
AIRCRAFT PROFILE |
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Aircraft: |
ME735 |
Type: |
Lancaster Mk. I |
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Contractor: |
A V Roe |
Contract No: |
2221 |
Engines: |
Merlin 24 |
Construction: |
AIRCRAFT HISTORY |
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Date |
Event |
Sqn Code |
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26 Mar 1944 |
Built by A V Roe |
N/A |
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07 Apr 1944 |
Delivered to 103 Sqn |
PM-? |
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09 Apr 1944 |
Delivered to 576 Squadron, Elsham Wolds |
UL-R2 |
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11 Apr 1944 |
Acceptance tested by Flt Lt G A J Wood (my father) |
UL-R2 |
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13 Jun 1944 |
Change of callsign to UL-P2 |
UL-P2 |
576 Squadron OPERATIONS |
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Code |
Date |
Operation |
Captain |
Events |
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UL-R2 |
11 Apr 1944 |
AACHEN |
Flt Lt G.A.J. Wood |
Target: Marshalling Yards |
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UL-R2 |
18 Apr 1944 |
ROUEN |
Flt Lt G.A.J. Wood |
Target: marshalling yards (two Aiming Points). Attacked by enemy intruder whilst in the circuit to land. Aircraft damaged and put on Cat AC. Crew were uninjured |
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UL-R2 |
02 Jun 1944 |
CALAIS |
Plt Off W.R. Ireland |
Target: Coastal Railway Battery. Bombed; arrived 50 miles ahead of the Main Force. The attacks against gun batteries in the Pas de Calais was part of a plan to deceive the Germans that the forthcoming invasion was to be in this area, and not Normandy. Most aircraft could not bomb due to cloud cover and brought their bombs back. Load: 11 x 1000lb & 4x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-R2 |
03 Jun 1944 |
WIMEREUX |
Fg Off W.A. Rainey |
Target: Coastal gun battery. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 15x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-R2 |
05 Jun 1944 |
ST MARTIN DE VARREVILLE AND CRISBECQ |
Fg Off W.A. Rainey |
Target: Coastal gun batteries at St Martin de Varreville. The bombing of coastal guns to soften up the enemy defences prior to the D-Day landings. Load: 18x 5000lb bombs. |
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UL-R2 |
06 Jun 1944 |
VIRE |
Fg Off W.A. Rainey |
Target: Two aiming points one on the Viaduc de Martilly road/rail bridge (western AP) and the other on the town's marshalling yards. Load: 18x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-R2 |
10 Jun 1944 |
FLERS |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Luftwaffe airfield. Load: 18x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-P2 |
23 Jun 1944 |
SAINTES |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Marshalling yards. Loads: H2S aircraft: 10x 1000lb, 2x 500lb bombs. All other aircraft 10x 1000lb, 3x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-P2 |
25 Jun 1944 |
FLERS |
Flt Off C. Sawyer |
Target: V1 flying bomb launch site. Bombed at 0320 from 15,000 ft. Pickup: 'S/L & flak. Fighters G/C (ground controlled?). Uneventful'. |
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UL-P2 |
29 Jun 1944 |
DOMLEGER |
Flt Off C. Sawyer |
Target: V1 flying bomb storage and supply depot. Bombed at 1332 from 12,000 ft. Pickup: 'Sporadic heavy flak, otherwise uneventful'. |
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UL-P2 |
30 Jun 1944 |
OISEMONT / NEUVILLE AU BOIS |
Flt Off C. Sawyer |
Target: V1 flying bomb site. Bombed at 0758 from 13,000 ft. Pickup: '10/10ths cloud. Uneventful. Slight heavy flak'. |
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UL-P2 |
02 Jul 1944 |
DOMLEGER |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: V1 'flying bomb' storage and supply depot. Load: 7x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. The crew's usual rear gunner, Sgt Schofield, was replaced by Sgt Porter RCAF for an unknown reason. |
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UL-P2 |
04 Jul 1944 |
ORLEANS |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Marshalling yards. Load: 18x 500lb bombs. 'Successful. Clear photo' - Rainey. |
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UL-P2 |
05 Jul 1944 |
DIJON |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Marshalling yards. Load: H2S equipped aircraft: 8x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. All aircraft were diverted to Coningsby due to low cloud at Elsham on return. 'Successful. Clear photo' - Rainey. |
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UL-P2 |
07 Jul 1944 |
CAEN |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Enemy armour strongpoint on the Northern outskirts of Caen. Flown in support of the Anglo-Canadian ground forces attack on the town (Operation Charnwood). Load: 9x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. 'Successful. Clear photo' - Rainey. |
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UL-P2 |
12 Jul 1944 |
