Did you know.... - Aircraft of World War II

(G/C) Lionel Mandrake · 01-02-2005, 07:49 PM

that a crewman climbed out on to a wing of a wellington bomber with a fire extinguisher to put out a engine fire!

Nonskimmer · 01-02-2005, 07:50 PM

Nope. Never heard of that one.

(G/C) Lionel Mandrake · 01-02-2005, 07:58 PM

It's out there on the WWW somewhere..First one to find it gets a big wet kiss

...It's past my bed time so i can't do it tonight....Goodnight

(G/C) Lionel Mandrake · 01-06-2005, 02:51 AM

Well, don't all rush at once will ya...But i spous this story relates to a British hero, hence the lame response....Americans, don't you love em...

lesofprimus · 01-06-2005, 01:48 PM

And where are all the "British" responses??? Maybe its cause no one really cares, not their nationality...

Quote:

Americans, don't you love em...

U better love us, because if it werent for us Americans and all our goodies, youd be the smallest freakin province in Mother Russia... Pussies like u who talk all this Anti-American crap are the most ungrateful bastards next to the French.....

Nonskimmer · 01-06-2005, 02:03 PM

I think he was just pullin' your chain, les.
Isn't that right, G/C?

Medvedya · 01-06-2005, 04:03 PM

Okay, this is what I’ve found…..

The man in question is a Flight Sergeant J.A. Ward, RNZAF

Early on July 8, 1941, Squadron Leader Widdowson of No 75 (NZ) Squadron was returning from a raid on Munster when over the Ijsselmeer f Bf 110 fighter attacked. The rear gunner of Wellington L7818, hit in the foot, fired back and put the fighter out of control. Fire the broke out for the Wellington's starboard engine had been hit. It was fed fuel from a broken pipe and which threatened to engulf the entire wing. Sergeant J.A. Ward, the co-pilot, left his seat and fade aft. The crew made a hole amidships in the fuselage and tried to douse the fire, even emptying the coffee in their Thermos flask. They were warned to prepare to abandon the aircraft, at which point Sergeant Ward offered to try to smother the flames with an engine cover left by chance in the Wellington.

He was reluctant to wear his parachute for fear its bulk tore him from the aircraft, but accepted it and then was tied by a cord to he geodetic frame. He had decided to slide out on to the wing to put out the blaze. Ward squeezes through the astro hatch, then attached his parachute before making foot holes in the fabric for the perilous journey. By supreme effort he succeeded I smothering part of the wing fire. He was unsuccessful in putting out the blaze in the pipe line, but since most of the fabric was burnt away from it the future was brighter for them all. Satisfied that he had done his best, he made his was back into the aircraft.

For the crew anxiety would remain, brought to a climax later when petrol in the wing again briefly burned. Widdowson landed at Feltwell, and for his selfless courage Sergeant Ward received the highest British military award, the Victoria Cross.

Sgt. Ward was killed in action on a raid to Hamburg on 15/16 September 1941.

Nonskimmer · 01-06-2005, 04:09 PM

A very well deserved V.C. !

It's a shame he didn't make it through the war.

evangilder · 01-06-2005, 04:11 PM

Interesting, Med. Even more interesting for me as I lived a stone's throw from Feltwell back in the mid eighties! Feltwell was a housing base for RAF Lakenheath. They still had the grass runways out there. I lived in the nearby village of Hockwold.

Medvedya · 01-06-2005, 04:20 PM

Okay, here's a little about the Squadron itself.

http://www.nzafmp.org/military/75sqnnzraf.htm

Here's where they were based as well...

Feltwell, Norfolk April 1940 to August 1942
Mildenhall, Suffolk August 1942 to November 1942
Newmarket, Suffolk November 1942 to June 1943
Mepal, Cambridgeshire June 1943 to July 1945
Spilsby, Lincolnshire July 1945 to October 1945

Disbanded - 15 October 1945

cheddar cheese · 01-06-2005, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

And where are all the "British" responses??? Maybe its cause no one really cares, not their nationality...

Quote:

Americans, don't you love em...

U better love us, because if it werent for us Americans and all our goodies, youd be the smallest freakin province in Mother Russia... Pussies like u who talk all this Anti-American crap are the most ungrateful bastards next to the French.....

Come on les give him a break, I can tell from his first posts hes a light hearted chap who doesnt mean no harm, dont go off on one cos he says something probably meant as a joke...

I would question your post but this isnt the time or the place...

evangilder · 01-06-2005, 05:12 PM

Doesn't matter, it was inflammatory. There are people from all over who post here. But it is only us Americans who don't care? Maybe if he wasn't so smug about things we might let it slide.

lesofprimus · 01-06-2005, 05:13 PM

Pfffffft..... He's said that Anti-American crap enough times to warrant a stiff rebuke from me.... He aint jokin when he says it... And it aint funny even when joking...

plan_D · 01-07-2005, 04:23 AM

And it's not funny when you claim that America saved Britain from Russia (I fail to see how, seeing as nothing America had could even get to the Soviet bombers) so you're not setting a very good example as moderator. If he abuses your country, ABUSE HIM not Britain. Ungrateful British? WHAT!?!

evangilder · 01-07-2005, 08:52 AM

I don't think Les meant the British as a whole were ungrateful, he meant ungrateful people like HIM. I was very close to posting something very similar to what Les posted because I had had enough. A little quip now and again in jest is okay, but Mandrake puts his snide comments and anti-American statement in ALOT of his posts. Look, it's okay to be proud of your nation, but it's not okay to display that pride by putting down someone else's.

