| 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.........
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | 
To those in that club. 
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