FROZEN TO CONTROLS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 22, 23 December 1944, Page 5

FROZEN TO CONTROLS

ENDURANCE OF N.Z. PILOT

.NOSE OE BOMBER LOST (N.Z. Press Association.--Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 A story of a fine feat of flying and a magnificent display of endurance by a New Zealand airman of the famous No. 76 (N.Z.) Lancaster Bomber Squadron has just been told. The principal player was Flight-Lieut. J. Plummer, of Wellington. During a raid on Duisburg flak blew away the nose of his aircraft including all the perspex in front of and behind Flight-Lieut. Plummer, yet he flew the Lancaster for three and a-half hours back to his base with his left hand frozen on. the control. His fingers had to be prised off when he landed. ■ This is what happened. With his crew, comprising Flying-Officers J. Holloway (Auckland), and R. J. Scott (Dunedin), Flight-Sergts. A. M. MacDonald (Dunedin) and A. L. Humphries (Mataura) and an Australian and an Englishman, he had just dropped his bombs on Duisburg when the nose of the aircraft was hit by heavy flak The Lancaster was at 22,500 feet and the temperature was 28 degrees below Centigrade freezing level.

The effect of the nose disappearing was to transform the aircraft into something like a wind tunnel. * The bomb aimer and another member of the orew were immediately blown 25 feet towards the tail of the aircraft and all navigational aids and the black-out curtains were ripped away by the icy blast. LONG DIVE. With presence of mind Flight-Lieut. Plummer realised that it was imperative to reach a lower and warmer level. He put the Lancaster into a 300 miles an hour dive and descended 20,000 feet at that speed. The force of the wind nearly ripped him from his seat, only his harness straps holding him in position, ard at times be was actually suspended' over his chair. Within three to five seconds his left hand had frozen to the control column. Two fingers of his right hand were also bent and frozen—he had not been wearing gloves since the temperature in the cockpit had previously been warm. That flight to England was sheer misery. Flight-Lieut. Plummer's lace and hands were frost-bitten by the icy gale. He cried with pain but he was determined: to get the bomber home. The crew were unable to reach him because of the force of the wind v and he had to fly the Lancaster with the muscles of his left arm. An added complication was the attention of German flak» posts. He had no feeling in his hands and he realised that he must be given help to work the flaps, undercarriage and pitch controls in order to land. So Flying-Officer Holloway and Flight-Sergt. Humphries, lying down on their sides one behind the other, pushed the English engineer into a position where he could reach these controls. And Flight-Lieut. Plummer made a perfect landing. His report on entering his commander's room was a masterpiece of understatement. "My hands are a bit cold, sir,'- he said, and he added, "but I am going to fly tomorrow." CAREFUL TREATMENT. He did not fly "tomorrow" and he has not flown since. He spent 12 days in bed with his hands strapped above him, lying in front of an open window and with ether painted on his hands to keep his body temperature down. Several days after that even; he had to walk about with his hands up and later have massage by putting his hands in water through which an electric current was passing. He has now practically recovered and is held in the highest regard by the entire squadron. Squadron-Leader N. Williamson, D.F.C., of Gisborne, who recently completed his second tour said; "I would not have taken that aircraft round the airfield for five minutes on a hot summer's day." Everyone is hoping that Flight-Lieut. Plummer will soon be decorated for his sheer courage and determination.

Synthetic oil plants and railway centres in Germany have formed the principal targets for the squadron during recent months. These raids formed part of the strategy of crippling the supplies going to the Germans in forward areas.

A pleasing feature of these raids is that the losses of aircraft and crews have been remarkably few. In tact ever since D-Day the rate of loss has been very much lower than anticipated. The squadron is now commanded by Wing-Commander R.. Newton, D.F.C., of Christchurch, who did 'his first tour with the squadron two years ago when it was commanded by Air-Commodore B. G. Olson, of New Plymouth, who is now commanding R.N.Z.A.F. Headquarters in London.