A Night to Remember --- part 17
“WOODBRIDGE from Nan Squared we only have one green, starboard leg is down but we don’t know if it’s locked, over”. “Roger Nan Squared can you do a circuit and be number two for landing, we have another aircraft in distress.” “Nan Squared, wilco”. Blast! I guess they don’t want us doing a wheels up landing and blocking the runway. Ease over to starboard to fly up-wind with the runway lights looking very inviting down on the port side.
“Pilot to crew, hang on chaps we’re doing a circuit, we may finish up with a wheels up landing so get to your crash positions and brace yourselves when I say. OK reargunner?” “Wilco skipper” “Midupper OK, skip” “Special OK skipper” “Wireless OK skipper” “Navigator OK skipper” “Bombaimer coming up, skip” as he climbs from his position in the nose to his crash position with back against the mainspar behind me.
Just past the end of the runway and a gentle turn to port holding 1000 ft and onto the down-wind leg and now for the landing checks. Undercarriage is down, trim set, mixture rich, pitch to 2850 rpm, flaps we haven’t got, fuel booster pumps on. “ OK engineer?” and I get the thumbs up. “Woodbridge from Nan Squared down wind” “Nan Squared call finals” “Nan Squared wilco.” This is it, will that starboard undercarriage stay down? Round we go again to the left in a gentle turn with the perimeter lights sliding away underneath, reduce power to start a gradual descent at 150 mph, I can sense everybody holding their breath.
“Engineer, I will land slightly port wing low to keep the weight on the port wheel as long as I can. As soon as I feel the starboard leg collapsing I will shout undercarriage UP, OK? “OK skip, I’m holding the lever”. The runway lights slowly come round into line as though the land below is twisting and we are standing still. “Nan Squared, finals.” “Nan Squared, clear to land”.
Glide path indicator showing green, now changing red, getting too low so increase power ... that’s it, airspeed 130, back in the green, runway suddenly begins to approach rapidly, end of runway coming up, pilot to crew BRACE BRACE!
Back gently on the control column, left wing low, ease off power, back, back, power off……with a slight squeal the port wheel touches the ground… rumbling along, faster than usual, the starboard wing gently sinks and as the wheel touches, we hold our breath and it holds! Keep her straight and control column hard back as the speed slowly drops off.
“Nan Squared, clear left if you can.” “Nan Squared, roger”. With the aid of the inboard engines we steer gently to follow the van to the parking area where we come to a very gentle halt, close down the engines as the ground staff quickly chock the wheels.