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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 2268.PDF
474 FLIGHT OCTOBER 29TH, 1942 COLOGNE RAID V.C. F/O LI. Manser's "Determination and Valour" as Captain of a 50 Squadron Manchester ^ '' T_TE was one of the most competent captains we have -*--*- ever had in 50 Squadron. Whatever task was set him, he did it willingly and without question. All who met him became his friends and everyone in the squadron felt his loss as a personal blow." Such was the tribute from his squadron commander, Wing Cdr.-R. J. Oxley, D.S.O., D.F.C., to F/O. Leslie Thomas Manser, who was posthumously awarded the V.C. for his heroism on the Cologne raid on the night of May 30th. " When I told the squadron," added Wing. Cdr. Oxley, "how Manser, on his last sortie on Cologne, showed his determination by attacking the target with one engine out of action, and then gave up his life to save the lives of the rest of the crew, we all felt humbled by what he had done. We realised that he had set an example for the rest of us to live up to, and that he had established a tradition for the squadron." The official citation reads as follows: — "F/O. Manser was captain and first pilot of a Man Chester aircraft which took part in the mass raid on Cologne on the night of May 30th, 1942. As the aircraft was approaching its objective it was caught by searchlights and subjected to intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire. F/O. Manser held on his dangerous course and bombed the target successfully from a height of 7,000 ft. " Then he set course for base. The Manchester had been damaged and was still under heavy fire. F/O. Manser took violent evasive action, turning and descending to under 1,000 ft. It was of no avail. The lights and flak followed him until the outskirts of the city were passed. The air craft was hit repeatedly and the rear gunner was wounded. The front cabin filled with smoke; the port engine was over-heating badly. '' Pilot and crew could all have escaped safely by para chute. Nevertheless, F/O. Manser, disregarding the obvious hazards, persisted in his attempt to save aircraft and crew from falling into enemy hands. He took the air craft up to 2,000 ft. Then the port engine burst into flames. It was ten minutes before the fire was mastered, but then the engine went out of action for good, part of one wing was burnt, and the air speed of the aircraft became dangerously low. "Despite all the efforts of pilot and crew, the Manches ter began *to lose height. At this critical moment, F/O. Manser once more disdained the alternative of para chuting to safety with his crew. Instead, with grim deter mination, he set a new course for the nearest base, accept ing for himself the prospect of almost certain death in a firm resolve to carry on to the end. " Soon, the aircraft became extremely difficult to handle and, when a crash was inevitable, F/O. Manser ordered the crew to bale out. A sergeant handed him a parachute but he waved it away, telling the non-commissioned officer m to jump at once, as he could only hold the aircraft steady ** for a few seconds more. While the crew were descending to safety they saw the aircraft, still carrying their gallant captain, plunge to earth and burst into flames. '' In pressing home his attack in the face of strong oppo sition, in striving, against heavy odds, to bring back his aircraft and crew and, finally, when in extreme peril, thinking only of the safety of his comrades, F/O. Manser displayed determination and valour of the highest order." F/6. Manser's home was at Radlett, Herts. Death 0/ Gerry Sayer WE deeply regret having to record the death of P. E. G. Sayer—known to the whole aircraft industry as "Gerry"—in a flying accident on Thursday last, Octo ber 22. Mr. Sayer first entered the R.A.F. in 1924 and resigned his commission in 1930 to become second test pilot to P. W. S. Bul- man, of the Hawker Air craft Company. Shortly after the Hawker concern had taken over the Gloster Aircraft Company in 1934 he was appointed chief test pilot of Glosters. In recognition of his work he received the O.B.E. in this year's New Year Honours list. As a test pilot his work was out standing, and it is regretted that security reasons preclude us from giving details of what he has been doing since the outbreak of hostilities. The late P. E. G. Sayer. An Appreciation ANYONE who knew "Gerry" Sayer loved him. It ** was impossible to do otherwise. His infectious smile and gentle humour were always present. I never knew him to be worried or " under the weather'' however difficult or dangerous a task on which he might be employed. While at Brooklands he frequently flew me in the old Hawker Hart G-EBMR, when I was photographing Hawkers' latest products in the hands of Fit. Lt. Bulman. They formed the perfect team, each trusting the other com pletely, and it was a revelation and joy to fly with such pilots. " Gerry's" navigation was uncanny. I remember on one occasion he flew me from Hawkinge back to Brooklands when visibility was to all intents and purposes nil. It was like flying in a vertical tube with the tiniest bit of blue above and a dim view of one or two fields below. As he passed over the rating track at Brooklands, dead on our course, he turned round and smiled as if to suggest that it was all luck and skill did not enter into it. Just • a typical example of his self-abnegation. He will be sorely Jk missed. Such men of such ability and such qualities are ' rare. J. Y. Aircraft Production "TTHE November issue of Aircraft Production, now on sale. J- price 2S. 6d., is if anything more, than usually interesting. There is an article dealing with the very important saving of power by using the aircraft engines themselves, when on test, for the generation of electricity, and examples are quoted from this country and America of successful power reclamation of this nature. The conclusion is reached that, if production is on a sufficiently large scale, power recovery is quite a practical proposition. Production methods employed in the building of the Vickers- Supermarine Walrus amphibian are described, and there is an instructive article on the design, operation and manufacture of the Rotol electrically-operated airscrew. "Production Density," or the maximum production per square foot of ^ factory pace, is the subject of another article, and under carriage manufacture (that of the Short Stirling) is dealt with extensively. All the usual features will be found in the November issue, and, in addition, there are many short articles on a variety of subjects. \
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