Home > Mirror > 0500to0599 > 00591
Norman Jackson VC sitting in the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster Bomber of the RAF Battle of
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Memory Lane
Norman Jackson VC sitting in the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster Bomber of the RAF Battle of
Norman Jackson VC sitting in the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster Bomber of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Norman Cyril Jackson VC pictured in the cockpit of an Avro Lancaster during the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1968. Unsurprisingly, Victoria Crosses don t come easy and Norman Jacksons was no exception. On the 26th April 1944 Jackson, a Lancaster bomber pilot, was returning from a raid on Schweinfurt in Germany when his plane was attacked by an enemy fighter. During the ensuing gun battle one of the starboard engines on the Lancaster caught fire. The internal fire extinguishers failed to dampen the flames. He slipped on his parachute and climbed out onto the wing. Because of the altitude, the temperature outside the plane was well below zero and with windspeed at 200 mph, it was a miracle that Jackson managed to stay on the wing. He inched his way down the outside of the plane and was able to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher he had tucked into his jacket. However, as he made his way back up the plane the enemy fighter attacked again. This time it managed to finish the job. Jackson was plucked from the wing by the explosion and was severely burnt by the blast. As he fell he noticed that his parachute had caught fire and he fought desperately to save it. The burnt and mangled chute failed to slow him down enough and Jackson hit the ground at an alarming speed, breaking both his ankles. He was found a few hours later and despite his injuries, made to walk to the nearest town, where he had to undergo yet more punishment, a stoning from the locals! He was finally liberated from his ordeal by American troops and returned home a hero on V.E Day.
8th May 1968
Daily Mirror
Mirrorpix
United Kingdom
Media ID 21699681
© Mirrorpix
Aeroplane Heroes Pilot Royal Air Force Troops World
MADE IN THE UK
Safe Shipping with 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
FREE PERSONALISATION*
We are proud to offer a range of customisation features including Personalised Captions, Color Filters and Picture Zoom Tools
FREE COLORIZATION SERVICE
You can choose advanced AI Colorization for this picture at no extra charge!
SECURE PAYMENTS
We happily accept a wide range of payment options so you can pay for the things you need in the way that is most convenient for you
* Options may vary by product and licensing agreement. Zoomed Pictures can be adjusted in the Basket.
