大象传媒

FLYING FORTRESSES ARE WONDERFUL PLANES BUT MAKE POOR BOATS.
I was a corporal engine fitter, serving with the RAF at Colerne (Wilts)
from 1942-1945. From time to time I was required to fly as a flight engineer in various aircraft on test flights. Some of our pilots were having a break from ops (combat or bombing duties), and I suppose missed the excitement.
0n one occasion, flying in a B17 Flying Fortress off the south coast of
the Isle of Wight, the pilot decided to fly at wave top height, just above
the waves. We flew lower and lower, the pilot looking left then right along each wing to judge his height. Suddenly, there was a violent shudder, and a quick pul1 up. 鈥淲hat on earth was that?鈥� I asked. 鈥淪orry," said the pilot, 鈥淭hat was the propellers touching the waves.鈥�
A lucky escape - we could have 鈥榙itched鈥� in the sea and gone down with the plane.
Thinking back, I don't think that it was the propellers that touched the waves. I think that it was the under belly gun turret, a round ball about 4 feet in diameter, that was the lowest part of the plane.
Happily we both lived to fly again.

ANOTHER LUCKY ESCAPE.
I was a corporal engine fitter serving with the RAF at 218 MU at Colerne
from 1942 to 1945. On one occasion, I was sent to Edzell in Scotland to change an engine in a Wellington Bomber. When I arrived, I found a flight sergeant there, two ranks above me, so I asked why he was not doing the job. 鈥淗e is only a flight mechanic," I was told, and although qualified to do certain things, he could not change an engine. I was given two members of the WAAFS (women鈥檚 RAF) to assist, and we completed the exchange. Tests proved that all was 0K.
One of the RAF rules was that if you worked on an aircraft, and carried
out repairs, you would fly with the pilot on its next flight to check that
all was well. This could only apply on aircraft with more than one seat,
not on single-engined ones such as Spitfires or Hurricanes, etc.
I was recalled to Colerne before the test flight, whilst other work was
carried out on the plane. A few weeks later we heard that the plane had flown, and sadly, crashed, killing all on board. Although I felt clear in my own conscience, I was naturally concerned about what went wrong to cause such a tragedy. When the inquiry took place, it was discovered that two control cables had been wrongly connected, with the effect that when the pilot found the plane flying slightly nose down, he tried to correct this. Sadly, the faulty cable caused the reverse to happen, with fatal results.
I never heard how many of the staff on that station were lost, but
I know that according to the rule book, I would have been on that test flight if I hadn鈥檛 been recalled to my parent station.

TOO LOW FOR COMFORT.
As an RAF fitter (engines), I often flew as a flight engineer on test
flights, mostly round about the South or West country. Our task was to try out the latest Radar set used for identifying other aircraft or for bombing through cloud.
0n one occasion, having completed our tests, we flew low off the Isle of Wight out to sea, then turned back towards the Isle, very low down. As we neared the cliffs near Freshwater Bay, at about 150 MPH the pilot
pulled back on the control column, and up we went, just missing the cliff
top. A shock awaited us. Just in front of us was a radio station with two masts and aerials with a down lead to a brick built building. It was impossible to fly above it so we went under the aerials, then felt a sudden snatch. We had broken the down lead to the transmitting station thus putting the station off air.
As we climbed away, I looked back and saw a man come out of the building with binoculars, obviously trying to read the letters on our wings鈥� underside. When I told the pilot this, he said, 鈥淗e鈥檚 not getting our details,鈥� and then steeply climbed, so that the letters could not be read.
0n our way back to base, the pilot said, 鈥淚f any questions are asked back at Colerne, don't say a word." Shortly after landing, the station Tannoy boomed out, 鈥淗as any pilot from this station been flying over the Isle 0f Wight in the past hour? If so, report to the Station Commander immediately.鈥� Our pilot鈥檚 only reply was to put a finger to his lips.
Had we been traced, I don鈥檛 know what our fate would have been.
Putting a radio station out of commission in wartime would have been a pretty serious offence, and could have ended our flying careers.

FLYING FORTRESSES DON鈥橳 GLIDE
As an NCO engine fitter in the RAF, I was stationed at 218 MU Colerne
(Wilts) and had to fly as Flight Engineer in various multi-engined aircraft. I loved the job, checking fuel, oil, temperatures, flaps, under- carriage, taking the throttles on take off, etc.
0n one occasion, we took a trainee flight engineer up in a B17 Flying
Fortress 4-engined bomber, to show him the 'ropes'.0nce airborne, the pilot throttles back, reducing power, and setting the controls to cruising.
The new man was told to adjust the fuel control to reduce fuel consumption. Without hesitation he moved the mixture control levers fully back. A few seconds later, the four engines spluttered and would have cut out if the pilot hadn鈥檛 worked quickly. There are two notches for the mixture levers to rest in, one was Auto Lean, saving fuel, and the next was Idle Cut Off, cutting off all fuel to the engines. Needless to say our new boy had chosen the wrong setting. Happily, the pilot shoved all controls up to rich mixture and, a few seconds later, the four engines burst into life again, and all was well. Never did the sound of those engines sound better.
But for the rapid response of the pilot, I wouldn't be writing this. I don't think that Flying Fortresses make good gliders!

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