Color Image

Contributor - James A. Leddy

Caption reads: "When the hydraulic system was shot out, this pilot landed his B-24 with two parachutes attached to the waist windows to act as brakes. England."

Info Contributor - Tom Brittan

Transferred to 785th BS (2U U+). Missions 11 Jul 44 - 25 Apr 45. Repaired at Woodbridge, Suffolk, 23 Feb - 18 Mar 45 - # 3 engine in which oil pressure was lost causing the propeller to be feathered over the Zuider Zee. All the fluid was lost from the hydraulic system when the line to the bottom of the reservoir was severed, making it necessary to crank down the landing gear manually - plane landed with no flaps or brakes and parachutes were released from the waist windows on this occasion. This was on return from the 22 Feb 45 "low level" (9,000 ft) mission to Peine marshalling yards.

Info Contributor - Al Blue

 Photo was staged later and not taken during the actual emergency landing. The engines are running to billow out the chutes for the photographer.

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Copyright © 1997 B-24 Best Web. Published on Veterans Day 11/11/97. Last modified: October 04, 2007