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Flight Engineer · No. 462 Squadron RAAF

Joe Hollins — Flying Log Book

A searchable transcription of Joe Hollins' original RAF flying log book: 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit and No. 462 Squadron RAAF, September 1944 to September 1945. Other MZ-467 crew log books will get their own pages here in time.

Joe Hollins — Flight Engineer

1664 H.C.U. & No. 462 Squadron RAAF, 1944–1945

Date Hour Aircraft Pilot Duty Remarks Day Night
10-9-44 21:00 Halifax II — D.H.-B F/Lt Garrick Bombing & Fighter Affil. 3:00
6-10-44 14:15 Halifax V — D.H.-Q P/O Hawthorne Familiarisation Circuits & landing. Overshoots. 3:00
7-10-44 09:50 Halifax V — D.H.-B P/O Hawthorne Circuits & landing 3 engine landing & overshoots. 2:10
9-10-44 09:35 Halifax V — D.H.-F F/Sgt Lodder Circuits & landing And overshoots. 2:20
12-10-44 14:25 Halifax V — D.H.-Q F/Sgt Lodder Circuits & landing 3 engine landings and overshoots. 2 and 3 engine flying. 2:05
15-10-44 14:45 Halifax V — D.H.-D F/Sgt Lodder Air to air Firing. Weather u/s for bombing. 2:45
19-10-44 09:55 Halifax V — D.H.-D P/O Hawthorne Dual Fighter Affil. 0:45
19-10-44 10:40 Halifax V — D.H.-D F/Sgt Lodder Fighter Affil. General flying. Bombing at Snape. 2:55
19-10-44 21:10 Halifax V — D.H.-H P/O Hawthorne Dual Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 1:30
22-10-44 — Halifax V — Z U-D P/O Hawthorne Dual Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 0:40
23-10-44 18:55 Halifax V — D.H.-Q P/O Hawthorne Dual Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 0:50
23-10-44 19:45 Halifax V — D.H.-Q F/Sgt Lodder — Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 1:40
25-10-44 10:45 Halifax II — Z.U.-Z F/Sgt Lodder D.N.C.O. Radar Dem. (C.S.U. u/s on port outer) 0:30
25-10-44 11:55 Halifax II — Z.U.-K F/Sgt Lodder Engineer Radar Dem. (St/Bo outer feathered). Severe coolant leak, S/B outer. 3:35
27-10-44 09:35 Halifax V — D.H.-S F/Sgt Lodder Engineer Fighter Affil., bombing (12 bombs). 3:25
29-10-44 17:01 Halifax V — D.H.-J F/Sgt Lodder “Engineer” (18,000′) ‘X’ Country. Bombing (6 bombs). 5:50
1-11-44 18:10 Halifax II — Z U-Z F/Sgt Lodder “Engineer” ‘X’ Country (15,000′). Lost pilot’s escape hatch, returned early. 4:30
3-11-44 18:10 Halifax V — Z.U.-F F/S Lodder “Engineer” Fighter Affil. (R.O. unsatisfactory at take-off) (R.O. cut, and/or fire) (P.1 fluctuating 1000 R.P.M. when landing) (S.1 rad flap u/s) (priority landing) (port outer would not feather). 1:55
8-11-44 14:07 Halifax III — Z5-A F/S Lodder Engineer Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 1:35
10-11-44 12:27 Halifax III — B, MZ479 F/S Lodder Engineer Bombing — 12 bombs on Flamborough Head Range. 1:30
11-11-44 20:47 Halifax III — F, MZ429 F/S Lodder “Engineer” Carnaby approach. Circuits and landings. 0:25
12-11-44 19:49 Halifax III — J, MZ431 F/S Lodder “Engineer” Circuits and landings. Overshoots. 0:50
15-11-44 12:15 Halifax III — G, NA147 F/Lt Cuttriss Engineer Air test. 1:05
18-11-44 14:35 Halifax III — G, NA147 F/S Lodder Engineer ‘X’ Country. 2:40
21-11-44 17:24 Halifax III — K, MZ306 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 1st Operation. ‘Sterkrade’ — Ruhr Valley. Moderate flak and searchlights. Landed at Carnaby. ★ 6:38
27-11-44 12:20 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder Engineer Bombing at Flamboro’ Head. Fighter Affil. 2:00
29-11-44 02:35 Halifax III — D, NA239 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 2nd Operation ‘Essen’ — Ruhr Valley. Light flak. 6:00
30-11-44 16:55 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 3rd Operation. ‘Duisburg’ — Ruhr Valley. Railway installations. Heavy flak. ★ 5:40
2-12-44 18:00 Halifax III — F, MZ429 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 4th Operation. ‘Hagen’ (Ruhr Valley) — railway centre. 19,000′, light defences. 7:07
4-12-44 12:10 Halifax III — A P/O Lodder “Engineer” Fighter Affil. 0:35
18-12-44 03:15 Halifax III — G, NA147 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 5th Operation. ‘Duisburg’ (Ruhr Valley) — railway installations. 20,000′, moderate flak. 7:00
