DILATORY ’CHUTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20637, 18 August 1941, Page 4

DILATORY ’CHUTE

P.B. PILOT'S THRILL SAFE IN A TREE-TOP RESCUE LADDER BREAKS When he had to abandon his plane over an English aerodrome, SergeantPilot Max Krebs. Gisborne, had ; lucky escape from serious injury a lew weeks ago. His parachute opened only :-ioo[l. above the ground, according to observers, and he was fortunate to land in a tree which broke his still perilously-fast fall. Writing of the incident to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. Krebs, Sergeant-Pilot Krebs treats the incident in a humorous light, though he does not disguise the fact that he was thoroughly shaken by the experience. "I have joined a club over here, a very exclusive affair of which I became a member last week,’’ he writes. “A lot of the chaps here are jealous of my entry into what is known as the Caterpillar Club, the name of which comes, from the badge, a small caterpillar brooch worn by members, giving the name find date of initiation. It costs nothing to become a member. All you have to do is to abandon an aircraft in mid-air and make a successful parachute landing. The badge is supplied by the parachute makers, and you don’t get then! on a ‘fun’ jump. It has to be a matter of life and death. Spun Out of Power Dive “I was sent up last Wednesday evening to teach myself aerobatics. I tried a few manoeuvres without much success, so tried looping, but on three occasions I went into a spin and recovered. Not to be defeated, I put the nose down again and clocked about <IOO m.p.h. before hauling the nose up. Again she spun, and I couldn't stop it. “Down I spun from about 15,00Uft., and try as I might 1 could no nothing with it. So 1 decided to get out. it must have been under 1000 ft. that I got clear, and according to observers me parachute, did not start to open until I was only 300i’t. up. 1 landed in a prickly tree, and the plane fell close by, burning nicely. Heavens, 1 was lucky! If it hadn’t been for the tree, 1 should have broken rny legs at least, for f was still dropping fast. "I can assure you that I was never so scared and shocked in all my life, as when I sat in that tree and thought it over. I waited for help to get me out, and they didn’t expect to find me alive. “The funniest part of it all was that when I was half-way down the ladder they brought to get me down, it broke under us. An ambulance driver turned up from a nearby ’drome, and was really disappointed to find me only bruised. I have some beautiful bruises, too! “It happens that I was the first person to make a jump at this 0.T.U., and was my parachute packer thrilled! I was his first jump, too. I had to make out a lot of reports about the incident, but everything is 0.K., and I am free of blame, and was flying again next day. “Another funny bit was that on the way back to the billets, we stopped at an inn, and I ordered a double brandy. The barmaid looked at me, and said: ‘Heavens' Anybody would think you had been in trouble! Hadn’t I?”