What unsuccessful 1945 attack involved German ships. the RAF, and Focke-Wulf fighters?
Black Friday (1945) On 9 February 1945, a force of Allied Bristol Beaufighter aircraft suffered heavy casualties during an unsuccessful attack on the German destroyer "Z33" and its escorting vessels; the operation was labelled "Black Friday" by the surviving Allied aircrew. The German ships were sheltering in a strong defensive position in Førde Fjord, Norway, forcing the Allied aircraft to attack through heavy anti-aircraft fire. The Beaufighters and their escort of Mustang Mk III fighters from the RAF's No. 65 Squadron were also intercepted by twelve German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters of the "Luftwaffe" fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 5. In the resulting attack, the Allies damaged at least two of the German ships for the loss of seven Beaufighters shot down by flak guns. Another two Beaufighters and one Mustang were shot down by the Fw 190s. Four or five German fighters were shot down by the Allied aircraft, including one flown by German Ace Rudi Linz.
HMS Escort (H66) HMS "Escort" was an E-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. Although assigned to the Home Fleet upon completion, the ship was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1935–36, during the Abyssinia Crisis. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, she spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. "Escort" was assigned to convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duties in the Western Approaches, when World War II began in September 1939. During the Norwegian Campaign, the ship escorted ships of the Home Fleet, although she did tow her sister HMS "Eclipse" after the latter ship had been badly damaged by German air attack. "Escort" was assigned to Force H in late June, and participated in the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir in early July. She was torpedoed a few days later, by an Italian submarine, but was towed for three days towards Gibraltar before she foundered.