Herman E Ernst of 422 NFS

[George 118]

From “422nd Night Fighter Squadron : A History” by Charles McEwen, Jr. we can see the He 111 launching platforms for the V-1s

- The night of the 26/27 saw Churchill Wilcox making his first appearance as Duty I.O. and things really started to pop. The first two missions were quiet, but then Smitty dropped a "Buzz Bomb" about 1/2 mile from a Marmite for first blood for the month, and hit another which only made it seem to go faster. Word then came in that Bolinder had gotten himself a HE.111, almost in 425th territory, and was closing in on another. Close in he did, but after sitting 200 feet under the bogie for 15 minutes, could not reconcile certain features with any German plane, so he played "rather than be sorry" and broke away. Subsequently he was sure it was a ME.110, which was something in the way of a miracle to the two "Krauts" who, but for the Grace of God, should have joined their ancestors. Then Captain Lee closed in on a ME.110, but only damaged it when the nose wheel doors partially opened and were shot away, breaking the circuit and rendering his guns useless. Break number two for the Hun, but by this time Wilcox was in a dither. Ernst then got himself his first, again almost in 425th territory and to cap this very satisfactory evening, Smitty, on his second mission for the night, pranged another HE.111 squarely on a "Boch" village. The explosion and consequent damage to property was the completion of a very satisfactory carron shot. All these planes, according to G.C.I., were launching platforms for the V-I's, though the buzzies, had gone before we arrived. In addition to this, the moon and good visibility made it possible for us to have a very enjoyable evening on the deck to the detriment of the German Railroad System. -