Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 15, 2023 15:01:43 GMT 12
Jet Bomber Lands On Jammed Wheel
(New Zealand Press Association)
AUCKLAND, February 21
Sixty minutes of tension ended at Whenuapai this afternoon when a Canberra jet bomber of the Royal Australian Air Force landed with its nose wheel jammed at an angle of 45 degrees off course and half way up. The Canberra had been giving a display of flying during a rehearsal for Air Force Day on Saturday. For a while, only a few on the ground realised what was happening as Wing Commander H. Marsh, with Flight Lieutenant K. Stott as co-pilot, circled the aerodrome to use all his fuel to lessen the chances of a fire should the Canberra crash on landing.
The wheel jammed half-way up as the Canberra was retracting it from a take-off at 3 p.m. The bomber has a tricycle undercarriage, with a set of wheels under each wing and twin wheels in the nose. The jack on the nose became twisted as the wheel frame came up, and the wheels fixed at 45 degrees and half-way side-on to their true course.
In spite of this, the Canberra gave its display, and then practically vanished for half an hour. During this time, the two men in the aircraft were trying to release and untwist the wheels. Everyone watching and waiting was asking whether they would bale out or bring it in and risk turning it over.
Low Run Over Field
As the minutes went by, it became obvious that the bomber would try to land. Wing Commander Marsh flew the jet low over the airfield to let the men on the ground have a good look at the undercarriage so they could know what to expect. Crash tenders and ambulances prepared for the landing. The fire engines spread a sheet of foam over the runway to allow the faulty wheel to slide sideways along the concrete, and all aircraft, including 12 Vampire jet fighters, were pushed well back from the tarmac.
Tense Minute
There was a tense minute as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Air Commodore G. C. Everleigh), Group Captain T. J. de Lange, officer commanding Whenuapai, and several dozen other officers and men watched the silver jet when she came in to land.
Wing Commander Marsh made it look easy. He landed gently on his main wheels at a speed of about 200 miles an hour, whistled through the foam, and then gingerly let the nose down. As soon as the nose wheel hit the runway it was twisted straight by the force of contact, and the Canberra rolled to a smooth stop outside a hangar.
PRESS, 22 FEBRUARY 1957
(New Zealand Press Association)
AUCKLAND, February 21
Sixty minutes of tension ended at Whenuapai this afternoon when a Canberra jet bomber of the Royal Australian Air Force landed with its nose wheel jammed at an angle of 45 degrees off course and half way up. The Canberra had been giving a display of flying during a rehearsal for Air Force Day on Saturday. For a while, only a few on the ground realised what was happening as Wing Commander H. Marsh, with Flight Lieutenant K. Stott as co-pilot, circled the aerodrome to use all his fuel to lessen the chances of a fire should the Canberra crash on landing.
The wheel jammed half-way up as the Canberra was retracting it from a take-off at 3 p.m. The bomber has a tricycle undercarriage, with a set of wheels under each wing and twin wheels in the nose. The jack on the nose became twisted as the wheel frame came up, and the wheels fixed at 45 degrees and half-way side-on to their true course.
In spite of this, the Canberra gave its display, and then practically vanished for half an hour. During this time, the two men in the aircraft were trying to release and untwist the wheels. Everyone watching and waiting was asking whether they would bale out or bring it in and risk turning it over.
Low Run Over Field
As the minutes went by, it became obvious that the bomber would try to land. Wing Commander Marsh flew the jet low over the airfield to let the men on the ground have a good look at the undercarriage so they could know what to expect. Crash tenders and ambulances prepared for the landing. The fire engines spread a sheet of foam over the runway to allow the faulty wheel to slide sideways along the concrete, and all aircraft, including 12 Vampire jet fighters, were pushed well back from the tarmac.
Tense Minute
There was a tense minute as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Air Commodore G. C. Everleigh), Group Captain T. J. de Lange, officer commanding Whenuapai, and several dozen other officers and men watched the silver jet when she came in to land.
Wing Commander Marsh made it look easy. He landed gently on his main wheels at a speed of about 200 miles an hour, whistled through the foam, and then gingerly let the nose down. As soon as the nose wheel hit the runway it was twisted straight by the force of contact, and the Canberra rolled to a smooth stop outside a hangar.
PRESS, 22 FEBRUARY 1957