21-12-44 15:15 Halifax III — G, NA147 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 6th Operation. ‘Cologne’ (Ruhr Valley) — marshalling yards. 18,000′, light accurate flak. 5:50
29-12-44 15:00 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder Engineer Driffield to Foulsham. 1:00
1-1-45 12:21 Halifax III — C, MZ467 S/L McDermott “Engineer” Local flying. 1:20
2-1-45 15:55 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 7th Operation. ‘Special Duties’, Germany, 18,000′. Coblenz–Frankfurt area. 5:05
4-1-45 15:30 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” Local flying. 0:35
5-1-45 16:35 Halifax III — K, MZ306 F/O Drinkwater Special Op. 8th Operation. ‘Special Duties’, Heligoland area. 18,000′. 4:25
6-1-45 16:25 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 9th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Wuppertal — Ruhr area. 18,000′. 5:05
11-1-45 16:15 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” Air to sea firing. 0:35
15-1-45 16:20 Halifax III — C, MZ467 P/O Lodder “Engineer” 10th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Mannheim (1/1000 MC), 18,000′. Concentrated light flak and searchlights. 5:45
28-1-45 15:05 Halifax III — J, MZ431 F/O Lodder “Engineer” ‘Special Duties’. 11th Operation. ‘Mainz’ (4/500 G.P.), 20,000′. 6:40
1-2-45 16:40 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder “Engineer” 12th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Mannheim (4/500 G.P.), 20,000′. Heavy flak, searchlights. Flak holed S/B wing, No.4 tank; punctured S/B wheel. 5:30
1-2-45 11:25 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Airtest. Air to sea firing. 0:40
2-2-45 21:05 Halifax III — J, MZ431 F/O Lodder “Engineer” 13th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Mannheim (4/500 G.P. and 2/250 T.I.s). Marked target, moderate predicted flak, 21,000′. 5:10
9-2-45 08:45 Halifax III — N, MZ913 F/O Lodder “Engineer” 14th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Ruhr Valley, Krefeld area, 20,000′. 4:20
11-2-45 01:25 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder “Engineer” 15th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Ruhr area, 20,000′. 3:30
13-2-45 16:00 Halifax III — D, NA239 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Air-test. Air to sea firing. 1:00
14-2-45 11:45 Halifax III — PN.247 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Ferry trip — Foulsham to St Athan. 1:35
15-2-45 15:30 Halifax III — MZ.308 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Ferry trip — St Athan to Foulsham. 1:25
5-3-45 12:22 Halifax III — J, MZ431 F/O Lodder Engineer Airtest. 1:05
6-3-45 15:16 Halifax III — C, MZ467 W/O Simms (2nd pilot F/O Lodder) Engineer Fighter Affil., air to sea firing. 1:30
8-3-45 11:20 Halifax III — G, NA147 F/O Lodder Engineer Airtest. Air to sea firing. 0:50
9-3-45 14:50 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder Engineer Airtest. 0:20
18-3-45 15:20 Halifax III — H, PN442 F/O Lodder Engineer Ferry trip — Foulsham to St Athan. 1:45
18-3-45 17:59 Halifax III — B2 P/O Robinson Passenger Ferry trip — St Athan to Foulsham. 1:10
22-3-45 11:45 Halifax III — D, NA239 F/O Lodder Engineer Airtest. Air to sea. 1:05
27-3-45 11:46 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Airtest — air to sea firing. 0:40
29-3-45 15:01 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder “Engineer” Air to sea firing. 0:55
30-3-45 18:56 Halifax III — E, PN432 F/O Lodder “Engineer” 16th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Stade on Elbe, 21,000′ (2/250 T.I., 4/750 inc.). Attacked oil installation. 4:40
2-4-45 20:42 Halifax III — C, MZ467 F/O Lodder Engineer 17th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Stade on Elbe, 18,000′. Bombed an airfield. Searchlight activity. 4:55
22-4-45 21:11 Halifax III — O, PN426 F/O Frazer Engineer 18th Operation. ‘Special Duties’. Spoof airborne landing on North German–Denmark coast, 2,000′. ★ 4:55
4-5-45 15:25 Halifax III — G, NA147 F/Lt Britt Engineer ‘X’ Country. 2:20
23-5-45 10:35 Halifax III — B, MZ396 Sqd/Ldr Scharer Engineer Local flying. 0:35
28-5-45 10:26 Halifax III — H F/Lt Britt Engineer Cook’s Tour of the Ruhr — Cologne, Brussels, Bonn, Duisburg, Sterkrade, Düsseldorf, Wesel, Essen, Antwerp. 5:25
