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Operation No. 68

DISPERSAL AIRCRAFT ON BENINA L.G

5 aircraft 20 aircrew

Operational Record

Duty
High level bombing dispersal aircraft on Benina L.G.
Committed
5 Glenn Martin Maryland
From
L.G. 76
Map
Target map D./3 and Benghasi 1:500000
Day / night
Day
Following ten days of inactivity, five Marylands of 21 Squadron set off for Benina at 1130 hours. Four Marylands of 12 Squadron flew over to rendezvous at L.G. 76, with ours, but owing to some mistake, they did not join up, and later returned to their base without bombing. Five Marylands approached the target from the South, and attacked, on a bearing of 40 deg., a poorly distributed long group of some 30 large aircraft, East and North East of the Eastern hangar. Very excellent results were obtained, all bombs, with the exception of a few "shorts" fell amongst the aircraft. Photographs show two burning fiercely, one crumpled up, one with a wing blown off. At least seven others, from this position in relation to bursts, must have been put out of action, with many others probably damaged. Six Fighters took off from the North East corner just after the Bombing, but were not seen again. No A/A was encountered.

Aircraft and crews