James Hill's first outing from Chelveston was not intended to be a mission, just a check flight piloted by the Colonel. He was impressed by the neat patchwork- quilt landscape of southern England 'just like in the picture books'. However they soon crossed the Channel and were immediately hit by flak; at 25,000ft the Colonel did a 180 degree turn. They were buffeted by the jet stream and still getting shot at but eventually made it back at a snail's pace; a real baptism of fire and not even .one that could be claimed as a mission.