29-5-45 10:35 Halifax III — I, PN.423 F/Lt Britt Engineer Foulsham to Schleswig (Germany) with passengers. 2:15
29-5-45 16:55 Halifax III — I, PN.423 F/Lt Britt Engineer Schleswig to Foulsham with passengers. 2:25
1-6-45 10:46 Halifax III — B, MZ396 F/Lt Britt Engineer Cook’s Tour of the Ruhr area — Brussels, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen, Dortmund, Wesel, Antwerp. 5:25
12-6-45 14:19 Halifax III — L, MZ926 F/Lt Britt Engineer Cook’s Tour of the Ruhr area. 4:30
29-6-45 14:17 Halifax III — D F/Lt Britt Engineer ‘Spoof’ Operation ‘Window’, Denmark (post-mortem of German radar). 6:05
2-7-45 10:40 Halifax III — M, PN445 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Foulsham to Grove (Denmark). 2:30
2-7-45 16:28 Halifax III — M, PN445 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Grove (Denmark) to Foulsham. 2:40
4-7-45 13:12 Halifax III — M, PN445 F/Lt Britt Engineer ‘Spoof’ Operation, post-mortem of German radar. Denmark (double entry). 7:10
7-7-45 05:48 Halifax III — I, PN423 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Foulsham to Grove (Denmark). —
7-7-45 10:33 Halifax III — I, PN423 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Grove (Denmark) to Grove. —
17-7-45 11:08 Halifax III — J, PN453 F/Lt Britt Engineer Cook’s Tour, Ruhr Valley area. 3:55
31-7-45 11:05 Halifax III — H, PN442 F/Lt Britt Engineer Cook’s Tour, Ruhr Valley area. 3:50
2-8-45 14:20 Halifax VI — RG.817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Bruntingthorpe to Northolt. 0:40
2-8-45 09:24 Anson F/O O’Malley Passenger Ferry trip — Foulsham to Bruntingthorpe. 1:00
2-8-45 16:37 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Northolt to Frankfurt. 2:05
3-8-45 16:33 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Frankfurt to Munich. 1:05
6-8-45 14:23 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Munich to Frankfurt. 1:05
6-8-45 17:13 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Frankfurt to Brunswick (Volkenrode). 1:00
11-8-45 09:34 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Brunswick to Bruntingthorpe. 2:30
11-8-45 14:18 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Bruntingthorpe to Foulsham. 0:30
17-8-45 10:55 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Foulsham to Bruntingthorpe. 0:40
23-8-45 15:38 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Bruntingthorpe to Foulsham. 0:35
27-8-45 16:43 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Air test and ‘X’ Country — Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, base. 2:05
31-8-45 21:00 — E F/Lt Britt Engineer Circuits and landings. 2:25
7-9-45 10:45 Halifax VI — RG817 F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Foulsham to Bruntingthorpe. 0:45
10-9-45 15:05 Halifax III — 6Y-R F/Lt Britt Engineer Ferry trip — Bruntingthorpe to base. 0:45
No log entries match that search.
A note on this transcription: entries are transcribed directly from photographs of the original handwritten log book. A gold star (★) marks an entry with some historical significance — hover to see why. If you're checking this against Joe's original pages and spot an error, let Greg know and it'll be corrected.
Reference

Monthly & unit totals

Period Day Night Total Notes
1664 H.C.U. (training unit) — — 3:00 Grand total on completing 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit; assessment ‘Keen’, 74%.
November 1944 8:20 19:33 27:53 462 Squadron, Halifax III. Includes 1st–3rd operations.
December 1944 1:35 19:57 21:32 Includes 4th–6th operations.
January 1945 2:30 27:00 29:30 Includes 7th–11th operations.
February 1945 4:40 18:30 23:10 Includes 12th–15th operations.
March 1945 9:20 4:40 14:00 Includes 16th operation.
April 1945 — 9:50 9:50 Includes 17th & 18th (final) operations.
May 1945 13:00 — 13:00
June 1945 16:00 — 16:00
July 1945 20:05 — 20:05
August 1945 13:15 2:25 15:40
September 1945 1:25 — 1:25 Final entries in the logbook.
Career totals, No. 462 Squadron RAAF: 18 operational sorties · 98:15 operational hours · 193:35 total flying hours with the squadron. These figures are drawn from the squadron's own final summary page in Joe's log book, and match the service-record figures on Joe Hollins’ page.