23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

Hello,
I search for the mission reports for the 23./24. Febr. 1945. Did the P-61 used 500 lbs GB here over Germany?
Thanks.
hans

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

As for 422nd NFS, it was a single A-20G Havoc (#9677, likely 43-9677) that took off at 2014 on 23Feb45 on a night bombing mission of Bergheim, loaded with 4 x 500 lb. bombs. Three were dropped, the fourth hung up. TOT 2045, landed 2122.
(AFHRA Reel A0804, p. 1504).

Will see if anything comes up for 425th NFS.

Grüss, Leendert

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

AFHRA Reel A0805, p. 630 provides some answers for 425th NFS for 23/24 Feb 1945.
Dispatched 4 X P-61s for Night Interception patrols over the 1st & 3rd US Army front lines (Trier-Bad Kreuznach area).

More interesting for you, 425th NFS also sent out 6 X P-61s for Night Rhubarbs.
Report mentions 'napalm tanks' dropped on unnamed village with coordinates L3814, plus strafing various targets at 'L4494', 'L3362', (Ober) Lahnstein, Lebach and 'east of Kaiserslautern'.
First P-61 took off 1843, last 2137, with wheels down 2031 and 2319 respectively.
No mention of 500 lb. bombs loaded, but one P-61 had 2 X 650 lb. Napalm loaded and expended. Latter would have been by P-61A "42-5574" piloted by Capt. Glasser.

Grüss, Leendert

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

Leendert
Some items I don't follow

Post 2
What do you mean with TOT (second line) Normally I would have said take off time but you have
already given that as 2014

Post 3
What do you mean with "First P-61 took off 1843, last 2137, with wheels down 2031 and 2319 respectively.?
While most land planes do take off with their wheels down there must be something here I
fail to understand. Is it possibly the landing time you state? If so it is good to know they all
landed with their wheels down.... :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

TOT = Time On Target

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

Stig, 'wheels up' = time of take-off, 'wheels down' = time of landing. Regards, Leendert

Re: 23. Febr. 1945 Mission Reports 422nd & 425th NFS
 

Thanks Guys

Now things are much more clear. Interesting they use short form for time over target while
slang for landing time....
Only the chewing gum is missing.... :)

Cheers
Stig