27/28 August, 1942

[plan_D]

Anyone got any information on this night? Lancasters raided Gydnia naval base at Danzig where Graf Zeppelin was being constructed. On the same night Soviet bombers raided Konigsberg.

I'm sure lanc can enlighten me on the RAF side of the night. Squadrons ... how many bombers ... which bombers were involved ... ?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

been a whilse since i last heard of this one, but this raid had the potential to match the dambusters raid and the sinking of the Tirpitz in terms of fame.....

on this night 9 of the at this point still quite new lancasters from 106 Sqn (5 group) were dispatched to Gydnia, where the GZ was being built, and the British believed she was nearing completion. They were dispatched from their home base of Coningsby and made the 950 mile flight outwards, their was a major raid on Kassel that night so it was hoped the 9 lancs could slip in un-noticed, and they did. Over the target there was flak but, as far as i've read, no fighter opposition. The load carried by each lanc comprised a new "capital ship" bomb, baisically an armoured bomb, which it was thought would destroy a capital ship with one hit... the problem that night was hitting the target. There was allot of haze around the area and the ship couldn't be found, so it's thought they bombed the harbour area insted, de-moralised at knowing the oppertunity they'd missed, the crews then headed back to base, no bombers were lost on the mission and all landed safely...........

on annother note the main raid on Kassel that night went even worse... but that's a different story.........

 

[plan_D]

I read they were all carrying six 1000 lbs bombs. Did all nine Lancasters have SABS? Or was it just Wing Commander Gibson's Lancaster?

I'm interested in the Soviet side too. Apparently it was written; "..aerial arms shake hands over Danzig."