Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 3, 2023 10:22:51 GMT 12
SKILFUL AIRMEN
NEW ZEALAND PILOTS
EXPERIENCES DURING RAIDS
(Special Correspondent) LONDON, March l6
An engine of a Halifax bomber fell out of its nacelle when Flight-Sergeant Maurice Marment, of Kilbirnie, Wellington, landed after an encounter with a night fighter. Flight-Sergeant Marment is one of many New Zealanders who have shown grit and determination in recent raids over Germany.
Another is Squadron-Leader Keith F. Thiele, D.F.C., of Christchurch, who carried on and bombed Nuremberg although one engine of his aeroplane caught fire shortly after the take off.
Flying With One Engine
Flight-Sergeant Marment had bombed Stuttgart and was returning home when an enemy night fighter attacked him, hitting the propellers of two of his four engines. Flight-Sergeant Marment skilfully dodged the night fighter, but one engine stopped immediately. He carried on with his homeward flight and during the next half hour all seemed well, when suddenly the starboard outer engine petered out and a few minutes later the port outer engine began to run badly. It was difficult to maintain height with only ''half an engine" out of four engines which should have been running.
The wireless operator sent out an SOS call and the crew jettisoned everything movable and prepared to bale out over the English Channel, but Flight-Sergeant Marment flew on unruffled. He was helped by the skill of the flight-engineer in distributing the petrol.
Timely Landing
The Halifax ran into bad weather over England and Flight-Sergeant Marment had to land on a strange airfield. Just as he touched down the engine which had been running badly fell out of the nacelle, but Flight-Sergeant Marment brought the skidding Halifax to a stop without injury to any of the crew.
Squadron-Leader Thiele is captain of a Lancaster. He was 15 minutes on his way to Nuremberg when his port inner engine caught fire. He stopped the engine and the air current blew out the flames. Squadron-Leader Thiele rapidly calculated what petrol was available for the three remaining engines, for he would have to increase their speed to maintain height. He decided that if he was to reach Nuremberg it would be wise to jettison some part of his bomb load. He kept a 4000-pounder and some incendiaries, and with the lighter load maintained height. He arrived over the target on time, returned to his base according to schedule and reported that his bombs burst on the target.
NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 18 MARCH 1943
NEW ZEALAND PILOTS
EXPERIENCES DURING RAIDS
(Special Correspondent) LONDON, March l6
An engine of a Halifax bomber fell out of its nacelle when Flight-Sergeant Maurice Marment, of Kilbirnie, Wellington, landed after an encounter with a night fighter. Flight-Sergeant Marment is one of many New Zealanders who have shown grit and determination in recent raids over Germany.
Another is Squadron-Leader Keith F. Thiele, D.F.C., of Christchurch, who carried on and bombed Nuremberg although one engine of his aeroplane caught fire shortly after the take off.
Flying With One Engine
Flight-Sergeant Marment had bombed Stuttgart and was returning home when an enemy night fighter attacked him, hitting the propellers of two of his four engines. Flight-Sergeant Marment skilfully dodged the night fighter, but one engine stopped immediately. He carried on with his homeward flight and during the next half hour all seemed well, when suddenly the starboard outer engine petered out and a few minutes later the port outer engine began to run badly. It was difficult to maintain height with only ''half an engine" out of four engines which should have been running.
The wireless operator sent out an SOS call and the crew jettisoned everything movable and prepared to bale out over the English Channel, but Flight-Sergeant Marment flew on unruffled. He was helped by the skill of the flight-engineer in distributing the petrol.
Timely Landing
The Halifax ran into bad weather over England and Flight-Sergeant Marment had to land on a strange airfield. Just as he touched down the engine which had been running badly fell out of the nacelle, but Flight-Sergeant Marment brought the skidding Halifax to a stop without injury to any of the crew.
Squadron-Leader Thiele is captain of a Lancaster. He was 15 minutes on his way to Nuremberg when his port inner engine caught fire. He stopped the engine and the air current blew out the flames. Squadron-Leader Thiele rapidly calculated what petrol was available for the three remaining engines, for he would have to increase their speed to maintain height. He decided that if he was to reach Nuremberg it would be wise to jettison some part of his bomb load. He kept a 4000-pounder and some incendiaries, and with the lighter load maintained height. He arrived over the target on time, returned to his base according to schedule and reported that his bombs burst on the target.
NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 18 MARCH 1943
