113
During the afternoon on Wednesday, 30th September the Lindbergh's Lockheed Sirius aircraft landed on the River and was made fast astern of HERMES, a short while later being hoisted onto her flight deck.
The following day two aircraft from HERMES flew off on patrol, as did the Colonel and Mrs Lindbergh in their Sirius.
Unfortunately on Friday, the 2nd, after hoisting out the Colonel's machine at 0945 hours, and when endeavouring to unhook, the machine capsized alongside.14
With a strong current running in the river it was necessary to apply a certain amount of throttle so that as the aircraft took the water it forged ahead in such a way as to permit the crane hook to be disengaged. The Colonel had misjudged the manoeuvre, quickly the current had taken hold, the aircraft twisted around broadside to the flow, the port wing dipped into the river, the machine capsized, and the two occupants were thrown into the water. Happily the possibility of such a mishap occurring had been foreseen. On this occasion the motor sampan from the Vice Admiral's Flagship, the gunboat BEE,15 was standing by. Instantly the sampan crew rescued the Colonel and his wife. Fortunately the aircraft still was hooked on and under the direction of Commander Baxter salvage operations commenced immediately. The Lockheed was righted and hoisted in at 1035 hours. Damage was found to be minimal. However, being of wooden construction whereas the frames of the aircraft in the ship were of metal, no suitable spare parts could be found onboard.
The Lindbergh's both made light of their misadventure with the Colonel quick to take the blame for the accident. As Vice Admiral MacLean was to state:
'I was very much impressed by the unassuming manner of Colonel Lindbergh and they certainly both won the liking and esteem of all who came into contact with them here. Mrs. Lindbergh's sole comment on her accident was that all her life she had taken particular pains to drink only distilled water and to wash her teeth in disinfectant and she had obviously undone the good work of a lifetime by swallowing a gallon of Yangtze water.'
113
During the afternoon on Wednesday, 30th September the Lindbergh's Lockheed Sirius aircraft landed on the River and was made fast astern of HERMES, a short while later being hoisted onto her flight deck.
The following day two aircraft from HERMES flew off on patrol, as did the Colonel and Mrs Lindbergh in their Sirius.
Unfortunately on Friday, the 2nd, after hoisting out the Colonel's machine at 0945 hours, and when endeavouring to unhook, the machine capsized alongside.14
With a strong current running in the river it was necessary to apply a certain amount of throttle so that as the aircraft took the water it forged ahead in such a way as to permit the crane hook to be disengaged. The Colonel had misjudged the manoeuvre, quickly the current had taken hold, the aircraft twisted around broadside to the flow, the port wing dipped into the river, the machine capsized, and the two occupants were thrown into the water. Happily the possibility of such a mishap occurring had been foreseen. On this occasion the motor sampan from the Vice Admiral's Flagship, the gunboat BEE,15 was standing by. Instantly the sampan crew rescued the Colonel and his wife. Fortunately the aircraft still was hooked on and under the direction of Commander Baxter salvage operations commenced immediately. The Lockheed was righted and hoisted in at 1035 hours. Damage was found to be minimal. However, being of wooden construction whereas the frames of the aircraft in the ship were of metal, no suitable spare parts could be found onboard.
The Lindbergh's both made light of their misadventure with the Colonel quick to take the blame for the accident. As Vice Admiral MacLean was to state:
'I was very much impressed by the unassuming manner of Colonel Lindbergh and they certainly both won the liking and esteem of all who came into contact with them here. Mrs. Lindbergh's sole comment on her accident was that all her life she had taken particular pains to drink only distilled water and to wash her teeth in disinfectant and she had obviously undone the good work of a lifetime by swallowing a gallon of Yangtze water."
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