Mission No. 58
12 May 1944
Station: 166
Target: Coastal Defences at Sangatte, France
Time Of Take-Off: 19:11 / Time Over Target: 20:10 / Time Landed: 20:55
On the second mission of the day, 15 B-26 were dispatched to attack enemy Coastal Defences at Sangatte, France. Each aircraft was loaded with 4x1000LB Semi Armor Piercing bombs with bombing to be done by flights of six. Additionally, three window aircraft would precede the formation into the target area at same altitude as lead box, one minute ahead with a 300 feet spread between window aircraft and dropping window on the upwind side of the formation. All ships in the formation will also drop window in the target area. 9th Air Force P-47 fighters will be providing umbrella support in the target area.
Weather was again very hazy up to 15,000 feet. Heavy, Moderate to Intense, Inaccurate FLAK was experienced over the target area. Crews reported that the FLAK was concentrated on the window dropped by the leading aircraft, the result of which was that none of the formation aircraft received battle damage.
The hazy conditions made the target hard to locate and results were judged as poor for the 1st and 3rd flights, and uncertain for the 2nd flight.
Although crews commented that the use of window to confuse enemy FLAK radar seemed to be very effective on this occasion, some complained that the window ships were flying too close which caused the aircraft behind to experience "prop wash" and cause problems on the bomb run. One crew commented that the formation was strung out and did not get into proper formation until the initial point of the bomb run.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:54
Reel:B0432
Page Start:1728
Mission:58
Date Order Sent:12 May 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):121900b
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):5001E/J/E1. 086073.
Fighter Escort:P-47s will furnish umbrella for 391st group.
Rendezvous:
Route Out:base to South Foreland to target.
Route Back:turn right at target to South Foreland to base.
Altitudes:
Initial Point (IP):
Axis of Attack:130 Degrees.
Emergency Airdromes:
Intervalometer Setting:50 feet
Bomb Load:4x1000gp fused 1/10 sec nose and 1/40 sec tail.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:three window a/c will precede formation into target area at same altitude as lead box, one minute ahead with a 300 feet spread between window a/c dropping window on the upwind side of the formation. All ships in the formation will also drop window in the target area.
OPFLASH
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0432
Page: 1725
Field Order: 54
A(i) Target Ordered: Sangatte
A(ii) Target Attacked: Sangatte
B(i) Group: 391
B(ii) No. Of A/C Off By Type: 15 B-16 plus 3 window ships.
B(iii) No. A/C Failing To Bomb: (weather-personnel-mechanical-other): 0-0-0-0
B(iv) No. A/C Bombing: (primary-secondary-other): 15-0-0
C(i) Time Up: 19:11
C(ii) Time Over Target: 20:10
C(iii) Time Down: 20:55
D(i) No A/C: (missing-destroyed-damaged(cat. B-A/C)-Damaged(Cat. A)): 0-0-0-0
D(ii) Enemy A/C: (destroyed-prob. Destroyed-Damaged): 0-0-0
D(iii) No. Crew: (killed-wounded-missing): 0-0-0
E. Results Of Bombing: 1st and 3rd flights poor, 2nd flight uncertain.
F(i)(A) Enemy Opposition Over Target: nil
F(i)(B) Enemy Opposition Elsewhere: nil
F(ii)(A) Flak Over Target: HF M to I INACC
F(ii)(B) Flak Elsewhere: nil
G. info,Observations, Hot News:
H(i) Weather Affecting Bombing: very hazy up to 15000 feet.
H(ii) Weather En Route: hazy.
I. Bombs On: (primary-secondary-other-jettisoned-returned): 56-0-0-0-4 (1000sap)
J. Altitude Of Attack: 12000
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 58
DIAGRAM NOTES:

Pilot and crew are not shown on crew loading lists where Squadron field of aircraft is blank.

All aircraft not participating in this mission (e.g. Spares, Abortive) are shown in yellow.

All aircraft damaged by FLAK are shown in orange.

All aircraft associated with an Accident or Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) for this mission are shown in red. Click on taxi code for details.


Box #0 - Lead Flight
Ljunggren
574
248-V
Hartman
574
841-
Baxter
574
800-C

Box #1 - Lead Flight
Stalnaker
575
Martin
575
827-
Ruble
575
846-
Olfson
575
847-
Harlow
575
716-O
Jannsen
574
838-
Box #1 - High Flight
La Framboise
575
932-
Jacobi
574
818-L
Illegible
852-
Tucker
572
811-
Schreiber
574
807-
Kiedinger
574
798-
Box #1 - Low Flight
O'Hare
575
808-C
Petrich
572
673-A
Sullivan
574
597-
Fleck
575
843-J
Lakin
572
819-
Cassiday
572
008-