01-02-2005, 07:49 PM	#1
(G/C) Lionel Mandrake Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Angels 1-5 Posts: 64	Did you know.... that a crewman climbed out on to a wing of a wellington bomber with a fire extinguisher to put out a engine fire! __________________ "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"

01-02-2005, 07:58 PM	#3
(G/C) Lionel Mandrake Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Angels 1-5 Posts: 64	It's out there on the WWW somewhere..First one to find it gets a big wet kiss ...It's past my bed time so i can't do it tonight....Goodnight __________________ "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"

01-06-2005, 02:51 AM	#4
(G/C) Lionel Mandrake Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Angels 1-5 Posts: 64	Well, don't all rush at once will ya...But i spous this story relates to a British hero, hence the lame response....Americans, don't you love em... __________________ "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"

01-06-2005, 04:11 PM	#9
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,807	Interesting, Med. Even more interesting for me as I lived a stone's throw from Feltwell back in the mid eighties! Feltwell was a housing base for RAF Lakenheath. They still had the grass runways out there. I lived in the nearby village of Hockwold. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

01-06-2005, 05:12 PM	#12
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,807	Doesn't matter, it was inflammatory. There are people from all over who post here. But it is only us Americans who don't care? Maybe if he wasn't so smug about things we might let it slide. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

01-02-2005, 07:50 PM	#2
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Nope. Never heard of that one.

01-06-2005, 02:03 PM	#6
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	I think he was just pullin' your chain, les. Isn't that right, G/C?

01-06-2005, 04:03 PM	#7
Medvedya Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 2,386	Okay, this is what I’ve found….. The man in question is a Flight Sergeant J.A. Ward, RNZAF Early on July 8, 1941, Squadron Leader Widdowson of No 75 (NZ) Squadron was returning from a raid on Munster when over the Ijsselmeer f Bf 110 fighter attacked. The rear gunner of Wellington L7818, hit in the foot, fired back and put the fighter out of control. Fire the broke out for the Wellington's starboard engine had been hit. It was fed fuel from a broken pipe and which threatened to engulf the entire wing. Sergeant J.A. Ward, the co-pilot, left his seat and fade aft. The crew made a hole amidships in the fuselage and tried to douse the fire, even emptying the coffee in their Thermos flask. They were warned to prepare to abandon the aircraft, at which point Sergeant Ward offered to try to smother the flames with an engine cover left by chance in the Wellington. He was reluctant to wear his parachute for fear its bulk tore him from the aircraft, but accepted it and then was tied by a cord to he geodetic frame. He had decided to slide out on to the wing to put out the blaze. Ward squeezes through the astro hatch, then attached his parachute before making foot holes in the fabric for the perilous journey. By supreme effort he succeeded I smothering part of the wing fire. He was unsuccessful in putting out the blaze in the pipe line, but since most of the fabric was burnt away from it the future was brighter for them all. Satisfied that he had done his best, he made his was back into the aircraft. For the crew anxiety would remain, brought to a climax later when petrol in the wing again briefly burned. Widdowson landed at Feltwell, and for his selfless courage Sergeant Ward received the highest British military award, the Victoria Cross. Sgt. Ward was killed in action on a raid to Hamburg on 15/16 September 1941.

01-06-2005, 04:09 PM	#8
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	A very well deserved V.C. ! It's a shame he didn't make it through the war.

01-06-2005, 04:20 PM	#10
Medvedya Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 2,386	Okay, here's a little about the Squadron itself. http://www.nzafmp.org/military/75sqnnzraf.htm Here's where they were based as well... Feltwell, Norfolk April 1940 to August 1942 Mildenhall, Suffolk August 1942 to November 1942 Newmarket, Suffolk November 1942 to June 1943 Mepal, Cambridgeshire June 1943 to July 1945 Spilsby, Lincolnshire July 1945 to October 1945 Disbanded - 15 October 1945

01-06-2005, 05:13 PM	#13
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,500	Pfffffft..... He's said that Anti-American crap enough times to warrant a stiff rebuke from me.... He aint jokin when he says it... And it aint funny even when joking... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

01-07-2005, 04:23 AM	#14
plan_D Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 11,978	And it's not funny when you claim that America saved Britain from Russia (I fail to see how, seeing as nothing America had could even get to the Soviet bombers) so you're not setting a very good example as moderator. If he abuses your country, ABUSE HIM not Britain. Ungrateful British? WHAT!?! __________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club.

01-07-2005, 08:52 AM	#15
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,807	I don't think Les meant the British as a whole were ungrateful, he meant ungrateful people like HIM. I was very close to posting something very similar to what Les posted because I had had enough. A little quip now and again in jest is okay, but Mandrake puts his snide comments and anti-American statement in ALOT of his posts. Look, it's okay to be proud of your nation, but it's not okay to display that pride by putting down someone else's. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode