351st Bomb Group

1. Target
   1. Name – Villacoublay Depot
   2. Location – 4½ miles Southwest of Paris
   3. Name of Secondary – Poissy Motor Works
   4. Location of Secondary – South edge of Paris
   5. Name of Last Resort – None
   6. Location of Last Resort – _____
2. S-2 Enemy Pursuit Expected
   1. Number and Type – _____
   2. Pictures and Short description of any new types – _____
3. Flak Officer – Flak Expected
   1. On Route In _____
   2. At Target _____
   3. On Route Back _____
4. General information of formation
   1. Wing formation – 101 CW, 102 CW right echelon
   2. Order of Groups in formation and altitude of each – 101 CW - 1-351st at 25,000'; 2- 379th & 92nd at 24,000; 3- 91st at 26,000'
   3. Our formation for bombing – Defensive Formation
   4. Pursuit coverage 8 (128)[planes] Squadron of P-47 from Gournay to Mid Channel and ____Squadron of ____from ____to ____and Squadron ____from ____to ____.
   5. Bomb Loading 10 500 lb. bombs with ____delay nose fuse and ____delay tail fuse per airplane.
   6. IAS [Indicated Air Speed] for bombing will be 160 MPH.
      
      Notes: Diversion 381st & 384th to Bernay St Martins Airdrome 40 minutes ahead. 4th Wing LeMans 5 minutes behind. RAF - 2 Squadrons on Diversion
5. Navigator
   1. Time Tick _______
   2. This Group Assembles with the 379th & 91st Group on a line from Cambridge to ____at an altitude of 5,000'.
   3. Route out and times at check points.
   4. Climb will start at ____ and altitude will be reached at ____.
   5. Axis of attack is about 90°.
   6. Distance from IP [Initial Point of Bomb Run] to Target is____and time at IP is ____and time at Target is ___.
   7. Direction of turn and course after attack is to the Right, Hold Altitude to a course of ___. The rally line is Conte Robert to Gargen.
   8. Route back and times at check points.
   9. Point where descent will start is Mid Channel. Descent will be to ____feet.
   10. Point to leave Wing formation is ___.
   11. Total time for mission is ____.
   12. Length of time over 10,000 feet is ____.
   13. Deadline for last take off is ___ and the point to intercept the group is ____ at ____ feet.
6. Station – 1435
   Start engines – 1535
   Taxi – 1545
   Take off – 1600
   
7. Don't leave gun stations until English Coast not persuit cover last half.
8. Point to airplane assignments and explain.
9. Weather Officer
   1. General Weather and visibility along entire Route is
   2. Weather and Visibility at IP and Target is
   3. Winds at cruising altitude are
   4. Temperature at cruising altitude is
   5. Pressure altitude at target is
10. A 2-Red flare will be fired at the IP and aldis lamp.
11. S-2 [Intelligence] – Show Pictures and maps of the target. Have direction of attack laid out on maps and pictures. Any other comments that are desired. (Comments must be cleared with C.O. [Commanding Officer] first). FLAK - EMEMY FIGHTERS
12. Any special instructions to all personnel.
    Aim at leader  Deputy leaders to S-2  Silver cross for leader  Gunners see Wasson   Strike message  Convoy near English coast.
    Gunners, Radio operators, Navigators and Bombardiers leave the briefing room.
13. Comments to improve the formation and improve evasive action.
    Tight formation all the time. High Squadron stay down. Individual assemblies on take off.
14. Climb at 150 IAS. [Indicated Air Speed]
    Cruise at 160 IAS
    Reform after attack at 155 IAS
    Descend at 170 IAS and 500 feet per minute [Rate of Descent].
15. Any questions on who takes over the lead at anytime?
    Tail end Charleys. Wing men move forward in all squadrons. Remember keep leader protected.
16. Special instructions in case of bad weather. Splasher No. 8
17. Call signs bomber to bomber:
    91 Group Windbag 1
    351 Group Windbag 2
    379 Group Windbag 3
    _____ Group ______
    Collective call sign - Nature
    Recall - Downwind
18. Identification colors:
    101 CW [Combat Wing] GG [Green Green]
    102 CW RR [Red Red]
    _____ Group ______
    _____ Group ______
19. Bomber to bomber freq. 5165 kc [kilocycles].
20. Bomber to fighter channel - C
21. Bomber to fighter call signs:
    1. Bombers __________
    2. Fighters - Crokay
    3. Ground - Petro
22. Turn on VHF [Very High Frequency Radio] after leaving coast
23. Colors of the day:

    Time	Color	Ident.	Challenge
    1400 - 2000	RY	D	O
    2000 - 0200	YY	Q	W

24. Taxi plan for take off and landing, and spare airplanes.
25. Any questions.
    Drop on leader of Squadron or 2nd element.
    High Squadron right.
    Use Aldis lamp a lot.

