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A Narrow
Escape
It was
November 20th 1956 when I had my narrowest
escape. About 0930 hours I went for a
'flip' in a Mosquito aircraft from my
station in North Germany. The pilot's name
was Frank Jones and he seemed a very nice
chap. He asked me if there was anywhere
special I would like to go. I selected Eckenf örde and after five minutes we
were heading down the coast for Travemünde.
Arriving there in about 15 or 20 minutes we soon
spotted the famous casino.
Travemünde
Casino
On the way back Frank had to do an asymmetric
check (cutting one engine). Nearing home
Frank tried to un-feather the engine but was
unsuccessful so he decided to do a one-engined
landing.
Dropping his undercarriage we came in for the
final approach, but when we were were 800'
high our undercarriage was not locked down
so he told the Control Officer over the
intercom that he was overshooting. Selecting
undercarriage and flaps "UP" and opening the
throttle we did a left bank. The next moment
Frank says, "My God, the wingtip's
touching", and the next instant seemed to be
like a kaleidoscope.
Note the
former Messerschmitt Bf110 hangers, cleverly
disguised as
barns, on the far side of the airfield.
As I was coming to I found I was lying on the
ground with blankets all round me, and the
blurred faces of the firemen who had come to
our rescue, leaning over me.
There was very little left of the aircraft but
luckily Frank and I escaped with bruises and
scratches. We were taken to the German
hospital for X-Rays and treated for shock
but we were able to leave after 5 days.
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