WHEN PILOTS FLY IN "TIN-HATS"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 153, 29 June 1940, Page 5 (Supplement)

WHEN PILOTS FLY IN "TIN-HATS"

Royal Air Force pilot® and crews of Coastal Command in Britain art now wearing- steel heimet# when they take their Sunderland flying boats oat «n patrol. 33» helmets a.re the standard type- of •tin-hat" developed by Britain is tie last war, descried to prevent or minimise head "injnriefc. British long-range flyrnp "boats, although powerfully armed. ore primarily intended for scouting and reconnaissance work. Their forte in action against enemy aircraft is reliability, »nd the power of defence, rather than Attack.. Their size and Tobnst construction make them comparatively slew—a*. other types of aircraft goand not suitable for rapid manoeuvring. Steel helmets give added protection to the crew id the event of interception by enemy -aircraftIt was a Short Sunderland flying boat ■which, attacked recently by -six bankerSS, Germany's latest type long-rang* 5 bomber, snot its way clear and destroyed two of the «nemy in the process. For that exploit the pilot, Flight-laentenant. Frank Phillips, won the D3\C.. and Corporal W. G. Xillic. the rear gunner, was awarded the D.F.ii. -4- -4-