REVIGNY |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Marshalling yards. The Deputy Master Bomber instructed all aircraft to return to base with their bombs (‘Lysol’) as cloud was obscuring the target. Special Duties Flight (1 Group's 'pathfinders') carried out target marking. Load: 7x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. On return the crew diverted to Sandtoft due to the weather at Elsham. 'Marking late and inaccurate. Bombed spot fire at 2,400 ft' - Rainey. |
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UL-P2 |
18 Jul 1944 |
SANNERVILLE |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Area 'H' - fortified positions occupied by Panzer regiments. Load: 9x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Flown in support of the British Second Army involved in Operation GOODWOOD. The bombers were given a strong fighter escort. Rainey records, '...on German troop concentrations prior to breakthrough from the beachhead. Successful'. NOTE: Aircraft was UL-P2 not UL-R2, as indicated. |
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UL-P2 |
18 Jul 1944 |
SCHOLVEN / BUER |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Synthetic oil plant. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 16x 500lb bombs. Rainey notes, 'Excellent prang. Good photo of aiming point.' NOTE: Aircraft was UL-P2, not UL-R2, as indicated. |
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UL-P2 |
20 Jul 1944 |
WIZERNES |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Construction site for a V2 rocket site and bunker complex ‘La Coupole’. Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. 'Clear photo' - Rainey. |
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UL-P2 |
23 Jul 1944 |
KIEL |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: German Navy base, canal, and harbour. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 8x 500lb bombs, 5x 500lb ‘J’ Type incendiary cluster. The aircraft was followed by an enemy single-engined fighter for four minutes before combat was engaged. The fighter was claimed as destroyed by the gunners. No copy of the combat report has been found yet but Rainey's logbook carried a typed report which is shown below. Rainey's logbook also states; '10/10 cloud over target. Fighter shot down by rear gunner. Confirmed & allowed'. |
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UL-P2 |
24 Jul 1944 |
STUTTGART |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 2000lb bomb, 12x 3010 'J'-Type incendiary cluster bombs. Bombed at 15,000 ft. Rainey: '10/10 cloud over target. Photo of Wanganui flares'. |
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UL-P2 |
26 Jul 1944 |
BOIS DES JARDINS |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: V1 'flying bomb' launch site. Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Rainey: 'Successful. Clear photos'. |
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UL-P2 |
30 Jul 1944 |
CAHAGNES |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Enemy troop concentrations. The bomber force were given a fighter escort of Spitfires and (possibly) Typhoons. Load: 20x 500lb bombs. Rainey: 'Battle target. Low cloud. Three runs before bombing'. Diverted to Horham due to 'haze and mist' at Elsham. |
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UL-P2 |
10 Aug 1944 |
PARIS (DUGNY) |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Aviation fuel storage depot. Spitfire escort. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Rainey: 'Successful. Camera failure'. |
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UL-P2 |
11 Aug 1944 |
DOUAI |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Marshalling yards. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Rainey: 'Successful. Clear photo'. |
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UL-P2 |
12 Aug 1944 |
BORDEAUX |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Oil storage facilities & U-Boat pens. Mosquito and Spitfire escort. Load: 2x 2000lb armour-piercing bombs. Rainey: 'Oil storage for U-boats. Successful. Clear photo of aim point'. |
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UL-P2 |
13 Aug 1944 |
FALAISE |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Enemy ground positions, Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Rainey: 'Battle target. Successful. (No cameras carried)'. |
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UL-P2 |
15 Aug 1944 |
LE COULOT (BEAUVECHAIN) |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Luftwaffe night fighter airfield. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. 'Second Dickie' trip for Plt Off Button. Rainey: 'Successful. Clear photo'. |
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UL-P2 |
16 Aug 1944 |
POMERANIAN BAY (STETTIN) |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Gardening 'Geraniums'. Load: 6x 1500lb mines. Mines dropped at 11,000 ft. Rainey: 'Mine-laying in Pomerania Bay. Successful. No camera carried'. |
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UL-P2 |
18 Aug 1944 |
ERTVELDE RIEME |
Flt Lt W.A. Rainey |
