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It is the summer of 1943 and the early morning sun reveals Lancaster stragglers from 83 Squadron returning over the North Sea. Their mission has taken them deep into enemy territory; having to run a gauntlet of night fighters and flak in both directions. Many are damaged, low on fuel and carrying wounded crew members; some will not make it to their base at RAF Wyton and will put down instead at the nearest possible airfield, possibly Woodbridge or Coltishall.
The East Anglia coastline was on the main bomber routes for both the RAF and the USAAF Eighth Air Force and drama such as this became a common occurrence. On this occasion Mk IX Spitfires of 129 Squadron, themselves retuning from a dawn fighter sweep, provide invaluable moral support.
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