MP136

MN379

MN581

JR500

MN352

MN553

MN310

MN401

F/L Scharff

F/O Laurence

F/O Brown J.

F/O Smith I.

F/O Johns

F/O Hogg

F/O Allen

F/O Moen

F/O Porritt

Details of Sortie or Flight

No. 439 Squadron was the last squadron down on a Wing Show against the target for this morning. The target was a small wood at M118483. Part of a Polish Division was in possession of the village of Estrec la Campagne, just 500 yards north of the target. Light scattered cloud was present at 3500 feet but visibility was good and the target reached without difficulty. The approach to the target area was made via Caen and the artillery red smoke on the target just as S/L Pentland, Wing Leader, reached the target area. All aircraft in the Wing attacked from 8,000 in a dive from south to north.

By the time it was our turn to go down the dive had become quite shallow but nevertheless, all our bombs burst in the woods itself. Shortly after the attack commenced, fresh red smoke was laid down on the small wood to the south of the target and the large wood to the west of the target. All bombs were dropped on the main target however. 

In this trip of 50 minutes, one squadron spent 30 minutes orbiting base waiting for the other squadrons to form up and waiting our turn to pancake. Because this has been the case, Wing Shows are no longer looked upon with favour by the pilots of all three squadrons. No flak was seen throughout the show, and all aircraft returned safely to base. Our Squadron released 18 x 1000 lb bombs, tail fused .025 second delay, on this show. A congratulatory message was received from the Polish Army immediately following the show.

MN878

MN765

JR500

MN352

MN989

MN553

MN310

MN401

F/L Fiset

F/O Bernhart

F/O Swingler

F/O Stitt

F/O Monson

F/O Henderson

F/O Laycock

F/O Smith R.

F/O Rassenti

Details of Sortie or Flight

This was the second Wing Show of the day with S/L Pentland of 440 Squadron, as Wing Leader. The target was the same target as on a previous show - the woods at U118483, with members of the Polish Division still in the ring side seats in the village of Estrec la Campagne. Once again the artillery laid red smoke on the target and the attack dive began south of the target at 8000 feet. F/L Fiset, leading 439 Squadron was the second squadron down and, as a result of a good steep dive, packed all their 500 lb bombs into the southern half of the target. The northern half was already a shamble from the previous raid.

No flak was fired at our Squadron but a very small amount was fired at 438 Squadron which was the last one down. A large red flash was observed in the centre of the target and was presumed to have been flaming petrol. One blob of green smoke was observed amid the red smoke shells and it was thought that some loader must have picked up the wrong shell. On this show, our Squadron flew in normal fighter fours and everyone felt much easier. 

All aircraft returned safely to base having successfully dropped 18 x 500 lb. bombs with nose instantaneous and .025 tail fusing on the target.

MN665

MN989

MN401

JR506

MN352

MN379

MN765

MN878

F/L Burton

F/O Stelter

F/O Hogg

F/O Brown J.

F/L Scharff

W/O Gray

F/O Brown R.

F/O Laurence

F/O Bernhart

Details of Sortie or Flight

The target for this show was a supposed ammunition dump in the "wood with a hole in it" at map reference U215478, just northwest of the village of Veneuvre. Once again 439 Squadron took-off as part of a Wing Show with 438 and 440 Squadrons, flew as individual squadrons.

Our Squadron, led by F/L Burton, was the first down on the target which was attacked from south to north in a 70 degree dive from 8000 down to 2000 feet. All pilots delayed the release of their 500 lb "peanuts" until they were dead sure of a bullseye and the results paid off. The bombs burst dead in the aiming point , but no great flash of exploding ammunition gave answer. The bombing was accurate, but the ammunition dump must have been previously moved and the tree tops alone left to bear the brunt of the attack. F/O Hogg was unable to release due to mechanical trouble and brought them back to base. A fair amount of light flak was fired at the Squadron by guns in the vicinity of the target. No damage was done to our aircraft and all pancaked safely at 16:10 hours. 16 x 500 lb bombs with nose instantaneous and .025 tailfusing, were released in this mission. Some of the pilots fired their gun on the way down but no results were observed and no movement seen.

MN665

JR500

MN379

MN352

MN989

MN310

MN401

MN765

F/L Fiset

W/O Gray

F/ Johns

F/O Stitt

F/O Monson

F/O Henderson

F/O Moen

F/O Porritt

F/O Allen

Details of Sortie or Flight

The target for this fourth show of the day was one that stood out well in the rough terrain to the southwest of Conde-Sur-Noireau. the three squadrons of the Wing carried 500 lb bombs with .025 tail fusing against the enemy defensive position on the Mondt-de-Cerise at map reference T816257. The forward slope was given to 438, the hilltop to 439 and the reverse (or south) slope to 440 Squadron. The hill itself was the objective of the Guards Armoured  who are attacking from the northwest. Our Squadron approached the target first, from the west and half rolled into the attack at 9,000 feet from the southeast. Just as the Squadron turned into the attack, some Jerry gunners jumped to conclusions and fired a salvo of heavy flak into the sky at T82528, a good 2 miles east of the target. An almost vertical dive was carried out on the target, using the large building on the summit as a aiming point. Some aircraft fired their cannon on the way down to add to the confusion below.

Two bombs were flung wide of the target due to uncorrected skid and burst at T825265 in an open field. Two other bombs  scored a near miss on the building itself and the remaining 14 x 500 lb bombs burst on or very near the crest of the hill. vast clouds of dust were flung up as a result of the bombing, but no results were observed.

As the aircraft broke away from the target, they were greeted by a considerable hail of both light and heavy flak which was  far too accurate to be ignored. This flak was apparently fired from guns located in the flat country at T8330 to T8530. The Squadron reformed quickly and returned to base, landing safely despite a layer of low cloud at 200 - 300 feet which covered one half of the field. 

This show worked out very well because the three squadrons proceeded independently to the target as soon as they obtained a safe height. Consequently, no tempers were frayed by useless orbiting and each squadron was able to pancake without delay. the run to and from the target was made in the old comfortable battle fours. none of our aircraft were damaged.