1. 20 aircraft took off at 1601 and returned at 1947 [Mission Recalled].
2. Abortives:
  A/C 847 - No. 4 prop would not govern.
  A/C 925 - No. 3 prop governor ran away
  A/C 120 - Because this crew had to change planes at last minute and took off late the pilot could never contact formation.
  A/C 849 - Because prop governor on No. 1 engine out.
3. 10 x 500 GP [General Purpose Bombs]; brought back.
4. Cambridge and Lutton. On way back to Gloucester, had to turn N to Leiester because of cloud cover. Climbed on course to 25,000 to Splasher No. 10, missed and went to Splasher No. 9, and then headed for Beachy Head. When recalled, turned back at 50°45'N - 00°35'E at 1817 hours.
5. Main cloud cover from 4,000 to 8,000 feet with top occasionally 10,000 feet. Very few openings.
[Signed:] Robert P. Ramsey, Capt., Air Corps, Asst. Group S-2.

1. Base on Take-off: time approx. 1600 BST [British Standard Time]. 8/10 low cloud #9 [This number refers to the cloud cover scale (Okta) 0 to 9, with 9 meaning sky obstructed from view], cumulus and stratocumulus. Unknown amounts of middle cloud #6, altocumulus formed from cumulus, visible through breaks in lower cloud. Bases around 2000 ft. Visibility above 12 miles; surface wind WNW #5 [17-21 kn.].
2. Route over Southern England: time approx. 1700 to 1900 BST. Formation reached only as far south as Beachy Head, and then turned bak after the recall. Conditions were reported as follows: 8/10 low cloud #5, stratocumulus at latitude of wing stations, increasing to 9 plus/10 of low cloud #5 by south coast of England, extending from below 4000 ft, occasionally below 3000 ft. to 8000 and occasionally 10,000 ft. No middle cloud was observed. Layer of high cloud #4, fine cirrus, probably 5/10. One or two breaks below were observed but very infrequently.
3. Return route: same as above.
4. Base on return time approx. 2000 BST. 6/10 low cloud #2, swelling cumulus, at S to 8,000 ft. More than 2/10 middle cloud #5, alto cumulus, visible through breaks. Visibility 9 miles. Surface wind WSW force #4, (12-15 mph).
   [Signed:] Howard S. McCutcheon, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Group Weather Officer

Aircraft No. 925 - Squadron - 510th Pilot - Carraway, J.B., 1st Lt.
Time of Abortive - 1730 - Location when Aborted - 50 miles E of Polebrook
Reason - Run-away prop
Enemy Opposition Encountered - None
[Signed:] John B Carraway

1. Total No. A/C in each Squadron and Letters of each:

   Sqdn 508th A/C: 817 – D, 823 – C	(2)
   Sqdn 509th A/C: 9812 – U, 756 – R, 630 – S, 841 – V, 861 – X, 140 – P, 863 – Y	(7)
   Sqdn 510th A/C: 925 – L,  839 – C, 887 – K, 850 – G, 843 – D, 152 – A, 848 – F	(7)
   Sqdn 511th A/C:  5812 – O, 847 – T, 849– U, 824 – S, 835 – N	(5)

2. Target: Primary Z-204 [Villacoublay Depot, France] Secondary Z-166 [Ford Motor Works at Poissy, France]
   
3. Station call sign and Operational call sign respectively of each Squadron

   Squadron	508 Ops:	LH1		Squadron	510 Ops:	RJ7
   	Sta:	Wild Cheer			Sta:	Worm Track
   Squadron	509 Ops	LH1		Squadron	511 Ops:	RJ7
   	Sta:	Knitwell			Sta:	Shudder

4. Taxi Time – 1st A/C 1545;     Take-Off Time 1st A/C 1600;     E.T.D. Over Field 1630

5. Time:	Height:	Place of crossing English Coast OUT:
   1800	25,000 Ft	Beachy Head

6. Time:	Height:	Place of Recrossing Enemy Coast:
   1922	26,000 Ft	Saint Martin

7. Time:	Height:	Place of crossing English Coast IN:
   1939	8,000 Ft	Hastings

8. E.T.R.(Estimated Time of Return): 2013 Hours
9. MF/DF [Medium Frequency/Direction Finder] Section: N
10. Bomb load of Each A/C:
    Squadron: 508 10–500 pound, Fuse - 1/10 Nose, 1/40 Tail
    Squadron: 509 10–500 pound, Fuse - 1/10 Nose, 1/40 Tail
    Squadron: 510 10–500 pound, Fuse - 1/10 Nose, 1/40 Tail
    Squadron: 511 10–500 pound, Fuse - 1/10 Nose, 1/40 Tail
11. Fuel Load of each A/C: 1700 Gals
12. Actual Times Off and Return by Squadrons and A/C Letters:

    Squadron	A/C Letter	A.T.O.	A.T.R.	Squadron	A/C Letter	A.T.O.	A.T.R.
    508	817–D	1605½	1954½	509	9812–U	1604½	1952
    	823–C	1605	1953		756–R	Failed	Takeoff
    					630–S	1606½	1958
    					841–V	1606	1957
    					861–X	1607	1956
    					140–P	1608	1949½
    					863–Y	1601	1947
    					120–O	1656	1927
    510	925–L	1608½	1755	511	5812–O	1602	1949
    	839–C	1609½	2003		847–T	1601½	1615
    	887–K	1609	2000		849–U	1602½	1918
    	850–G	1610	2004		824–S	1604	1950
    	843–D	1611½	2005		812–O	1603	1948
    	152–A	1611	2002
    	874–J	1612	2001

    
    Failed Takeoff - 756-R
    Abortives - 925-L Landed at 1755
    Report Compiled By Civizzio, T/Sgt.