大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer on behalf of Pilot Officer John A. Martin DFC (retired) Larne, N. Ireland and been added to the site with his permission. Mr Martin understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

When we were at Feltwell and were doing 鈥榗ircuits and bumps鈥� in Lancesters on a grass aerodrome. I was along with 620 Squadron. We were in the air and heard Paddy Saunders a pilot, from Belfast coming over the radio. Paddy called up the Controller and reported having lost his port outer. The Controller came back, 鈥淔eather and come back into dispersal.鈥� Paddy came back on the radio and said, 鈥淚鈥檝e lost my port outer.鈥� The Controller retorted, 鈥漎es, we know you鈥檝e lost your port outer. Feather and come into dispersal.鈥� Paddy replied, 鈥淚鈥檝e lost the bl***y thing, it has fallen off.鈥� The port outer engine had fallen off the airframe. All these messages were being heard by those other aircraft also in the circuit. He and I used to meet in Belfast before he 鈥榩assed on鈥� and many a time we used to laugh over this incident.

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