The 15th Air Force sent

   nearly 150 B-17's to attack

   the Daimler Benz Tank

  Assembly Plant in the

  suburbs of Berlin. The

  predicted enemy defenses:

  394 heavy flak guns in the

  target area; nests of

  antiaircraft artillery along the

  way around well known past

  targets; 40 to 45 Me-262's

  and FW-190's to supplement

  the jets if the enemy chose.

  Another 250 Me-109's and

  FW-100's in the target area.

  Given these potential

  defenses, the German

  desperation, and the deep

  penetration, the group did not take the mauling which might have been expected.

  Still, one was lost to flack and one to jet fighters. This was the last loss of the war

  to enemy aircraft.

      The mission  started well. The weather over the Alps was clear and continued that

   way to the target. The escort was visible in abundance. The mission's tranquil pattern

   was broken as serious flak started coming  up in blobs around Ruhland, Germany. The

   group took the prescribed evasive action. By the time the formation reached the IP,

   dogfights were in full force ahead and the flak came mushrooming up from the ground.

   Eighteen airplanes were damaged, sixteen had minor and two were severe. Ten to twelve

   Me-262's and one ME-109 pounced on the formation using the sun, and the bomber

   formation vapor trails to conceal their approaches. The attack lasted approximately

   ten minutes before the P-51 escort engaged, but  then the attackers maimed one B-17.

   Another group of enemy fighters using the same tactics, and pressing to within 150 yards,

   tried unsuccessfully to quickly  smoother the box. The fight  lasted only a few minutes

   before the fighters broke off, just before bombs away. The Luftwaffe only inflicted

   minor damage to other planes.

   Fortress gunners destroyed one ME 109, one ME 410 and one ME 462. The Daimler

   Benz  plant was left 70-80% destroyed. 1st Lt. Robert W Tappan crew, was attacked

   by an  ME-262 fighter and they crash landed but nine of the crewmen survived and

   were taken  prisoner. 2nd Lt. Rapelyea in #44-8162, 429th Sq. feathered his #2 engine

   shortly after leaving the target. Another engine went out and the crew bailed out.

   Two crew members    after reaching ground safely were shot by sniper fire. End of

    the longest mission!

   I, Dave Carlock, was on this mission as well as our President, Richard Radtke in another

   squadron. What made it a little different was the distance we had to fly. Also anytime you

   loose two planes it makes all the crews a little sick. All my crew and I signed the longest

   mission list when we returned. I have a copy today in my office.

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