TARGET: HEINKEL PLANT

ORANIENBURG, GERMANY

18 APRIL, 1944

To stations: 09.00

Engines on: 10.00

Taxi time at Glatton: 10.10

Departure time Glatton: 10.25

Landing time at Glatton: 18.45

Duration of mission:  8hours and 45 minutes

After a few days off, primarily because of the weather, the 457th was back in action. The target was the Heinkel plant at Oranienburg, manufacturer of the He-177. The Group put eighteen bombers aloft to make up the low box of the 94th Combat Wing. The Air Commander of the Group was Major Fred A. Spencer, and the pilot was Captain Jerry Godfrey.

The flight to the target was without incident. There was no heavy flak and little enemy fighter opposition in the area, in spite of the fact that the flight plan called for penetration into Germany on a direct path to Berlin.

Bombing results were reported good, although the target area was partially obscured by smoke from previous bombs. Flak over the target area was moderate and was only fairly accurate.

Upon leaving the target, crews reported they had never before seen so many B-17 and B-24s over Germany as they saw following them to the target. There were no losses.