Mission eleven carried the crew to the marshalling yards at Karlsruhe. The route came in over Camiers, through Laon, Nancy, and Luxembourg to the target, returning by way of Stuttgart, Lille, and Ostende. Hughes flew on the flight deck. Over the target the flak was heavy, the crews noting bursts in red, white, and black. Cloud cover was complete and results could not be observed. Three 2,000-pound bombs went down through the overcast. One aircraft was lost and three men with it; seven others had bailed out elsewhere. Their own aircraft, "Maulin Mallard," returned without damage and all crew safe.
05 NOVEMBER 1944 · SUNDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 702.Ludwigshafen.
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Intended Target
Ludwigshafen
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Actual Target
Karlsruhe
As bombed
Operating Group
93rd BG
3BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
219 / 454
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
640.5
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
1
Ships Lost
7
Men Bailed Out
3
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
121° T
Bearing In
306° T
Route Length
1,400 nmi
Time Aloft
7 h 30 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille03:00
Stations06:30
Takeoff07:15
Form-Up07:30
Time Over Target09:30
Return Time14:45
Distance1,400 nmi
Fuel Aboard2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed2,300 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to TargetSolid, wall-to-wall stratus overcast (10/10) from departure to target — complete instrument conditions the entire route.
Air Temp at Altitude-24 °F
Lowest Temp-24 °F
Wind Speed48 kt
Wind Direction260°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude24,000 ft
Bombing Run Heading87° True
Forming Altitude14,000 ft
Fighter Cover4 P-51, 1 P-47 groups
Bombing AccuracyCould not see — 10/10 cloud cover
Flak
Heavy at target — red, white, and black flak bursts
The formation.
§ 2 Aircraft Dispatched
Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.▸ 1 ship carrying your selection
Unidentified ship
From William Orient's flight log: aircraft logged as '535-O', B-24H. Carried 2,000-lb bombs to Karlsruhe; flak encountered. Duration 7:00. Aircraft not matched to a DB record - candidates 42-51535 'Misery Wagon' and 44-10535 'Roy's Boys' (both 328th BS, call letter O) unconfirmed.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published