Remember the sequence in Dark Blue World where Franta swooped down in his Spit to pick Karel out of a French field after he’d been shot down?? He threw out, I think, his parachute (or life jacket, I’m not sure) in order for Karel to sit on his lap and thus get away from the marauding German troops.
Obviously this was based on genuine occurences, but apart from one in a Hurricane (and I only know of this one from a photograph taken after the incident), I don’t know of any other instances.
Anyone know of others?
(This relates ever-so slightly to my Resistance thread.)
By: DazDaMan - 19th April 2005 at 22:49
Jeffrey Quill reports in Spitfire a Test Pilot’s Story that F/L Tony Bartley hitched a ride to a party with Humphrey Gilbert in a Spitfire. They removed the parachute and each had one foot on one rudder pedal; one had his left hand on the throttle and the other his right on the control column.
Quill also reports that this feat had previously been achieved in a Spitfire with a WAAF by F/O Gordon Brettel, but she had been much smaller.
On a sadder note, Gilbert was killed attempting the same feat with a non-pilot.
Woody
Thanks for that one, Woody. I have Spitfire – A Test Pilot’s Story but I must have missed that!
By: Mark12 - 19th April 2005 at 22:49
No probs!
From ‘Supermarine Spitfire remembered’ by Philip J.R.Moyes.
Mark
By: Chipster52 - 19th April 2005 at 22:40
Jack Charles flew a Hurricane across the Channel in May 1940 with a Polish pilot on his lap (see Aeroplane Monthly March 2005 page 27).
By: Woody - 19th April 2005 at 21:59
Two into one in a Spitfire
Jeffrey Quill reports in Spitfire a Test Pilot’s Story that F/L Tony Bartley hitched a ride to a party with Humphrey Gilbert in a Spitfire. They removed the parachute and each had one foot on one rudder pedal; one had his left hand on the throttle and the other his right on the control column.
Quill also reports that this feat had previously been achieved in a Spitfire with a WAAF by F/O Gordon Brettel, but she had been much smaller.
On a sadder note, Gilbert was killed attempting the same feat with a non-pilot.
Woody
By: DazDaMan - 19th April 2005 at 21:16
I’d heard of pilots giving rides to their popsies in aircraft before, but I suppose it still does come under the umbrella of “how to get two into one”!!
By: Locobuster - 19th April 2005 at 19:55
Capt. Jack Ilfrey, C.O. 79th. Fighter Squadron, landed and retrieved his downed wingman in a P-51D: http://www.geocities.com/jackilfrey/story2.html
By: Jagan - 19th April 2005 at 19:06
Not really an escape story – but I know an Indian Pilot who gave a joyride to a lady friend in a Hurricane – ala ‘Pearl Harbour’ (ok ok.. Harbor)
By: Dan Johnson - 19th April 2005 at 18:28
Bert Marshall of the 355th FG was picked up by his wingman in a 51D. The most difficult I think was when they got two P38 pilots in a cockpit. 82nd FG pilots. Once back on the ground after completing the rescue, they couldn’t replicate the feat
http://p38assn.org/andrews-willsie/andrews-story.htm
Dan
By: DazDaMan - 19th April 2005 at 14:29
If it’s not too much bother – this is an integral part of a new story I’m working on, I just wanted to see whether it was more common than thought (and most definitely not a piece of fantasy!) 🙂
By: Swiss Mustangs - 19th April 2005 at 14:28
The McKennon incident – from “1000 Destroyed” – read here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~johnrlove/1000_destroyed/chptr23.html
Martin
By: Swiss Mustangs - 19th April 2005 at 14:23
Several P-51D cases – some successful, some not……
4th FG ace Pierce W. McKennon was rescued by his wingman, for example; and there is at least one case in the 355th FG from Steeple Morden.
Do you want me to dig out the details ?
Martin
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April 19, 2005 at 2:15 pm