The fourth mission was to a tank factory at Kassel, September 27th. The route in passed Egmond, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, and Münster before reaching the target. Flak over Münster and Kassel was heavy, though inaccurate. Their aircraft came through without damage. The formation flying behind them was not as fortunate. Fighters struck the 458th Bomb Group in the rear, and 28 bombers were lost. The crew watched it happen from ahead in the formation. The return leg ran south through Göttingen, Giessen, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, and Koblenz, then back out over Liège, Ghent, and Ostende. Bombing results were recorded as undetermined, relying on PFF equipment through the overcast. All crew returned safe.
27 SEPTEMBER 1944 · WEDNESDAY
Mission 650
Kassel/Henschel
Bombed Primary
Intended Target
Kassel/Henschel
Kassel, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2BD
Aircraft Effective
248 / 315
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
707.5
tons
§ Outcome
1
Ships Aborting
18
Ships Lost
2
Men Bailed Out
20
Men Lost
§ Times & Distance
- Reveille
- 02:15
- Stations
- 05:45
- Takeoff
- 06:30
- Form-Up
- 06:30
- Time Over Target
- 08:00
- Return Time
- 13:10
- Distance
- 1,148 nmi
- Fuel Aboard
- 2,500 gal
- Fuel Consumed
- 1,900 gal
§ Weather
- Cloud En-Route to Target
- Heavy two-layer overcast: low stratus covering 8/10 of the sky, topped by a complete (10/10) stratocumulus layer. Near-total cloud cover throughout.
- Air Temp at Altitude
- -18 °F
- Lowest Temp
- -26 °F
- Wind Speed
- 98 kt
- Wind Direction
- 290°
§ Bombing & Defense
- Bombing Altitude
- 22,000 ft
- Bombing Run Heading
- 98° True
- Forming Altitude
- 12,000 ft
- Fighter Cover
- 3 P-51, 2 P-47, 1 P-38 groups
- Bombing Accuracy
- PFF — results not yet known
Flak Description
Heavy at Munster enroute; heavy and intense at target
§ Sorties · 1 Aircraft Dispatched
Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.
Unknown · XX-XX396 · ??-R · Unknown Squadron SQDN
Bombed Primary
Pos
Airman
Status
Sources
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Published
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981