ON FIRE IN AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 10

ON FIRE IN AIR

HARRIED BY FIGHTER

BOMBER'S GRIM FLIGHT

ORDEAL FOR TIIE CREW

CRASH ON LANDING

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Reed. S.o p.m.) LONDON, .Tune 17

With their aircraft in flames, the rear gun out of action, and a German fighter attacking them, the crew of a British heavy bomber nearly decided to bale out over Germany on Sunday night, says the British official wireless. They had bombed a target at Cologne and were Hying away when they were attacked.

"We were just passing through some searchlights when suddenly there was n terrific rattling and banging underneath and behind our aircraft," said the captain. "A fighter had come up on our tail and was tiring with cannon and machine-guns.' 1 Unable to Shoot Back The rear-gunner was not able to return the enemy lire, as his turret had developed a fault on tho outward journey, and was out of action. The second pilot tapped the shoulder of the captain, who looked hack and saw part of the inside of the aircraft, behind the main spar, on fire. The window curtains and fabric along one side of the fuselage were burning, and oil was spurting from two punctured pipes. There was every danger of the fire spreading rapidly.

"I thought it was all over with us.'' said the captain. "I never thought we could get the Haines out. To make matters worse, the telephone set. which links members of the crew had also failed.'' Fight with Flames Tearing -the fabric to keep the lire from spreading, stamping out the flames or smothering them with cushions matched front a bunk, two of the crew fought the lire while the pilot flew on. doing his best, by evasive action, to avoid further attacks from the fighter, which now closed in to within 50 yards. Again came the thud of the enemy's fire as hi.s bullets hit the bomber, and the captain could see tracer bullets flying past his cockpit. For the third time the fighter came in. In this attack the second pilot was wounded, but was able to scramble along the fuselage and warn the rest of the crew that they would have to bale out if they could not get the flames under control. The/front and rear gunners left their turrets, and, on the way from the tail, the rear gunner foil through the escape hatch in the floor. In the dark he could not see that the cover of the hatch had been knocked off. Only the guide ropes ■which ho had been holding saved him from dropping right out of the aircraft. Wireless out of Action

Meanwhile the wireless operator had attempted to send a signal, but his set was no longer working It took about 10 minutes to put out the lire. "It seemed an age," said one of tliC'Crew. "At last the Hun sheered off, after the third attack, and gave us no 'more trouble." Flying on, the captain found that lie i could not maintain height. When the | bomber reached the Dutch coast searchlights piqked it up again and it came I tinder the fire of the ground defences But it was not hit. ] Over the North Sea the crew threw \ out their ammunition and flares to j lighten the aircraft. Eventually they reached the English coast and found a j landing ground, but because the flaps had been damaged and the air speed indicator was useless, the captain decided, as it was still dark, to fly round j and wait for dawn before attempting to land Machine Stands on .Nose The hydraulic system also had been ; put out of action, but the crew J managed, by using the emergency ■gE system, to get the undercarriage down and locked. When the bomber landed the damage to the air speed indicator and flaps caused the machine to come in too fast. It raced across the aerodrome, missed a gun emplacement and small concrete building by inches, and finally tipped up on its nose in a patch of freshlydug grdund. No further injury was suffered by the crew. MORE FIRES STARTED BOMBS ON BENGHAZI MIDDLE EAST AIR RAIDS ' (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 17 A Royal Air Force Middle East communique says: "During the night of Jurie 15-16, the harbour at Benghazi, ■ several enemy aerodromes and concentrations of enemy motor transport were • heavily attacked. A number of fires were started in the harbour area at Benghazi. "At Bardia aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm* started large fires among enemy vehicles, several of which were destroyed or damaged. Fires were also started at landing grounds at Derna, Martuba and Mazala, where bombs fell among, dispersed aircraft, many of which are be- j Jieved to have been destroyed. Direct hits were made on military objectives at Bardia. ' "The' Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force continued to support ground operations in Syria and maintain patrols over supporting naval units. Our bombers carried out a stic- • cessful raid on I'ayak. damaging the runway and aerodrome building and j causing large explosions.

"A number of Junkers 88's were intercepted off the coast by Royal AitForce fighters on patrol over naval ships, one enemy aeroplane being shot down and a number of others damaged. "From all these operations nine of our aircrhft are missing." ARMY AND AIR FORCE FULL CO-OPERATION LONDON", June 18 Replying to a question in the House of Commons, the Secretary for War, Captain 11. I). R. .Margesson, stated' that for the past 18 months there had been a section at the War Office whose sole task was co-operation with the Air Ministry on all aspects of air support for the army, states a British official wireless message. Replying to another" question, the Secretary for Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, said that the progress of the air training corps continued to give complete satisfaction. There were now l.'ilO units with a total strength of 100,000 cadets. Over 50,000 candidates for commissions had been accepted for service with the corps, and some 7-10 units Jiad been affiliated to Roy a I Air Foree stations. CREDITS IN GERMANY LONDON, June 18 ft. is officially announced from Berlin that steps are being taken to freeze "United States credits in Germany. MORE ITALIANS TAKEN LONDON. June is In Abyssinia, on June 15, after n sharp engagement, Imperial and African troops captured an enemy rearguard position west of Lake Mto, taking 200 prisoners, four guns and :i0 machine-guns, says a British General Headquarters Cairo communique. The enemy left 150 killed on the field of battle. In the Assab area a further six Italian officers and ISO other ranks surrendered. ,