, ▁attacked ▁multiple ▁V - 1 ▁flying ▁bomb ▁sites ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Luft wa ffe ▁air fields ▁in ▁Germany ▁and ▁German ▁occupied ▁territory . ▁In ▁support ▁of ▁this ▁mission , ▁two ▁Sp it f ires ▁from ▁ ▁No . ▁ 5 0 1 ▁Squadron ▁were ▁on ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁mission , ▁photograph ing ▁the ▁target ▁at ▁Lig esc ourt . ▁Hof mann ▁shot ▁down ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Sp it f ires ▁which ▁crash ed ▁near ▁R ue . ▁Three ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁USA AF ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force ▁bom bed ▁the ▁I G ▁Far ben ▁chemical ▁plant ▁at ▁Ludwig sh afen . ▁In ▁defense ▁of ▁this ▁attack , ▁Hof mann ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁destroyed , ▁a ▁Bo eing ▁B - 1 7 ▁F lying ▁Fort ress ▁shot ▁down ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁La ▁Cal ique , ▁located ▁east ▁of ▁Bou log ne - sur - Mer . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁January , ▁Hof mann ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁a ▁end g ült ige ▁Vern ichtung ▁( final ▁destruction ), ▁a ▁coup ▁de ▁grâce ▁inf lic ted ▁on ▁an ▁already ▁dam aged ▁heavy ▁bom ber . ▁While , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Air ▁Division ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Air ▁Division ▁were ▁re called ▁due ▁to ▁w ors ening ▁weather ▁conditions , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Air ▁Division ▁successfully ▁bom bed ▁the ▁F ock e ▁W ulf ▁factory ▁at ▁O sch ers leben . ▁The ▁USA AF ▁lost ▁ 4 2 ▁B - 1 7 ▁bom bers ▁that