Failed to Return

摘要

While flying just to the east of Stuttgart on a north-easterly course, 166 Squadron Avro Lancaster III PB153 encountered flak bursts up ahead and took avoiding action to fly around the danger. Meanwhile, Feldwebel Emil Weinmann, piloting his Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4 night-fighter of 111/NJG 6, had approached the bomber stream. "I was flying in a southwest direction; I think it was about 4,500 or 5,000m high," Emil recalled after the war: I saw to the left (I was still flying to the southwest) a few explosions as if anti-aircraft shells were exploding. It was at the same level, at the same height, and I thought that perhaps the anti-aircraft guns were attacking a target. I turned to the left and I told the crew to be on the alert. This encounter was in the region of Stuttgart. Sure enough one of the crew behind yelled right away, 'Emil, Emil, There! I have one!' I flew into position because he was to the right, above us. So I reduced speed and flew to the left and below. I want to say that I got careless and I aimed for the left wing - that means between the two engines to get the fuel tanks to burst and start to burn - and I apparently didn't aim too well. I pulled up, to the right side, to let him fly through my fire. I aimed a little bit too low and too far ahead and, somehow, I regret, I didn't hit the wing but I hit the body of the aircraft.