British Lancaster Crewman Jumps from Burning Plane w/o Parachute and Survives

[ArizonaTank]

If you are looking for an amazing WWII tale, AI Copilot just reminded me of one:

On the night of March 24, 1944, 21-year-old Nicholas Alkemade was serving as a tail gunner in an Avro Lancaster B Mk. II bomber of No. 115 Squadron RAF. Their aircraft, with the serial number DS664, had just completed a bombing raid on Berlin and was returning when it was attacked by a German Junkers Ju 88 night-fighter flown by Hauptmann Heinz Rökker of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2. The Lancaster caught fire and began spiraling out of control.

In a desperate situation, Alkemade's parachute caught fire and became unserviceable. Rather than facing the horrifying prospect of burning to death, he made a fateful decision. At an altitude of 18,000 feet (5,490 meters), Alkemade jumped from the aircraft without a parachute. His intention was to die on impact rather than endure the flames.

Miraculously, his fall was broken by pine trees and a soft snow cover on the ground. Despite the tremendous height, Alkemade survived with only a sprained leg. Tragically, the Lancaster crashed and burst into flames, resulting in the death of the pilot, Jack Newman, and three other crew members.

Alkemade was subsequently captured by the Germans and interviewed by the Gestapo. Initially skeptical of his claim to have fallen without a parachute, they examined the wreckage of the aircraft and found his parachute exactly as he had described it. They even issued him a certificate testifying to this incredible feat. Alkemade became a celebrated prisoner of war before being repatriated in May 1945.

After the war, Nicholas Alkemade worked in the chemical industry. His story remains one of the most astonishing survival tales in aviation history. In honor of his achievements during World War II, 115 Squadron at RAF Wittering renamed a building as "The Alkemade Building" in January 2020.

And if you don't trust AI...here is what the RAF museum says.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/the-indestructible-alkemade/

[Jarhead0331]

It just wasn't his time.