Target: Motor Transport oil depot and storage tanks near Ghent on the Ghent-Terneuzen canal. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. Rainey: '(Oil dump in Belgium). Successful. (Photo target)'. The Rainey crew were screened from operations after this mission. |
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UL-P2 |
25 Sep 1944 |
CALAIS |
Fg Off D.C. Smith |
Target: Enemy troop and gun positions. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. The Master Bomber abandoned the attack due to cloud cover over the target and ordered the crews to return to base with their bombloads intact. The crews usual Air Bomber was replaced by Fg Off Campbell, RAAF from the S D Thompson crew on this one operation - reason not known. |
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UL-P2 |
26 Sep 1944 |
CAP GRIZ-NEZ |
Fg Off D.C. Smith |
Target: Enemy 6 inch coastal gun battery. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-P2 |
27 Sep 1944 |
CALAIS |
Fg Off D.C. Smith |
Target: Enemy fortifications between marshalling yards and the Canal de Calais. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs |
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UL-P2 |
18 Nov 1944 |
WANNE-EICKEL |
Fg Off H.F. Benson |
Target: Krupps synthetic oil plant. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie' and 16x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-P2 |
03 Dec 1944 |
URFT DAM |
Flt Lt J.W. Acheson |
Target: Walled masonry dam. Load: 14x 1000lb bombs. The Master Bomber called off the attack due low cloud over target and the proximity of Allied troops. All aircraft returned with their bombloads. |
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UL-P2 |
06 Dec 1944 |
MERSEBURG/LEUNA |
Fg Off O.R. Herbert |
Target: IG Farbenindustrie synthetic oil refinery |
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UL-P2 |
12 Dec 1944 |
ESSEN |
Fg Off I.R. Carter |
Target: Krupp munitions factory or the rail centre at 5126.5N 00701E Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 16x 500lb bombs |
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UL-P2 |
14 Jan 1945 |
MERSEBURG – LEUNA |
Flt Lt J.W. Acheson |
Target: IG Farbenindustrie synthetic oil refinery. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 12x 500lb bombs. |
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UL-P2 |
16 Jan 1945 |
ZEITZ / TROGLITZ |
Fg Off D.E. Till |
Braunkohle Benzin synthetic oil plant (low grade MT fuel). Load: All aircraft: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 12x 500lb bombs. Navigator passed out due to hypoxia as a result of a disconnected O2 pipe. Derek Till: 'A long flight to Zeitz, almost 8 hours, is perhaps one of my most vivid recollections. We were coming up to an abrupt turning point prior to a long run-in to the target, but I did not get the new course from Charlie as I had expected and had glimpsed other aircraft turning. I called him up and he said, not to worry, we're doing OK. About 10 minutes went by and I called him up again, and again he responded that we were on the right track. Suddenly the Wireless Operator yelled that Charlie has passed out - his oxygen had become disconnected. Geoff plugged him in again, Charlie revived and I told him how long I estimated we had overshot the turning point. He gave me a new course to the target, which fortunately we could soon see in the distance because it was thoroughly lit up. We arrived after everybody else had left - as we judged by the absence of bombs bursting on the target - and felt very lonely trundling across by ourselves. Charlie later showed us what he had written in his log when he thought he was being perfectly sensible - it was a lot of nonsense, typical of what happens when one suffers from oxygen lack. About this time, we were told that the "tour" of ops had been increased from 30 to 35, much to our dismay. I felt cheated- just as the end of the tour seemed in sight, we were faced with more trips and the strain was beginning to take its toll on our nerves.' |
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UL-P2 |
20 Feb 1945 |
DORTMUND |
Fg Off D.E. Till |
Rhenania Ossag oil refinery, Reisholz district RUHR Load: M, N, O, P, Q, R, T, V: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 1604x 4lb incendiaries. X: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 2220x 4lb incendiaries. J, K, L: 1x 2000lb bomb and 2100x 4lb incendiaries. B, C, D, F, H: 1x 2000lb bomb and 1846x 4lb incendiaries. |
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UL-P2 |
21 Feb 1945 |
DUISBURG |
Flt Lt C.H. Living |
Attacked by Ju-88 at 0405 ET at 11,000 ft and at 5617N 00820E. Luftwaffe pilot saw strikes on fuselage and port wing. Crashed with great force and exploded 5 km south of Kevelaer; no survivors |
NOSE ART |
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AIRCRAFT IMAGES |
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MOVEMENT CARDS |
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LOSS CARDS |
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LOSS/INCIDENT REPORT |
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