Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-08

btAkAdH AVlAtNt Ailf liiNtf WIN IT.
work 70 repair the engines defect
They knew that they had II
make their final effort quickly
and that II IL failed they would
probably be imprisoned or shot.
PICK STRATEGIC NIGHT
BY some miracle. the night they
chose for their final effort oi
escape. the Raj picked 10 attack
German installations in Belgium
near Antwerp
'Many nights we cursed the
silence and worked carefully
with shielded tools and padded
equipment. but this night we
could have worked with a steam
engine" Jacques said
"The RATS bombs and the
snti-aircraft defenses made
terrible din. Through this racket
IL was easy 20 get hack into
the harm and push our plane out
again.
For the first time there were
no sentries anywhere nearby.
They had gone further up the
road near an anti-aircraft bat
aery."
GET PLANE IN POSITION
Jean continued:
Ell got the plane into posi-
lion once more and quietly per-
suaded some cows 10 get out of
the way while Jacques managed
n temporary repair TO the car
buretor.
"Then he announced himself
ready and climbed into the cock
pit. We didn't care this time
whether the motor backfired or
not, as long as II kept running.
for the chances of II not being
heard were excellent.
1.-THE Raj was giving the
NaZiS hell-and believe me, IL
I know my countrymen, all Ant
werp reiOiced."
Quickly the boys took theil
places: Jean at the propeller anC
Jacques in the cockpit, for he haC
won the toss 10 do the plotting
They pinned their maps to the
instrument panel. jua refitted e
the plane. opened the gas lines
and Jean threw the propeller Will
all his weight (l2S pounds.
SCARED BY JOYOUS YELL
1.-THE yell Of joy Jean let out
when the motor broke into life
scared the devil out of me-"
Jacques said. "And that motor; I
thought IL would wake the dead.
But Jean climbed into the
front cockpit and had the plane
rolling. faster and faster, toward
the end Of the field before he
could even catch his breath.
mo time 20 walt for the
engine 10 warm or to test Its
revolutions: II had 10 get us off
the ground or Kill us.
I'VE just missed two cows and
then sluggishly lifted and We
nesred the trees. Somehow the
engine held on with the strain
of a cold takeoff. swept us
through the top branches Of the
trees and we were clear. The
landing gear picked up several
branches 20 take 10 England as
souvenirs"
GESTURES BARE STRAIN
Jacques laughed but from hi
gestures you could picture tn
strain OF trying 10 lift an untrue
airplane off a strange small fiel
IN total darkness while bombs an
gunfire echoed through the night.
I'VE Immediately climbed
southwark 10 1900 feet" Jean
said. ito get clear Of the raid.
Then we turned and headed for
England on compass course
set by our simple maps tcopied
from wall maps they had seen
and checked against our two
stolen compasSes.
THE homemade instruments
worked perfectly and our air
speed Indicator showed well
above its highest danger point.
As We crossed Belgium heading
Tor the east COAST Of England
the RAJ raid died out and We
flew along In the darkness in
tently listening TO our engine
beat.
ENGINE STARTS TO FAIL
"Three NAZi searchIights
darted near us as we approached
the coast, but they failed 10 find
us and no guns opened fire. But
just a. we crossed the c0astIine
and headed over the sea, our
engine started 20 fail.
I'VE lost altitude rapidly"
Jacques nursed the falling mot,
with choke and throttle VIII
Jean climbed or the wing 70 S,
II he could reach The faulty ca
buretor from the side. He cou
not and down they went fro
1900 feet 20 less than / 900 ov
the sea which loOmed Omlnous
out Of the haze a. them
Jacques continues the stoy
the flight
II yelled 60 Jean for the rub
Der tire tube We had prepare
for such a situation and lesrne'
TO my horror II had been lief