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

[hanshauprich]

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

[Leendert]

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

[Leendert]

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

[Stig Jarlevik]

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

[Nick Beale]

TOT = Time On Target

[Leendert]

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

[Stig Jarlevik]

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