Operational Record
- Committed
- 12 Glenn Martin Baltimore
- Airborne
- 1443 hrs
- Returned
- 1711 hrs
- From
- Biferno
- Map
- ITALY - 1:100,000 Sheet 123 GUALDO TADINO
- Day / night
- Day
12 Baltimores off by 1643 to attack by Vics a RAILWAY BRIDGE at R941094, four miles S.W. of FOSSATO. One A/c returned after 1.20 hrs with u/carriage trouble after jettisoning bombs in sea at D.0102. Formation set course from PENNA point at 17O8 with an escort of 6 Spitfires. Leader arrived over target at 1748 hrs and decided to make a dummy run in order to clearly identify target. The remainder of the 1st box bombed then from 11000' on a course of 045º, stick falling from R943095 to R946099, overshooting and slight lateral error. The second box bombed at 1750 another bridge near FOSSATO on the main railway line, stick from R987123 to R990124. The leader turned back on the original target and bombed at 1755 from 11000' on course of 165º. First bomb dropped normally but remainder hung up. On jettisoning, two of the bombs collided and exploded below the formation, four of the six A/c being badly damaged. No cloud in target area. Slight H.A.A. inaccurate from TOLLENTINO, MACERATA, PEDASO and also target area. All A/c lands back to base by 1911 hrs. Two A/c Cat II, 1 A/c Cat I. No casualties to personnel.