Nite14 - "Dortmund, Part 2"

WEATHER: Nitefire recommended
INSERTS: None
MIN.TIME: None
RADAR: Map used only for seeking
     waypoints.

The final Battle of the Ruhr signal-
led the ability of Bomber Command to
bomb anywhere it chose while incurring
negligible casualties and inflicting
massive destruction.  The "battle"
began at the first of October and las-
ted until the end of December, 1944.
14,254 bombing sorties were flown,
60,830 tons of bombs were dropped, and
only 136 bombers were lost (<1%).
Duisburg, Essen, Cologne, Dusseldorf,
Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Hagen, Oberhausen,
Munster, Hamm, and Leverkusen were de-
vastated in these attacks.  During this
period the Luftwaffe was increasingly
kept at bay by generous use of Mosquito
night fighters, improved jamming and
other counter-measures, and the impact
of sheer numbers.
Dortmund was also a target during this
offensive, suffering almost total de-
struction. The Nachtjagdkorps did its
best to put a few fighters up, but
accomplished little as German defense
forces were overwhelmed.
ORDERS: You are wingman in a formation
of Lancasters en route to bomb Dortmund.
You have a Mosquito escort, but be pre-
pared to defend yourself with the gun
turrets.



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