Hampden Attack Dortmund-Ems Canal

H

HouseHobbit

Charter Member
On the night of August 12th, 1940, a force of eleven Hampdens from Scampton, six from 49 Squadron and five from 83 Squadron were detailed for a raid on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, the specific target being an aqueduct carrying the canal over the Ems, just north of Munster. The canal had been raided on several previous occasions without great success, and was known to be well-defended by flak guns situated each side of the waterway, thus providing a veritable lane of fire through which any attacker would have to fly. Take-off was set for 20.00hrs with an ETA of 2315hrs, and the Hampdens were loaded with delayed action HE canisters which were to be dropped at precisely two-minute intervals between aircraft to ensure safety for following raiders. Four Hampdens of the force were briefed to act as diversion bombers, raiding other targets in the vicinity, and in the event two other Hampdens failed to locate the primary target and bombed Texel Island instead. The remaining five Hampdens arrived over the canal slightly ahead of ETA, Flt Lt R A B Learoyd, piloting P4403, EA-M was to be the last to bomb and circled the area for the next ten minutes.

The first to bomb was P4402 of 83 Squadron, piloted by Flight Lieutenant 'Jamie' Pitcairn-Hill, DFC, who swept in at just over a 100ft height and received the first attention of the flak guns. Releasing his bomb load, Pitcairn-Hill banked swiftly out of the flak zone and limped home, his aircraft badly damaged by dozens of flak strikes. The second Hampden, P4410 piloted by the Australian, Pilot Officer Ross, received a direct hit on his run-in and crashed in flames alongside the canal.



I have this built in a Pm night mission and a Am day mission for those who like such things
Oh yea!
Screen shots from the Am (Morning) Mission
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Just recieved new updated Hampden files from Capt. Winters.
Changes made to improve this Beta model..
Thanks Rob..
 
I am trying to set up several interesting ( historical) missions for this, Dortmund-Ems Canal, Kiel, Brest, Antwerp attacks.
And several CC missions off the coast of Norway and the bay of Biccay missions
As I am learning the CC missions were very interesting, mines and torpedos for all..
And a few daylight missions early in 1940 when the Brits(Hampdens) suffered badly at the hands of the Luftwaffe..OUCH!!
 
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