soon became clear that the crew would not be able to coax the damaged plane all the way back to England. Hotspur III was diverted to an emergency field in liberated Belgium, touching down to be warmly received by the RAF personnel there. The following day, with the fuel tank, tailwheel, and tail gunner patched up, Hotspur III made the short return flight to Norwich. Result: A/c landed in Belgium w/moderate damage, tail gunner (ace) LW, bombs on target (20% accuracy).
Previous Plane - Hotspur - lost on Rostock raid (Mission 7 - 1942) - Previous plane Hostspur II lost on Bristillerie, Fr. (Mission 13 1943)
Mission 1 - DNF
Mission 2 - Takeoff was OK as course was set for another city in the Reich. Inbound over the Netherlands the ship evaded enemy searchlights while flak bursts lit up the night sky. Two night fighters then attacked in succession, but thanks to a vigilant crew and vigorous corkscrewing neither scored hits before disappearing into the murk. Even at low altitude it was extremely cold, however, and this jammed the nose turret guns for the rest of the op. Sterkrade was mostly obscured (possibly from smoke machines), but the drop was on target after having to evade the searchlights and flak. As Hotspur III turned for home, two more night fighters attacked, but as luck would have it the ship only suffered superficial damage. The tail gunner was nearly decapitated by a 20mm shell but emerged unscathed, if a bit shaken. One of the jerry fighters was damaged by return fire. The return leg was without incident, and the landing was good. The Germans appear to have recovered from their heavy losses of the summer, and with the failure of Market Garden, it looks like the war will go on well into 1945. Result: A/c superficial damage, bombs on target (30% accuracy), 1 x NF damaged.
Mission 3 - Takeoff was OK and course set for Bingen in Germany. With most of Belgium liberated and the German night fighter defenses on the back foot, the outbound leg was without incident. The ship was not targeted by flak in the run-in to or over the target—however, the enemy night fighters gave Hotspur III a warm reception as she came about after dropping her cookies. An undetected Me 110 hit the ship hard, and before disappearing succeeded in holing the port wing inboard fuel tank, left rudder, dinghy, tailwheel, and tail turret. The tail gunner was lightly wounded by shrapnel. Luckily the leaking fuel did not ignite. However, it soon became clear that the crew would not be able to coax the damaged plane all the way back to England. Hotspur III was diverted to an emergency field in liberated Belgium, touching down to be warmly received by the RAF personnel there. The following day, with the fuel tank, tailwheel, and tail gunner patched up, Hotspur III made the short return flight to Norwich. Result: A/c landed in Belgium w/moderate damage, tail gunner (ace) LW, bombs on target (20% accuracy).
1944/45 Credited Kills Campaign 4
Mission No. |
ME 110 F-4 |
ME 110 G-4 |
JU 88 C-6 |
JU 88 G-7 |
DO 217 J-1 |
DO 217 N-2 |
HE 219 A-0 |
FW 190 A-5UZ |
ME 109 G-6U4N |
ME 262 B-1AU1 |
TA 154 A-0 |
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Mission # |
Target |
Result |
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12 |
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13 |
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