Aircraft successfully landed safely by non pilot

In August 1942, a Finnish AF Fokker C.X was hit by Russian small arms fire. The pilot was killed. The observer, Lt. Paavo Kahla, climbed from the rear cockpit onto the lower wing of the airplane. At some point his parachute ripcord got caught somewhere and the chute started opening. Standing on the wing, Lt. Kahla managed to find his knife, cut the parachute loose before the chute dragged him off the wing, and then climb into the front cockpit. Sitting on the lap of the dead pilot he flew the Fokker home. On landing he could not pull the stick far enough back for a really successful landing, and the plane turned over to its back, being slightly damaged. Paavo Kahla, then Captain, was finally killed on 23 October 1944 in another Fokker C.X, in the so-called Lapland War, against retreating German forces.

Thanks for that story Finny – and unfortunately a very sad and avoidable ending : (

From Acestory.Elknet.PL

Captain of Reserve, Knight of the Mannerhem Cross, Paavo Kahla’s career was ended on 23.10.1944 when the Finnish Armed Forces were fighting against the Wehrmacht in Lapland. Kahla was the commander of the Fokker flight which was a part of the Detachment Sarko, based in Kemi.
On the evening of the 22nd October his pilot, Sgt. Jouko Liinamaa told to is friend, Brewster pilot Lt. Juurikainen that he was likely to die next day when he was going to pilot Capt. Kahla. The Sergeant told that Kahla used to make his pilot fly just above the road to be reconnoitred. The fighter pilot went to talk to Capt. Kahla and warned him about the German AA gunners, which were very proficient. Kahla listened without commenting. Another fighter pilot. Lt. Riekki, confirmed the warning, telling that four days ago two Brewsters had been shot down by the German AA. But Kahla said him that the best method to count traffic was to fly above the road at 300 m.
Kahla had packed his kit before taking off next morning, because it was to be his last mission before demobilisation. But he was not going to shirk from doing his duty to the very end. FK-104 took off at 06.00 hours but it did not return from the mission. They were last seen at 06.22 hours by a Finnis observation post.
He and his pilot were shot down by German AA in Kittila near Aakenustunturi. They were the last casualties of the FAF in the II WW, but their remains were not found until one year later by a reindeer herder

Sabrejet

Great also to hear about Bush Barrey: I only knew him as a 66 Sqn Sabre driver.

Null Orifice

Squadron Leader “Bush” C J Barrey DFC AFC DFM
I came across this amazing person when I was a lowly ground crew member of 229 OCU at Chivenor in the early 1960s.
At the time “Bush” was known to us as “Boss” Barrey and was OC Hunter Simulator Flight. He occasionally flew one of our Meteors as well as the ‘real’ Hunter

Thanks Guys for your personal comments – always nice to see personal connections on here 😀

Re: basv’s post #1:

Squadron Leader “Bush” C J Barrey DFC AFC DFM (Retd)

I came across this amazing person when I was a lowly ground crew member of 229 OCU at Chivenor in the early 1960s.
At the time “Bush” was known to us as “Boss” Barrey and was OC Hunter Simulator Flight. He occasionally flew one of our Meteors as well as the ‘real’ Hunter.

Known for his brilliant wit and sense of humour, he was one of life’s real characters. The sky-writing episode in the skies high above Yeovilton took place while flying a Hunter. It was a really nice day and his work could clearly be seen from the ground at Chivenor as it drifted slowly eastward.

His magnificent aerial depiction of a man’s bits took place, I believe, towards the end of his tenure as OC Sim, possibly his ‘swan-song’. It was a talking point throughout the base, and elsewhere, although I can’t recall any subsequent disciplinary proceedings.

According to http://www.rafjever.org/sharepast.htm, after his retirement, Bush had returned to his native Australia. Bush passed out whilst refueling his car early in May 06. He died several times on the way to Adelaide hospital and was in a coma for a month. They operated on his heart but then found that it was not his heart but he had pneumonia and he died in Intensive Care (in Adelaide) last Monday 29th May 2006. He was 86 years young.

Re Alan’s post #7.

I don’t think there was any official procedure whereby WW1 observers (ie non-pilots) were given rudimentary training in piloting an aircraft. However, it was obviously in the interests of both pilot and observer that the latter had some knowledge – although any ‘training’ depended entirely on the former’s encouragement. This from a letter written by 2nd Lt C K M Douglas to his parents on 27 July 1916:

Our machines are ordinary biplanes with engines in the front. They have dual control so I am getting some practice in flying, which is of course, very easy high up.

