Mission No. 8
3 Mar 1944
Station: 166
Target: Airfield at Montdidier, France
Time Of Take-Off: 07:45 / Time Over Target: 09:07 / Time Landed: 11:15
54 B-26 plus one spare were dispatched to attack the enemy airfield at Montdidier, France. 2 boxes were loaded with 14x250LB General Purpose bombs, 1 box with 20x100LB Fragmentation Clusters. RAF 11 Group to provide escort and support. Heavy, moderate FLAK experienced in vicinity of Oisement, Amiens, Dieppe, and north of Paris.
1st box: only about 12 bursts shown, due to camera malfunction in an open area about 1500 yards northwest of junction of SE-NW and SW-NE runways; no damage. 2nd box: due to camera malfunction, no pictures. 3rd box: dropped all its bombs in an open field south of SW-NE runway; no damage. Also smoke seen from bursts of this box's 1st flight's bombing, northwest of SW-NE runway; no damage. Written footnote: The above report rendered on information available. Later investigation revealed that numbering of formation diagram on file in operations was in error as the box #2 & 3 which were reversed. Ordnance revealed loading and position of the ships concerned. 1/Lt James Dudzik AC. Results were assessed as POOR.

SECTION VALUE
Field Order:221
Reel:B0429
Page Start:902
Mission:8
Date Order Sent:3 Mar 1944
Zero Hour (Day number + Time):030900a
Target(s) (Primary, Secondary, Alternate):Z475 (A). Z446 (B).
Fighter Escort:RAF 11 Group will furnish escort and support.
Rendezvous:With fighters at 50d10n/01d05e at 12000 feet, at zero hour plus 10 minutes.
Route Out:Base to Hastings to Fighter rendezvous to 6 miles northeast dieppe to 49d38n/01d45e to 6 miles south beauvais to 49d28n/02d40e to Target.
Route Back:Target turn left to 8 miles south amiens to 5 miles southwest Le Treport to Dungeness to Base.
Altitudes:Bomb 12000 feet, cross enemy coast out 10000 feet.
Initial Point (IP):49d28n/02d40e.
Axis of Attack:SE to NW.
Emergency Airdromes:Manston, Friston, Gravesend, and West Malling.
Intervalometer Setting:See bomb load.
Bomb Load:One box: 14x250gp fused 1/10 and 1/100; 042080; minimum interval. One box: 20x100 frag clusters; 059079; 200feet interval. One box: 14x250gp fused 1/10 and 1/100; 010068; 50 feet interval.
Purpose/Notes/Time Over Target:
FORM 103B
SECTION VALUE
Reel: B0429
Page: 1087
a. Group And Field Order: 391bg,fo221
b. Number Of A/C Dispatched: 54 b-26 plus one spare.
c.a Time Of Take-Off: 07:45
c.b Time Over Target: 09:07
c.c Time Landed: 11:15
d. Number Of A/C Attacking Target and Type of Target (P,S,etc): 54; target of opportunity, Beauvais-Tille airdrome.
e. Altitude Of Attack: varied from 8000 to 13000.
f. Bombs On Target: 323x250gp; 189x100frag
g. Bombs Jettisoned: 49x250gp; 10x100frag
h. Bombs Returned: 6x250gp; 81x100frag
i. A/C Abortive: 0
j. A/C Lost/Missing: 0
k. Personnel Casualties: 0
l. Tentative Enemy A/C Claims: 0
m.a. Fighter Opposition: 0
m.b. A/A Encountered: medium heavy flak in vicinity of Oisement, Amiens, Dieppe, and north of Paris.
m.c. Fighter Support: good for first two boxes; fair for third box.
m.d Elaboration on information of value:
Results (from elsewhere): Page 899 1st box: only about 12 bursts shown, due to camera malfunction in an open area about 1500 yards NW of junction of SE-NW and SW-NE runways; no damage. 2nd box: due to camera malfunction, no pictures. 3rd box: dropped all its bombs in an open field South of SW-NE runway; no damage. Also smoke seen from bursts of this box's 1st flight's bombing, NW of SW-NE runway; no damage. Written footnote: The above report rendered on information available. Later investigation revealed that numbering of formation diagram on file in operations was in error as the box #2 & 3 which were reversed. Ordnance revealed loading and position of the ships concerned. 1/Lt James Dudzik AC.
FORM 102A
Form 102a page: 1086
Form 102a results: poor
Target Name: Montdidier
View Crew Loading Lists for Mission No. 8
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.


Box #1 - Lead Flight
Rutledge
573
804-
Dearing
573
802-
Boylan
573
826-
Curran
573
943-
Snyder
573
823-
Farrell
573
978-
Sloss
575
012-R1
Box #1 - High Flight
McNulty
573
842-
Armstrong
573
820-
Merrigan
573
890-K
Adams
575
854-
Bernzen
575
808-
Marble
575
853-F
Clark
850-
Box #1 - Low Flight
Gibson
572
810-
Logan
573
829-
Shaffner
573
825-B
Thorn
573
822-
Anderson
573
831-H
Porter
573
828-

Box #2 - Lead Flight
Brandon
572
817-B
Wolfe
574
873-
Callison
574
852-A1
Barger
574
838-
Nunally
574
851-M
Metelsky
574
839-G
Box #2 - High Flight
Carson
572
947-U1
Hollis
574
927-
Bird
574
835-
Walker
574
832-
Stanfield
574
840-
Horridge
574
798-
Box #2 - Low Flight
Watkinson
572
836-
Salmon
574
800-
Nestlerode
574
818-
Jarett
834-
Klimovich
574
807-
Majka
574
865-

Box #3 - Lead Flight
Aldridge
575
950-
Schirmer
575
833-
Hanish
575
846-P
Sterngold
575
827-
Jacobi
575
932-T
Wilkinson
575
805-
Morr
572
797-P1
Box #3 - High Flight
Earll
572
812-D
Engelking
572
819-H
Jacobs
572
816-S
Jobe
572
815-
Petit
572
806-
Lubojasky
572
803-K
Box #3 - Low Flight
Schleicher
572
811-
Danforth
813-
Barker
572
809-
Sparks
575
844-
Harrison
575
847-
Young
575
845-
Holliday
575
972-M1