918th BOMB GROUP (H)

ARCHBURY, ENGLAND

GIVE UM HELL

BRIEFING BOARD
DATE  May 17, 1943  (AAR DEAD LINE: MAR 25, 2008)
MISSION #  40
SPECIAL NOTE
If you have not finished Mission 39, May 15, you may do so:
BRIEFING BOARD MAY 15
MISSION MAP MAY 15
FORMATION DIAGRAM MAY 15
BOARDGAME/VASSAL BOARD MAY 15
BOARDGAME MAP MAY 15
EMULATOR BOARD MAY 15

PRIMARY TARGET  LORIENT, France, Keroman U-Boat Pens
TARGET FOR TODAY

TARGET AREA
SECONDARY TARGET 
LAST RESORT TARGET 
EMULATOR BRIEFING
IF YOU USE B-17: QOTS EMULATOR

BOARD GAME AND VASSAL BRIEFING
IF YOU USE THE B-17: QOTS BOARDGAME OR VASSAL

MISSION MAP


   
VIEW THE APRIL -43 FORMATION

918th GROUP FORMATION: MIDDLE

LEAD SQUADRON: 1269th SQD
LOW SQUADRON: 1101st SQD

HIGH SQUADRON: 1107th SQD
OPERATIONS OFFICE        SQUADRONS           918TH HQ
HISTORICAL NOTES
This mission is based on the real mission to Lorient, May 17, 1943.

Very good weather, heavy fighter opposition. Light flak over the target.

Memphis Belle flew her 25th Mission, but was not the first bomber to complete the tour. See Hells Angels of the 303rd Bomb Group: http://www.303rdbg.com/h-ha-mb.html

More on Memphis Belle here: http://www.memphis-belle.com/belle_story.htm

These groups participated:
Lorient:
91st Bomb Group
92nd Bomb Group
94th Bomb Group
95th Bomb Group
96th Bomb Group
305th Bomb Group
306th Bomb Group

Bourdeaux:
93rd Bomb Group
44th Bomb Group

The Liberators were from the 93rd and 44th BGs. After bombing up and refuelling overnight they flew to Bordeaux, taking an initial course normally taken by aircraft flying to North Africa. Thy were flying very low in order to stay well below the radar screen. A few miles off the coast they started to climb and were almost at Bordeaux when Bordeaux radio stopped transmitting. As a result of the surprise there was no enemy fighter opposition or problems with flak. This was the USAAF's longest raid at the time. It was also the first all B24 raid in the European Theatre of operation. They bombed the harbour basin, blowing up the lock gates and severely damaging the Matford Aero Works. The mission was regarded as a highly successful one which earned the B24's the recognition they deserved.

One aircraft which developed engine trouble close to the target area was forced to land in Spain. All the rest returned to Davidstow.

The history of the 44th Bomb Group records this operation as one of the most precise and devastating aerial blows of the war. The success was the result of careful planning, perfect navigation and bombing, and most important, a strict compliance with matters of security. The Liberators had stood within their revetments at their home base since the morning of the 15 May. On 16 May 1943 they left at short notice and with no warning for RAF Davidstow Moor where they refuelled to capacity and left on operations on the morning of 17 May 1943.

The planes of the 44th BG, 21 in number and including five from the 67th, took off for this mission from Davidstowe[sic] Moor in the southern end of England, having flown down there the previous day. The target was the submarine repair shops at Bordeaux as this port has been developed as the European terminal for blockade running between German Europe and the Far East. The raid was nearly perfectly executed and very successful. The only blot on the record was one 66th aircraft piloted by Lt Hilliard found it necessary to divert to Spain and was interned.

From 44th Bomb Group:
On this Bordeaux mission, one of the more unfortunate accidents of the war took place. As
Captain Diehl was heading his plane across the Bay of Biscay a mere twenty miles from the
coast of France, he suddenly heard the excited voice of S/Sgt. Herbert H. Gentry, his engineer,
who was manning the gun at the right waist window shouting, “We’ve lost Hogan out of the
window!”
As they were nearly on the bomb run, there was little else to be done except man their stations. It
was not until they had started back on the route for home that they discussed what happened.
T/Sgt. Harry C. Hogan had been standing by the left waist window when somehow, his
parachute accidentally opened and was immediately caught in the speeding air stream and was
sucked outside through the open window. Hogan was pulled out through the window to his
death, the parachute being torn and Hogan hit both the fuselage and tail assembly before falling
clear and then down to the ocean below. He must have been seriously injured by the contacts
with the aircraft, so there was little chance of surviving once into the cold water below.

 The YB-40 Gunship and Bomber Escort will arrive in England to the 92nd Bomb Group on May 8th and fly the first mission on May 29. Download a B-17 Queen of the Skies Variant of the YB-40: Part I and Part II.

In April a new formation was flown for the first time. The Wedge was now  "Tucked in." The bombers flew closer and tighter together. View the April -43 formation here: http://www.918archbury.com/BriefingRoom/April-43.html  Note the Purple Heart Corners. These positions were vulnerable to German Attacks and will fly with a "Tail-End Charlie" status in B-17: Queen of the Skies. It is a modification of the original TEC rules. You will find details on the Formation Diagram: http://www.918archbury.com/BriefingRoom/Formation_Diagram.html

From April 17, the Germans will use the "12 o'clock High" attack.