The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-13


  bomber could easily have struck a tall New York building, perhaps the same Empire State building hit by bombing plane last July, causing death and destruction in one of the oldest accidents of all time.
 Last l,40O Gallons
 In that 95 minutes, when the Waterbury Air fo.rce corporal and his Chinese friends, were hoping for place to land. preferably New ark airport, the blood chilling thought of fire explosion or colli- sion any second" almost turned their hair gray in a matter of min utes. Gasoline q 400 gallons in 1:36 was syphoned out of the port and starboard wing tanks. due to the air suction created by the speed of the plane and the loose gas caps.
 Piloted by Major John H. Young of Kansas, the B-24 left its base at Hondo field, Texas last Thurs day afternoon. Lieut.. Bob Ash was co-pilot and Flight Officer George Poloskey of Derry, Pa, was flight engineer and observer Corporal Ciminera of Waterbury was the aerial engineer. whose duties within the plane included checking parts and equipment immediately after every take off. A smooth and enjoy able ride from Texas to Newark airport on Thursday gave the four Chinese pilots a chance to see the inner workings of the famous Amer ican Liberator (B-24. The Chinese, two of them with 24 years combined flying experience, are in this coun- try to study the B-24 in particular. They will become qualified to ham dle it with ease, and then return to China as instructors for future Chinese airmen, many of them al- ready trained as fighter-pilots by United States air force officers in this country.
 After depositing an Army officer at Newark, Maj. Young and his men were grounded for two days due to poor flying conditions, but eventually received clearance from the airport authority to Maxwell Field, Alabama, from which point they would then fly to the home base at Hondo, Texas. Within minutes after take-off in the fog, Cpl, Ciminera began his routine check of parts and equipment, noting strong smell of gasoline, which was instantly discovered squirting from gas tanks in the wings of the plane on both sides, splashing against the windows.
 A radio sos to Newark airport brought the order to turn around, fly by instrument, and land at Newark. Maj, Young was telling jokes" recalled the Waterbury corporal last night. but We all knew that we might be dead within minute or a half hour if We hit anything or the slightest spark from any sort of friction touched the gasoline, which was all over the outside of the ship in no time" He added that the pilot tried several low elevations in an effort to see the landing strip at Newark air port, eircled the general vicinity four times, and then was told by radio to proceed north to Westoyer Field, outside Chicopee Falls, Mass, where the bomber landed at 2;50 D, m, Sunday afternoon, from an elevation of but 800 feet, with fog and a visibility of not more than two miles, When the bomber came in to Westoyer, an alert crew was standing by with fire truck and ambulance,
 The plane was landed safely and emptied of lS men. winners of a 96 minute gamble with death. and the odds long sagainst them, espe- cialiy during their time In the fog over New York,
 Fought Japs
 Four of the men, including two of the four Chinese student pilots, Capt Ii Lun. 3i-year- bomber pilot. and Capt. Lu Liu 32. told their narrowing story to the writer last night. The Chinese have had considerable combat experience as bomber-pllots Of targets in China, held by the Japanese during ie4i and ie42. The former has had i2 years of pilot and training experi- ence, while Capt. Lu kos had ii years. Capt. Chin Lung Tsao, 3i, with II years flying to his credit and 2nd It Gnu Chin Tlng. 26 who have been flying with ths