May, 1944, North Sea. Many coastal command and Fleet Air Arm squadrons were tasked with intercepting shipments of ore from Norway to Germany, largely to interrupt the supply of essential metals for armaments. Tungsten was one such critical metal and was important to the development of high-temperature resistant turbine blades for Jumo jet engines. Due to continuing shortages of tungsten the Germans had to make do with nickel alloys that would not hold up to the heat of a Jumo jet engine. The engines of the Me-262 were not reliable in large part to the actions of the RAF and RCAF Mosquito squadrons over the North Sea.This Snap Shot features flights of Mosquito attack aircraft of 404 'Buffalo' Squadron RCAF armed with machine guns, cannons, 500 lb bombs and 'rocket projectiles' escorted by Corsair IIs of 1834 Squadron Fleet Air Arm. German Bf-109-G6 interceptors of IV./JG 5 'Eismeer' are scrambled to intercept.
