Near Collision With An ME-109
Heroes Remember
Near Collision With An ME-109
Transcript
Description
Mr. Kondra describes one risk of flying, a near head-on collision with a German Messerschmidt 109. He describes the German pilot's skill in avoiding the fire of his crew's mid-upper gunner.
William Kondra
On January 14, 1922, William Kondra was born in Prudhomme, Saskatchewan. He finished Grade 8 at his local school, and, with difficulty, finished high school through correspondence. He was working on local farms for a pittance, so he decided to enlist in the Air Force, where he trained as a bomb aimer/front gunner. Mr. Kondra's tour of duty was completed with his original crew members aboard a Lancaster Bomber, and primarily consisted of air strikes on industrial Germany. Mr. Kondra offers many insights into the technology, strategy and stresses of flying in a bomber.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 1:29
- Person Interviewed:
- William Kondra
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Battle/Campaign:
- Northwest Europe
- Branch:
- Air Force
- Units/Ship:
- 101 Squadron
- Rank:
- Flying Officer
- Occupation:
- Bomb Aimer
Related Videos
Why Enlist?
Mr. Kondra discusses his reasons for enlisting, namely having a steady job and and feeling a sense on patriotic obligation.
Basic And Bomb Aimer Training
Mr. Kondra describes hoping to be selected for pilot school after basic training. Not accepted for this role, he trains to be a bomb aimer, front gunner and assistant navigator.
Advanced Training In England
Mr. Kondra discusses the additional training necessary to become crew on a Lancaster bomber.
Joining an Air Crew
Mr. Kondra describes the circumstances and logistics by which he was selected as a member of a Lancaster crew.
Bomb Aiming - Technology And Technique
Mr. Kondra describes the technology used in bomb aiming, and the variables, such as wind speed and visibility, that affect the accurate delivery of a bomb load.
Night Bombing Challenges
Mr. Kondra discusses the difficulty of locating and bombing targets at night. He describes the role of Pathfinders in dropping flares to help illuminate targets, and how a flash bomb helped to capture photos of the destruction in the targeted area.
Night Fighters And Fuel Tanks
Mr. Kondra describes the German strategy of attacking the unprotected belly of a Lancaster, where vulnerable fuel tanks led to many aircraft exploding in mid-air. He goes on to describe countermeasures to make fuel tanks less vulnerable.
German Defenses And Evasive Maneuvers
Mr. Kondra describes the fact that bombers were anti-aircraft targets from the North Sea into Germany. He discusses the risk from night fighters, and from being coned, a German technique of isolating a bomber in beams of light.
The Risk Of Formation Flying
Mr. Kondra discusses some of the risks associated with bombers flying in proximity; mid-air collisions, bombs falling on aircraft flying at lower altitude, and even being fired on by other bomber crews.
Flying Home In A Disabled Bomber
Mr. Kondra describes flying back to England against serious odds. After being shot up on a bombing run, his aircraft loses an engine, and ruptured hydraulics prevent closure of the bomb bay doors, causing excessive drag and extra fuel consumption. Coupled with landing gear that wouldn't lower, his trip home is stressful!
Debriefing And Rum Tots
Mr. Kondra discusses the types of information that bomber crews were expected to provide in order for Air Command to plan safer routes for their next bombing runs. This session was followed by a tot of rum, administered by the padre.
The Civilian Cost
Mr. Kondra acknowledges that civilians were the victims of 'collateral damage' on many bombing runs, often because Germany housed its slave labor adjacent to its factories.
English Fog And 26 Dead Airmen
Mr. Kondra describes the safe return from a bombing run of his entire squadron, only to have four aircraft crash trying to land in dense English fog, resulting in the loss of twenty-six airmen.
Post War Flying History
Mr. Kondra discusses his various flying assignments during the Cold War, and the improvement in aircraft he saw before retiring as a flight engineer on a Hercules.
Remembrance
Mr. Kondra reflects on how Canada's youth can remember our Veterans, and what they sacrificed for today's freedom.
- Date modified: