March 6, 1945 - A Celebration for Vulture Strikes!

From the Operations Record Book:  

The Squadron was not called upon to operate and so an intensive ground training programme was carried out. Four aircraft and crews did flying training and the three aircraft which landed away on the previous night's operations returned safely to base.

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Members of 550 Squadron (and Higgins, the station Alsatian) celebrate Vulture Strikes! 100th
successful operation on March 6, 1945 following a raid on Chemnitz the day before.

After a successful raid on Chemnitz the night before, 550's Squadron's own Lancaster, ‘Vulture Strikes!’ could celebrate its 100th successful flight.  Rear air-gunner Douglas Hicks wrote that while the crew of "V" was on leave, as was the practice, the aircraft was loaned to the less-experienced Harris Crew on three occasions:

• Operation to Dresden February 13, 1945

• Operation to Chemnitz February 14, 1945

• Air to sea flight on February 18, 1945 (not a live operation)

"Vulture Strikes!" was one of only 35 Lancasters to complete 100 or more successful flights during the war (and only one of three with 550 Squadron).  It was this ‘lucky’ element that led Hicks to write, both when recalling the Dresden and Chemnitz raids, he had a feeling of safety aboard this aircraft.

The regular crew of ‘Vulture Strikes!’, now back from leave would participate the following day in the Dessau raid, as would the Harris Crew.  For both crews, it would be their last.