Mission 178.Target of Opportunity.

On 7 January 1944 the aircraft departed Hardwick at 07:30 on a bombing mission to Ludwigshafen. While returning from the target the aircraft was attacked by Me 109s in the vicinity of Chartres, France. Engine number two was set on fire and the flames quickly spread to the wing. Pilot Lt. Walters dived the aircraft to 15,000 feet in an attempt to extinguish the fire. When this failed he ordered the crew to bail out and rang the alarm bell. The aircraft was traveling at approximately 200 mph when Walters dived headfirst through the bomb bay at roughly 2,000–3,000 feet. The aircraft exploded on impact with the ground and was completely destroyed. It came down within 200 yards of where Walters landed, near Brou, France, approximately 5–6 miles from Brie. Four crew members — Walters, Bickley, Del Guidice, and Hite — successfully evaded capture and returned to the UK on 24 February 1944. The navigator, bombardier, and three gunners (Kudej, Sweet, and Stainker) remained MIA.