Douglas had just transferred to 34 Squadron which was flying BE2e’s at the time; his pilot was usually 2nd Lt Horsefield. The ‘practice’ to which Douglas refers must have been whilst on patrol as his log book makes no reference to any other flying activity.

Brian

In August 1942, a Finnish AF Fokker C.X was hit by Russian small arms fire. The pilot was killed. The observer, Lt. Paavo Kahla, climbed from the rear cockpit onto the lower wing of the airplane. At some point his parachute ripcord got caught somewhere and the chute started opening. Standing on the wing, Lt. Kahla managed to find his knife, cut the parachute loose before the chute dragged him off the wing, and then climb into the front cockpit. Sitting on the lap of the dead pilot he flew the Fokker home. On landing he could not pull the stick far enough back for a really successful landing, and the plane turned over to its back, being slightly damaged. Paavo Kahla, then Captain, was finally killed on 23 October 1944 in another Fokker C.X, in the so-called Lapland War, against retreating German forces.

Apparently three (ex Halton ) ground crew got a Fairey Battle serviceable and flew it back from France in 1940. I cannot verify this, but the story persisted in wartime ex- “Brat” circles.

Nice video there MM : ) especially being interviewed by the 2 youngsters – he comes across as being a really nice guy !

Found a nice little video interview with Sqn. Ldr Iain Blair in 602 Squadron’s interesting website in which he mentions the occasion where he landed a Blenheim whilst still an armourer/ volunteer air gunner/volunteer observer.

http://www.602squadronmuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/videos/iainblair.php

The accidental take off of a mechanic in an EE Lightning springs to mind, as does a landing in an Ercoupe of a passenger in South America in the 1950s when the pilot had suffered a heart attack. I believe a similar incident happened some years ago in Florida with an executive twin.

‘Taff’ Holden was the man who landed the Lightning,he was an Engineering Officer but did have RAF pilots wings,there was a short period in the RAF where selected ground officers could be given a flying course and Taff had flown Chipmunks and Harvards I believe.It is not too difficult to find the true story on the net but don’t believe the ‘no seat’ story – the aircraft was fitted with a bang seat but it was ‘safe for servicing’ with all pins fitted – so therefore unuseable.
Once again – even though he did have some flying experience – to land a Lightning successfully with no radio help was also truly amazing.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiwuc-nyrXKAhWLWRQKHbIAB0MQtwIIJjAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGfeN3FoZYj0&usg=AFQjCNHzBr2aLU1y8qQwv3HSiULN-4dEjQ&sig2=Ggsj7j9wkvn6Cd5Kvl9grg

I suspect that during WWI, many non pilots were given some rudimentary training, in how to fly
an aircraft, and even land it, in the event of the pilot being incapacitated. At least to the extent of
being able to get an aircraft back over friendly territory, so they could jump out.

In the larger bombers definitely – also as the various training machines got into top gear many of the ‘chopped’ pilots were re trained as Nav or Bomb aimer – so on many of the Heavy bombers the Nav or Bomb Aimer sometimes had some flying experience.
But the story would have been different on the smaller tactical bombers at that stage of the war- in the 2 incidents that I posted – the ‘navigators’ involved had no previous flying experience,as Blair reported – he had watched his pilot landing the aircraft many times so he had a good idea of the correct procedures etc but to successfully land a Blenheim with no previous ‘stick time’ is really quite amazing (and I do not use that word very often).

The incident with the Lightning XM135 is covered very well in the book Out of the Blue along with many other great anecdotes all proceeds to the benevolent fund.
A great read available on Kindle .
Apologies mods if that is advertising but for a worthy cause.
Best
Jon

Mentioned on another thread that my Grandfather’s skipper made sure that all the crew got a crash course in flying the Lancaster in case he became incapacitated, it would at least give the crew hope of getting back to somewhere safe!!

I suspect that during WWI, many non pilots were given some rudimentary training, in how to fly
an aircraft, and even land it, in the event of the pilot being incapacitated. At least to the extent of
being able to get an aircraft back over friendly territory, so they could jump out.

XM135 is preserved at Duxford, complete with a placard in the cockpit recording the flight under discussion!

Ian Blair is also still with us and regularly attends Blenheim Society events – at one point, I believe, the markings of the Blenheim he unexpectedly flew were being considered for the Mark I. Ian was at Duxford to see the first official flight of the Blenheim as a Mark I.

