Semor76 Posted September 23, 2019 Posted September 23, 2019 (edited) Ok. I was in search for something entire different on YT and stumbled on this! Listen to him. He tells the (possible) true story about an Lancaster rear gunner who was forced to bail out his burning plane. Without parchute, at around 18.000ft. And this men survived. (dont know about the injuries) He also tells, that this case was documented. I read about many crazy and unbeliveable storys in WW II but I never heared about this! But for some reason, I belive him. Is there any evidence about this case? Somewere documents from RAF or Luftwaffe? Btw. impressive rotaition speed of the Lanc rear turret. Edited September 23, 2019 by Semor76 1 1
Danziger Posted September 23, 2019 Posted September 23, 2019 Not far fetched. There is an account of a Marine F-8 Crusader pilot on a ferry flight to Hawaii catching fire during aerial refueling. Tried to bail but none of the ejection handles functioned. Had to manually open canopy and jump. Parachute didn't open. Backup didn't open. Fell like 14k feet or so into the Pacific and survived.
BOO Posted September 23, 2019 Posted September 23, 2019 Sgt Alkemade. Very well documented. have a search for Vesna Vulović... 1 2
Semor76 Posted September 23, 2019 Author Posted September 23, 2019 3 hours ago, 9./JG52_BOO said: Sgt Alkemade. Very well documented. have a search for Vesna Vulović... Thanks! ... Three hours later, Alkemade opened his eyes. He was lying on snowy ground in a small pine wood. Above him the stars were still visible, only this time they were framed by the edges of the hole he had smashed through the tree canopy. Assessing himself, Alkemade found that he was remarkably intact. In addition to the burns and cuts to the head and thigh, all received in the aircraft, he was suffering only bruising and a twisted knee. Not a single bone had been broken or even fractured. Both of his flying boots had disappeared, probably torn from his feet as he unconsciously struck the tree branches. Being of no further use, Alkemade discarded his parachute harness in the snow. Lighting a cigarette from the pack kept in his Irvin suit, Alkemade surveyed his landing zone. The snow was but 18 inches deep and had been sheltered from the sun by the pine trees. Just 20 yards away was open ground completely devoid of snow. If he had come down there, nothing would have saved him. As it was, the flexible branches of the young pines had slowed Alkemade’s descent, just enough for the mattress of snow to cushion him as he reached the ground.... Unbeliveable! Full story here: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/the-indestructible-alkemade/
Feathered_IV Posted September 23, 2019 Posted September 23, 2019 I think I recall reading that some time after the war Alkemade was blown through a brick wall when a gas main exploded and survived that without injury too.
Swing Posted September 24, 2019 Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) Have a look for Alan Magee ...(gunner on a B17) he can thanks the glass roof of the Saint Nazaire Railroad station... Edited September 24, 2019 by Swing
RedKestrel Posted September 24, 2019 Posted September 24, 2019 On 9/23/2019 at 1:55 PM, 9./JG52_BOO said: Sgt Alkemade. Very well documented. have a search for Vesna Vulović... This lady was the first thing I thought of when reading the first post, but I couldn't remember her name.
BOO Posted September 24, 2019 Posted September 24, 2019 23 minutes ago, RedKestrel said: This lady was the first thing I thought of when reading the first post, but I couldn't remember her name. Google-Fu ?
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