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Operation No. 171

DISPERSED A/C ON CASTEL BENITO AERODROME

Over target: 2210 hrs 1 aircraft 4 aircrew

Operational Record

Target
Dispersed A/C on CASTEL BENITO Aerodrome.
Duty
Dispersed Aircraft on CASTEL BENITO aerodrome.
Committed
1 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack
2210 hrs.
Airborne
1735 hrs
Returned
2035 hrs
From
Gzina
Map
LIBYA 1:500,000 Sheet 2. TRIPOLI
Day / night
Night
Casualties
Nil.
Bombing
Medium level attack. 8000 ft. 6 x 250 lb. G.P. 43 Det. (Rods)
Air defences
Seven searchlights. Accurate at first but evaded by steep turn. Heavy and light ack/ack. Heavy fairly intense but inaccurate. No ack/ack from TRIPOLI.
Results
Lights around TARHUNA area. Could have been moving MT. BENI ULID AREA gun flashes. MT on TARHUNA - BENI ULID road. OXYGEN None available.
Albacore was dropping flares over target on arrival, and two fires were seen, one on SW corner and other half-way down the aerodrome. Target clearly seen. First bomb started large fire which was burning fiercely as A/C left target. (NE corner) Two smaller fires were started with the rest of the stick. Rear gunner confirms five fires burning well after leaving target.

8,000ft.

Aircraft and crews