OP 3 - HAJDU BOS ZORAMENY AERODROME, HUNGARY
This operation was carried out on the night of August 12/13, 1944. The target was the Hadju Bos Zormany aerodrome in Hungary. The aerodrome was targeted because it showed a sudden increase in activity. Sixty aircraft, many of them HE-177’s, were known to be present on the airfield.
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MacIsaac and his crew left Tortorella at 2005 hours in Wellington Mk.X number LP502. This was the former aircraft of Maurice Lihou who had by this time gone "tour expired" and was posted to a parachute training school for six months of non-operational duty. LP502’s designation was "H". For this op they carried a payload of 12 250 pound bombs. The ETA over target was about 3½ hours.
Flak was encountered at several points along the inboard route.
Ten Wellingtons of 37 Squadron were detailed to bomb the target. Illumination and target indicators were to be dropped by the Pathfinders of No. 614 Squadron flying Halifax Mk.II’s.
Haze prevented clear identification of ground detail, and No. 614 Squadron markers appear to have mistaken a road leading south from the town for the correct road leading west-southwest from the town. The bombing on the red TI’s was very good, and the result was a heavy concentration of bombs dropped on open country several miles southwest of the aerodrome.
Flight Sergeant MacIsaac bombed on red TI’s at 2336 hours from 7300 feet at a heading of 015 degrees. He reported two fires at the east and west ends of the aerodrome. Several other crews also reported seeing these same fires, and oil smoke was observed to a height of 7000 feet.
Flak over the target was negligible, however, there was some light night fighter activity. Sgt. Reynolds reported seeing, and Sgt. Bass had a brief engagement with, a Ju-88 night fighter over the target. Sgt. Daynes reported a single engined fighter, possibly an Me-109, in the target area.
LP502 touched down safely at Tortorella at 0232 hours. There were no losses. The next night MacIsaac was on for ops again...