MAINTENANCE CREW'S FINE WORK ON HALIFAX WHICH BOMBED SAARBRUCKEN (Picture issued 1942) - But for ten hours of hard and continuous work by ground maintenance men, one of the RAF Bomber Command's great four-engined Halifaxes would have been earthbound instead of adding its weight of bombs to those showered on Saarbrucken during a recent night attack. The aircraft became bogged at its base aerodrome, its port wheel sinking deep into mud after landing from a night-flying test. Although the pilot used as much engine power as he dared he was unable to shift the 20-ton monster, which slewed round and
MAINTENANCE CREW'S FINE WORK ON HALIFAX WHICH BOMBED SAARBRUCKEN (Picture issued 1942) - But for ten hours of hard and continuous work by ground maintenance men, one of the RAF Bomber Command's great four-engined Halifaxes would have been earthbound instead of adding its weight of bombs to those showered on Saarbrucken during a recent night attack. The aircraft became bogged at its base aerodrome, its port wheel sinking deep into mud after landing from a night-flying test. Although the pilot used as much engine power as he dared he was unable to shift the 20-ton monster, which slewed round and tilted until the port wing tip was within two feet of the ground. Then work was started by a team which included airframe and engine fitters, armourers and civilian technicians who used a mechanical excavator to scoop out a sloping roadway down to the front of the almost buried wheel. On this ramp was made a "runway" of boards and by 6 - after 10 hours work - the Halifax was moved slowly on to firm ground. Then the ground crew carried out a complete check of the bomber and its instruments, the flying crew gave it an air test, and within a few hours it was on its way to Saarbrucken, from which it returned safely. The great wheel of the giant Halifax axle-deep in mud, Royal Air Force
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