The accidental take off of a mechanic in an EE Lightning springs to mind….

Not a mechanic but a JEngO: Lightning was XM135 at 33MU Lyneham.

Great also to hear about Bush Barrey: I only knew him as a 66 Sqn Sabre driver.

The accidental take off of a mechanic in an EE Lightning springs to mind, as does a landing in an Ercoupe of a passenger in South America in the 1950s when the pilot had suffered a heart attack. I believe a similar incident happened some years ago in Florida with an executive twin.

From the 602 sqn website about John (ian) Blair

Blair, Ian

Ian Blair joined 113 Squadron in 1938 as a AC1/Armourer AG. on Hawker Hind and later Blenheim Mk 1s. He took part in the heavy fighting of the first Lybian campaign. He was forced to take control and fly the Blenheim airceaft after his pilot was killed following an attack by an Italian Fiat CR 42. Remarkably he managed not only to evade the enemy aircraft, but fly to fly the Blenheim 350 miles back to his base where he made a succesful textbook landing. This extraordinary action earned him the award of an immediate DFM. The experience led him to train as a pilot at No 4 SFTS RAF Habbaniya, where the No 6 War Course were heavily engaged in operations to raize the siege of the base from the Iraqi Army. He was finally awarded his wings in May 1941. On return to the UK he served with 501 Squadron on combat duties on Spitfire Mk V’s until injured as a result of enemy action. On return to flying duties he was posted to 602 Squadron flying MkV’s and MkIX’s until June 1944. In February 1944, he claimed a high altitude victory by destroying a Me.109 F at an altitude of 35,000 feet, flying a Spitfire Mk.VII H.F.

This gentleman came up on the same sqn page as Bush Barrey
Article from 113 sqn.com

Sqn/Ldr, John Ian Blair. Corporal, Arm/AG / Acting Sgt while he was with the 113 squadron, approx 1939 to Sept 1940. Joined the RAF as a boy entrant and trained as an armourer, 1134. Trained & qualified in the UK as a A/G in 1936. Posted to 113 with rank of AC-1 Arm/AG from the date of embarkation from Grantham in April 1938. He was classified as aircrew and flew operationally as Acting Sgt (unpaid) Cpl Arm/AG. At the time Cator was the C.O and the Flight Commander was F/Lt Dallamore.
In Sept 1940 113 Ground Crew (acting Observer) Corporal Ian Blair, a non-pilot safely landed the plane he was in after his pilot (P/O John Harry Reynolds, nickname Mouse) had been shot and killed. Ian was awarded the DFM for the incident and left the squadron to take pilot training. The following is S/Ldr Blair’s detailed accounting of the events that day.

DERNA STORY
What follows is the true story of the incident over Derna, Libya which led to the Immediate Award of the DFM to Acting Sergeant John Blair, No. 550006 on 4th September 1940.
The Official Citation is as follows

“550006 Acting Sergeant John Blair ,No 113 Squadron, Middle East Command .

On 4th September, 1940, during operations over Derna , when the pilot of the aircraft was killed instantly by enemy action, Sergeant Blair, the observer, succeeded in getting the aircraft under control and taking evasive action while the air gunner fought off the enemy aircraft. Assisted by the air gunner, he then removed the dead pilot from his seat and, without previous flying experience, achieved a safe landing after a flight of 350 miles. By his courage, devotion to duty and determination he saved the lives of both himself and the air gunner as well as saving the aircraft.”

London Gazette.24.9.40.

