MAXIMUM EFFORT

摘要

By the late summer of 1943, No.207 Squadron had been flying Lancasters for 18 months, having previously brought the ill-fated Manchester into operational service. Part of Bomber Command's 5 Group, it was based at Langar, Nottinghamshire, and was under the command of Wg Cdr Peter Jennings during the Battle of Berlin. In fact, the unit made its first visit to the 'Big City' on the night of May 9/10,1941, and two years later, during the first of the precursor raids of what became known as the Battle of Berlin, 207 sent a dozen Lancaster? to the city on August 23, 1943. ED550 K-for-King was one of 56 aircraft lost that night. Leaving Langar soon after 8.30pm it had to turn back with mechanical problems. As the Lancaster re-crossed the Dutch border the vulnerable lone bomber, flying at 16,500ft, was attacked by a new, deadly, Heinkel He 219 flown by Hptm Hans-Dieter Franck of Stab I/NJG 1. King came down at Nieuw Dordrecht, in Holland, and only Sgt Julian Walker survived from Sgt George Osmer's crew. It was Hptm Franck's 47th victory.