Tappers Dad
The crew have no control over a Bomb Bay fire
It's external of the pressure hull and there are no systems on board to sort the problem - there is a Bomb Bay periscope to monitor what's going on, and that must have been very frightening
Decisions about keeping the Bomb Doors closed which might 'stifle' the problem through lack of oxygen have to be balanced against opening which might blow out, but also feed the fire
I know most of all that crew, and I'm convinced that Al Squires, Adey and the guys down the back would have been trying every trick in the book to get down safely - but in my heart - and had I been on board - I would have known we were in serious trouble and in a situation which we could nothing about - I would have been praying to reach Kandahar as I'm sure they all were