Daring1 Feat in the At

Levin Daily Chronicle, 24 April 1917, Page 3

Daring 1 Feat in the At

— _ WITH. THE BRITISH ARMIES IN FRANCE. 'February 10. One of the most thrilling flying episodes of the war was recorded today when the British observer in a two seated machine which had been damaged by German shell-fire climbed out on one of tho wings and steadied the airplane which the pilot brought safely to earth. Two young aviators were leading an offensive patrol when an anti-aircraft high explosive shell burst just .behind the right lower wing of the • airplane. The machine was completely l riddled. Three of the stay booms were cut, one blade of the propellor was blown away and all the contiols except the elevator were put out of action. The machine was further smashed by the broken propeller blade and became uncontrollable. Realising the situation, the observer did not hesitate, but climbed out threequarters of the way on the right wing tip in order to balance the machine. The aircraft continued to fall in spirals however, until it was about 2000 feet above the earth. Here the observer succeeded in balancing it and the machine glided down evenly. When about 2CO feet from the earth a slight movement by the man caused the machine to spin again, but the pilot was able to control when just ten feet above the ground and the aircraft landed with neither men injured.