Two incidents that have stayed with me all these years.
There was a day in the winter of 1943/44, I with a group of other RAF airmen
from RAF Holmsley South went by truck to an airfield near the south coast
England opposite the Isle of Wight. It was a temp. airfield on a farm. It
was occupied by 8th. USAAF Thunderbolt squadrons. They were single engined
fighter/bombers.
On take off one had engine failure and crashed, bursting into flames. We had been working on the side of the field assembling long range fuel tanks. We downed tools and rushed to the aid of the pilot. But flames and exploding ammo., (also there were two 500lb. bombs,) prevented us getting the pilot free. The pilot managed to get out and clear the craft. But he was on fire. We did not hesitate rushing to his aid. We used our greatcoats to smother the flames. By that time the fire trucks and ambulance arrived. We heard later when we enquired that the pilot had extensive burns and had a 50/50 chance of survival.
Another involved me and where prayer seemed to have prevented one of my squadrons pilots a similar fate.
One of the Typhoon aircraft I serviced had had an air intake cover stuffed
in the air intake of the engine over night by another airman. I had not
known of this. But when the pilot had started the aircraft in a hurry before
I had finish my checks. (the engine had started without trouble) I pulled
the wheel chocks and he taxied away on the perimeter road to the take off
point at the far end of the runway. In the meantime a Flight Sergeant from
another unit came round to my position to enquire whose aircraft it was
taxiing with an air intake cover stuffed in. By the initials and number it
sounded like mine. I was very distressed and prayed he would not start the
take off. As it happened he did not take off. His left tyre had
burst. I never knew why, but I always believed in a guardian angel
who looked over me during WW2.
