蜜芽传媒

TRAINING FOR BOMBER COMMAND.

OCTOBER 14th 1943.
O.T.U. (operational Training Unit)
KINLOSS 庐 SCOTLAND.

Crew: ARMSTRONG WHITLEY v H189
PILOT- Les Bellinger (ENGLISH)
NAVIGATOR- John (Scottie) McBain (SCOTTISH)
BOMB AIMER- Lea Gardner (ENGLISH)
WIRELESS OPERATOR- Maxie Burns (NEW ZEALANDER)
REAR GUNNER- Sandy Ewen (SCOTTISH)

It was the dawn of quite an exciting day for us as a crew, one of the qualifying trips to hallmark our competence as a calm, smooth running, highly trained, dedicated team, well something like that.

Today, even more stirring than the station commanders flight test, was the day we took off to drop a live 500lb bomb into the North Sea.

It was to be a simulated operational flight, with full petrol tanks, maximum bomb load, and just one bomb programmed to drop and primed to explode

Perhaps it would be just as well to explain at this point how the bombs were normally dropped. This country made a great variety of superb bombs. Some bombs were designed to penetrate before exploding, others with a probe detonated just above the ground giving a huge blast effect, others were high temperature incendiaries and so on. Bombs are a very interesting subject. Because the main effort of bomber command was, 鈥渕aximum damage to target.鈥� Very experienced specialists selected the bomb load -usually mixed - and programmed their release from the aircraft. Each individual bomb, and each batch of incendiaries, had it鈥檚 own release mechanism, actuated by an electrical relay connected to the programmer held by the bomb aimer. All the 13/A had to do with the target in the bombsights was to press the button. The programmer would release the bombs in small groups, in fairly quick succession so that the aircraft remained stable in flight and there was a creeping barrage causing maximum damage on the ground. If you had to jettison your load -(engine fire or something similar) then you pulled the RED jettison lever, which operated steel cables to the bomb release mechanism. The complete load then dropped as one salvo.

After briefing, the crew wagon dropped us alongside Whitley ff189 and as Les, the bomb aimer, and myself began our external P.F.C. (Pre Flight Check) the rest of the crew climbed aboard. The bomb bay doors were open and the lines of black 5001b bombs were quite impressive, Les, as part of his training had helped the armourers winch the bombs into the racks, and although he pointed it out to me, there was no mistaking the live bomb. Being primed and ready it looked quite sinister. With the ground crew standing by, having plugged in the power accs (mobile accumulators) we completed our external checks, climbed on board and with Maxie (wireless operator) priming I started the two Rolls Royce Merlins, and completed the normal checks. Giving the thumbs up signal, the ground crew unplugged the power and removed the wheel chocks.

Radio contact with flying control released us to taxi, and very soon we had moved along the perimeter track to the end of the main runway. I cleared the engines, made the final cockpit and crew checks and we were ready for take of f. A green aldis flash from control gave us permission to swing onto the main runway, line up and trundle off.

I opened the throttles smoothly and as the Merlins roared into life, and the props in fine pitch, bit into the cold morning air, we gathered speed. Acceleration was not rapid and I was pleased we were on the longest runway. There was no question about it, the additional operational weight had certainly slowed H189 down. However, just before the runway disappeared under our nose we lifted clear and as we gained height I maneuvered to pass over the drome on course to our dropping zone.

H189 droned on at 140 m.p.h, 2000 feet above the North Sea, and we were able to relax and gaze over the starboard wing at the small fishing harbours slipping by, Buckie, the home of Jock, a tail gunner in Roy Scotts crew, Cullen and Macduff. We were waiting for Fraserburg harbour, and as it appeared on the now distant coastline we knew we were near our dropping zone.

鈥淪kip, Scottie calling, two minutes and we should be there.鈥� 鈥淗ello crew, Skipper calling, Don鈥檛 forget to keep a look out for anything floating.鈥�

Les was in the bomb aimers compartment laying down and peering through the clear vision panel, and soon 鈥淪kip, all clear to bomb.鈥� came over the intercom. Les had already prepared a smoke flare for Maxie to launch down the shute, and as I turned on a reciprocal course, Scottie checked his bearings and gave the launch signal.

Down below there was a mild splash and almost immediately a plume of white smoke. we flew on our reverse course for four minutes, turned and swung onto the heading for the big drop.
鈥淟es, Skipper calling, ready to bomb, height 2000鈥�,鈥� Speed reduced to 110 m.p.h, bomb doors open, and flying straight and level on course.鈥�
鈥淥.k Skip everything鈥檚 set up on the bomb sight. I can see the flare but it鈥檒l be a couple of minutes before it鈥檚 in the guide wires to lead us in. 鈥淚 concentrated on flying 鈥榮pot on.鈥� Suddenly the intercom crackled
鈥淪kip, flare in bomb sight, turn port two degrees and hold, steady, steady, starboard a whisker, steady, steady, bomb away!

