From the Battle of Britain to Crossbow

The intelligence report on the very last offensive sorties completed by the Whirlwind reads as follows:

CO (Baker), Ross , Snalam , Mogg , Smith  263 Tebbitt , Dunlop , Tuff 

 COMPOSITE RAMROD 109 REPORT 26th Nov 

263 Sqdn 

7 Whirlibombers 14 x 500lb 

1540 – 1650 

Ramrod 109 

Flew to Casquets and crossed in at 12,500 ft. over Flamanville with escort of 12 Spits VB 610 Sqdn. Intense heavy accurate flak met our aircraft as they crossed in and continued all the time they were over France. All A/C bombed east to west some seen to fall in target area. At least eight heavy flak positions seen round target and many more between target and Framanville and target and Valognes. All A/C received flak damage, mostly superficial and all pilots reported continual flak bursts all round them. F/O Mogg returned home on one engine (not due to enemy action) escorted by two Spits. Escort gave good protection throughout. Crossed out 5 miles North of Carteret at 5,000 ft. Two ships seen by S/Ldr. Baker in harbour on North coast of Alderney. Weather clear over target with good visibility. Sheet of cloud low down south of target. Over Channel 6-7/10th at 2-4,000 ft.

What the above doesn't mention is this was a strike on the V1 launch site  under construction at Coulville, called 'Martinvast' by Allied intelligence, as part of Operation Crossbow.

This demonstrates a career much longer than the 'brief deployment' mentioned by most Historians. indeed, one of the aircraft involved, P6971, had a continuous career that began during the Battle of Britain - quite a record for any single WWII Combat aircraft, never mind one of a type deemed to have had a 'short service life'