42-95598.Over Koblenz/Mosel.

Mitchell’s 598-N, with Capt. C. E. Biggers as command pilot and a PFF crew aboard, took off at 08:25. PFF equipment failed, and the deputy took over at 11:52, about 15 miles from the target. This ship dropped on the deputy formation at bombs away — 11:59 from 22,400 feet on a heading of 350° true — carrying two smoke bombs and two 500-pound G.P. bombs. The target line is Koblenz, PFF. Results were unobserved. They landed at Hardwick at 14:30. Some aircraft in the lead squadron dropped late; the high right squadron seemed to drop well. They reported no flak and no enemy fighters. Fighter support was good. They wrote that the 448th was off course all the way in, including over England, 25 miles south of course going in, and that the IP was not made good. A bottom note records Bigolin with one engine out over Belgium, low on gasoline, about 35 minutes from Brussels; Capt. Biggers told the ship to proceed to France, and the aircraft replied it could not make it.