As planned I banked steeply to port and we all gazed down at the grey North Sea and the gushing smoke flare 2000 feet below.

I didn鈥檛 spot it falling, and it鈥檚 taking a long time to hit the water. Where is that beautiful golden, crimson flash, the eruption of shredded salt laced water, the vanishing smoke flare and the dead fish?
鈥淟es, old chap what happened?鈥�
鈥淪orry Skip, we may have a 鈥榟ang up.鈥� Can we repeat the run in and I will do a double check of the release pattern, my trigger relay button, the cables and connections.鈥�
鈥�3

We retraced our route giving Les an extra few minutes before turning for the new drop.
鈥淪kip, I can鈥檛 find anything at fault, it should release, perhaps it will this time.鈥� Once again we completed our run up, and once a莽ain we banked to look down on a smooth, empty sea and a lone, belching smoke flare.

鈥淟es, we seem to have a problem, can you release the bomb manually?鈥�
鈥淪kip, I can remove a panel on the fuselage floor located over the bomb bay, but I am not sure we have the right equipment to trigger the release mechanism.鈥�
Ten minutes or so later Les and Maxie had to admit defeat, the only probe they had was quite useless.
鈥淟es, there is still no shipping around so I am climbing up to 3000 feet and diving fast enough to make the bomb bay doors vibrate which in turn should vibrate the bomb and release mechanism. If you press your release button as we pull out of the dive, the G forces and the vibration might do the trick. It鈥檚 worth a try.鈥� The recommended maximum speed to fly with bomb doors open was 120 m.p.h, I intended to try 150 m.p.h. or more and see what happened.

As we circled and climbed we all kept a sharp look out for stray boats, nothing in sight.
鈥淥.k Les, we have 3000 feet, I can see the smoke flare and I鈥檓 beginning the dive, press your button when I shout...鈥� now鈥�.鈥� We gathered speed and a vibration started through the aircraft. Gosh those bomb doors were flexing, I desperately hoped they would keep in one piece.
鈥淥.k pulling out,鈥橬OW鈥�.鈥� I had already set the elevator trim for maximum lift and by pulling back the control column with all my strength ff189 shot up like a fighter. But no joy, the bomb was still on board!
鈥淥.k les, we鈥檒l try the dive once more and if it doesn鈥檛 vibrate free we鈥檒l return to base for instructions.鈥�

The second dive was unsuccessful and so I reduced speed and very tentatively closed the bomb doors and we headed for base. It says a lot for British engineering that the bomb bay doors moved at all! 鈥淗ello control鈥� ff189 reporting, We have a live 5001b hang up. We have tried to shake it off, feel it is secure, but please advise.鈥� There was a pause and then control came back.
鈥淐ircle out to sea.鈥� Heavens I hadn鈥檛 thought of that, what a chump, we might have bombed our own drome!
鈥淐ontrol to captain of ff189, the armament officer will be here in a moment to check the bomb release procedure step by step with your bomb aimer.鈥滻 listened, patiently completing rate one turns, as the senior armament officer and Les discussed every point. Full marks to Les, he was 鈥榖ang on鈥� nothing had been missed.
鈥淔lying control to captain, keep orbiting and wait for instructions.鈥� Some minutes later the S.A.0. made contact, 鈥淐aptain, fly out to your dropping zone and pull the jettison lever.鈥� He must have sensed my sudden intake of breath because he added, 鈥淵ou are flying with a maximum load of petrol, and a maximum load of bombs. We cannot risk you making a heavy landing and dislodging the live bomb. If that happened we have almost certainly lost an aircraft and a crew.鈥� 鈥淥.k chaps back to square one. Les we shall need a new smoke flare and then the same procedure as before.鈥�
-4-

A short time later with bomb doors open we were once again on the bombing run and heading for our smoke flare.
鈥淏ombs away Skip.鈥� The jettison lever clunked back into place and as I banked steeply to port we all gazed below and followed the graceful arcs as the clusters of 5001b bombs, in impeccable formation, curved down towards the grey north sea and the waiting smoke flare 2000 feet below. abruptly the surface of the sea fragmented into several volcanoes of foam and froth and quickly settled. No explosion! Hells Bells the rogue 500 pounder was still on board!

Please read Chapter 2 for the rest of the account.

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