BOUNCING BLENHEIM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 199, 5 January 1942, Page 5

BOUNCING BLENHEIM

N.Z. PILOT BLESSES HER MAKERS A New Zealand pilot' of the R.A.F., Fl. Lt. Arthur B. Wheeler, of the North Island, had a remarkable experience when the Blenheim in which he was attacking an enemy convoy bounced twice on the sea and fIeAV home again. The incident. took placfe about 10 miles north-west of the Hook of Holland, and the Blenheim was hit by a shell in the starboard engine when making a low-level attack. The pilot had to list shraply to avoid the cable of a balloon attached to one ship, and the bombei hit the water, bounced up, struck the water a second time, and tßen again. lit is believed to be the first landplane to perform this feat, "It was a terrific smack," said Fl. Lt. Wheeler, in an interview. "The starboard airscrew shuddered, and in counteracting the sudden lurch we hit the sea with our port airscrew. I'd just managed to pull out when the starboard engine knocked and rattled so badly that I had to throttle down. We hit the sea a second time, and I thought w v e were finished. Again I gave the aircraft all, the boost I could, and once more Ave pulled up. "Although she was making some remarkable noises the Blenheim got us. back, and we blessed the people who made her. The oil pipes had been smashed about and ive got back with one pint of oil left in the tank. We could have gone on for anothei five minutes—but no 'onger."