This day in history - 4 August 1944 saw the first Operation Aphrodite missions take off from Fersfield, and the tragic death of 1st Lt. John W. Fisher

Last updated 4 August 2026 · numbered references [n] point to the sources below

4 August 1944 was the day that the 8th Air Force Mission #515 (Operation Aphrodite) launched from Fersfield, targeting German V-weapon sites in France. Here’s my best summary of what happened today…corrections appreciated!

Target - Mimoyecques: B-17F (41-24639 The Careful Virgin) drone piloted by 1st Lt. C. A. Engel & T/Sgt. C. A. Parsons (both 385th BG);
Mother B-24J (44-40277) controlled by 1st Lt. J. Larned.

Outcome: Missed target (controller error)
Both crew members successfully armed the Torpex payload and parachuted over East Anglia. Control was transferred to the B-24 mothership, but a controller error during the final approach caused the drone to lose alignment and impact well short of the underground V-3 site.

Target - Siracourt: B-17G (42-39835 Wantta Spar) drone piloted by 1st Lt. J. W. Fisher & T/Sgt. E. Most;
Mother B-17G (43-37637) controlled by 1st Lt. F. Falkenstine & Maj. Rand.

Outcome: Crashed with loss of life
Shortly after take-off, the drone’s autopilot control system malfunctioned, causing the aircraft to climb erratically. T/Sgt. Most was able to bail out safely (after Lt. Fisher helped free his snagged parachute harness). Lt. Fisher stayed aboard attempting to stabilise the aircraft so remote control could take over, but the B-17 entered an unrecoverable spin. Fisher was unable to escape before the drone crashed and detonated in Watling Wood (Sudbourne Park, near Orford, Suffolk), killing him in the crash.

Target - Watten: B-17F (42-30342 T’aint a Bird) drone piloted by 1st Lt. F. H. Pool & S/Sgt. P. Enterline;
Mother B-24J (44-40283) controlled by Capt. W. Tooman & 2nd Lt. G. L. Hargis.

Outcome: Crashed off target
Lt. Pool and S/Sgt. Enterline bailed out cleanly over England. The drone was successfully taken over by the B-24 control ship, but as it approached the French coast it suffered a remote-control system failure, possibly worsened by German anti-aircraft fire. The B-17 spun out of control and crashed in the coastal marshes near Gravelines, far from the Watten bunker.

Target - Wizernes: B-17F (verify serial – currently listed as 42-3461) ex-92nd BG, drone piloted by 1st Lt. F. L. Houston & T/Sgt. W. D. Smith;
Mother B-17G (43-37793) controlled by 1st Lt. J. J. Gabler.

Outcome: Crashed off target
The pilot and engineer parachuted out safely, suffering only minor landing injuries. Radio handover to the mother ship succeeded and the drone crossed the Channel on course. However, cloud obscured the television image during the final attack run, causing the operators to lose sight of the target and the drone to miss the Wizernes bunker.

Escorts & Recon: Supported by B-17F relay/navigating aircraft (B-17F 42-30793, 1st Lt. George C. Montgomery; B-17F 42-3518, Lt. Muirhead), two Mosquitos, and Mosquito 516 (Lt. Locke) carrying out weather reconnaissance.