Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2024 21:54:54 GMT 12
N.Z. PILOT LANDS WITH BOMB
Release Fails In Raid Over Malaya
(Rec. 10 p.m.) SINGAPORE, Jan. 14.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force officer made a tricky emergency landing at Singapore’s civil airport today in a Venom ground attack jet fighter, carrying a 1000lb bomb. The bomb had failed to fall when the pilot pressed the release button during an attack on a Communist terrorist stronghold.
The pilot is Flying Officer M.B.P. Pere, who is attached to the New Zealand Venom Squadron based at Tengah. An Air Force spokesman said that Flying Officer Pere’s Venom was one of four engaged on the mission. The Venom was armed with two 1000lb bombs, both of which failed to dislodge during the attack.
Flying Officer Pere was ordered to attempt to jettison the bombs by using an emergency manual release over a practice bomb-range. One of the bombs fell and exploded, but the other remained in its rack.
It was then decided that Flying Officer Pere should make an emergency landing at a speed higher than normal. As the squadron’s base strip is not long enough for such a landing, permission was sought from the authorities at Singapore’s civil airport for a landing there. Permission was granted, and the pilot made a safe landing as fire tenders stood by.
THE PRESS, 16 JANUARY 1956
Release Fails In Raid Over Malaya
(Rec. 10 p.m.) SINGAPORE, Jan. 14.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force officer made a tricky emergency landing at Singapore’s civil airport today in a Venom ground attack jet fighter, carrying a 1000lb bomb. The bomb had failed to fall when the pilot pressed the release button during an attack on a Communist terrorist stronghold.
The pilot is Flying Officer M.B.P. Pere, who is attached to the New Zealand Venom Squadron based at Tengah. An Air Force spokesman said that Flying Officer Pere’s Venom was one of four engaged on the mission. The Venom was armed with two 1000lb bombs, both of which failed to dislodge during the attack.
Flying Officer Pere was ordered to attempt to jettison the bombs by using an emergency manual release over a practice bomb-range. One of the bombs fell and exploded, but the other remained in its rack.
It was then decided that Flying Officer Pere should make an emergency landing at a speed higher than normal. As the squadron’s base strip is not long enough for such a landing, permission was sought from the authorities at Singapore’s civil airport for a landing there. Permission was granted, and the pilot made a safe landing as fire tenders stood by.
THE PRESS, 16 JANUARY 1956
