Chapter 2 - 1941 Converting from Hampden to Wellington Bombers

Jim wrote several stories about his experiences as a bomber pilot during the war. His memories formed the foundation for what I’ve put together here. Whenever possible, I’ve added the official Air Force reports that correspond to the events he described, to help bring his stories to life and place them in their historical context.

 FULL FLAP!

Converting from Hampden to Wellington bombers in 1941 and roused at midnight with the news that the cancelled circuits and landings exercise had been re-instated, I crawled down to the hanger area to be greeted by a bleary eyed instructor who settled himself in the right hand seat.  Completing the checks and starting the engines, I taxied out and took off on a green signal from an Aldis lamp – no radio communication in wartime.

             Four circuits and “bumps” had been completed with not a word spoken when on the downwind leg the starboard engine failed.  Tidying up, I called “Starboard Engine Failure” but had to shake my instructor to respond.  He grabbed the controls shouting “I’ve got her” and turned on to final approach.

            At 800 feet he called for “Wheels Down and Full Flap”.  I had the temerity to query his instruction but he replied forcefully, “Full Flap”.  From that moment the runway glim lamps receded into the distance as we rapidly lost height.  At 200 ft., I disobeyed wartime restrictions and switched on the landing lights – just in time, as the lights shone on a haystack dead ahead.  Pulling up and over the stack we made a hard “landing” in the field beyond, crashed through 3 hedges, over a road and stopped within 30 yards of the runway controllers’ van.

 Disembarking after tidying up, just in time to hear the stentorian voice shout “Put that light out you B… fool”.  With petrol hissing from the damaged wings, my instructor was attempting to light a cigarette.

             Later that morning, I was called to the flight office where my instructor was filling in the accident report.  He said “Tell me what happened?”  I explained the problem with the starboard engine and his order for “full Flap”.  “Full Flap? We’ll soon change that! 40 FLAP (40°) sounds better” in the report.

             I learned that when the flying detail was cancelled, he had joined a riotous Mess party, had slept throughout the flying exercise and couldn’t remember the accident at all!