Beaufighters attacking E-boats black and white version

Six Bristol Beaufighters from No 236 Squadron, part of RAF Coastal Command's North Coates Strike Wing, strafing Kriegsmarine e-boats (schnellboot in German) along the French coast in June 1944.

Hit-and-run raids by these fast German torpedo boats posed a significant threat to Allied mariners on the D-Day invasion, support and resupply vessels. My picture depicts a typical early morning operation to hunt for them. New Zealand Squadron Leader "Bill" Tacon has led the attack with cannon and 25lb rocket projectiles in TF X Beaufighter NE746, MB-Q - sustaining some damage to the aircraft in what the squadron's operations book records as "intense accurate" 20 and 40 mm return fire.