The secquence of events are explained by J. Blair and are as follows:-

I was briefed to carry out a bombing raid on Derna Landing Ground (See Navigators Log Sheet Fig.1) the track was to be a two legged with a final approach to the Target on a East to West approach. Bomb load was 20 & 40 lb. Fragmentation bombs carried in small bomb containers ,(SBC) 4 in number, this required the removal of the Bomb doors of the Blenheim, and accounted for the low Indicated Air Speed (IAS)
The aircraft was airborne at 0820 hrs. As usual the weather was good, the flight was uneventful. At 0917 hrs the log shows an alteration of course was made to bring the aircraft on to the target at a height of 16,000 ft. having let down from 19,000ft. This latter 40 minutes were used in part to make the necessary settings on the bomb sight, and to position myself by the bomb sight , in my case, I always knelt on the floor with my chest resting on the bomb aimers folding seat ( dropped down to the horizontal position from the starboard side of the aircraft, approximately in line with the control column). I found that in this position my hands were free to adjust the bombsight levels and compass (red on red) and obtain a good line of sight in order to track the target.
I had just released my bombs when there was a loud bang on the Port side and when I looked round in the direction of the noise, (Fig.2.) I saw the pilot was slumped forward on the controls, and out of the port window I saw a CR 42 breaking off as if he was preparing for another attack.
My aircraft was beginning to dive, I struggled to my feet grabbed at the yoke of the control column and as I pulled it back (Fig 3.) with some difficulty against the weight of the pilot, I was able to exert some right pressure and turn the aircraft to starboard in a northerly direction, I concluded the hostile aircraft would not follow us very far, as it had very limited duration. I had gained a little height, but was having difficulty from my standing position and the added weight of the pilot against the control column.
I called to my air gunner and asked him to assist in the removal of the pilot from his seat, “Hank” had to crawl from the turret through the aircraft “ well” to get to the front cockpit, the pilot was carefully removed and placed on the floor of the aircraft, his parachute remained in situ, which I needed in order to see over the instruments etc. Hank returned to the turret, and when I realised the aircraft was O.K. I set a course for base, aiming to make a landfall near Mersa Matruh. I was unable to maintain my navigators log from this point on.
It was a long flight back, I had plenty of time to consider the options, I discussed with Hank what we should do, did he wish to bail out over base, or to stay in the aircraft, he opted to stay with the aircraft.
I outlined my plan to him which was, to make a circuit on arrival at base, and a long approach from east to west, high over the boundary “fence” which was a line of telephone cables on poles, I had no wish to run into these.
The return flight took about 1- 3/4 hours I understand that the W/Op Hank sent a message to base by W/T telling them of our plight, in consequence there was a very large party of spectators and crash vehicles awaiting our “touchdown” on arrival. I was unaware that a message had been sent.
I made landfall not far from Mersa, it was a short time before I reached my base Maten Bagush, which was about 3 miles inland and also Headquarters 202 Group, the message sent by W/op generated a very large crowd of spectators.
I did a very wide circuit of the LG, there were no other aircraft visible in the circuit as far as I could see, even if there had been any pilot giving me assistance on the approach I doubt if I should have taken much notice or be aware of what he was trying to indicate, there was no communication R/T
From my observations of my skipper’s flying , we had done many hours together,. I knew that I had to, change pitch of the propeller, engage rich mixture control, and when the wheels went down there would be a lot of vibration, and loss of speed which I would have to compensate for with increased revs, all of these actions were carried out on the down wind leg , and on the final approach I kept at about 85 mph, knowing that there would be a marked change of aircraft attitude when the flaps were lowered, I trimmed the aircraft tail heavy, (too much,) as it happened, because I had to exert forward stick pressure on the control column in order to maintain my approach path and speed, being aware of the telephone poles and lines at the touch down end of the strip. As soon as I passed over the telephone lines, I throttled back and because the tail trim was tail heavy, the aircraft flared out nicely and sat on the ground. I kept the stick hard backwards with all my strength and eventually the aircraft came to a halt in a cloud of dust.
I do not remember shutting off the engines but they were stopped.
First aboard as I stood up on the seat, was the Medical Officer, I exchanged a few words about the pilot ,the MO looked at me and sent me off to sick quarters.
It is alleged that the AOC who witnessed the landing said “ If that airman can fly an aircraft without a training course, it time he was sent on one”
I note from my service record, dated 20/5/40 that I had been” recommended for training airman pilot “following the normal selection and interview procedure. I was taken off operational flying after the incident and subsequently posted to Elementary Flying Training School, my record shows the date as 4 November 1940, when I arrived in Nairobi.

For the two months approximately that I remained with 113 Squadron no one involved in the incident or any Court of Enquiry, approached me for any further explanations of the flight, or was I aware that there was an investigation of any kind into the demise of my pilot. It is reported somewhere that the pilot was killed by a bullet fired by the air gunner; it is not possible for the Air Gunner to fire his guns forward for a variety of technical reasons.
I always maintained that the pilot of my aircraft was killed by a random shot, which entered low down on the port side in an upward direction, and I presume went out through the open cockpit roof.
The P.R. boys had a field day, Figs 4 & 5, are the best shots which are now well known, a number of other pictures appear in the “Blenheim “ History by Graham Warner.