17 August 1943
Port Moresby, New Guinea
Wewak, New Guinea, had been developing into a major base for Japanese air power. Due to chronic logistical problems, though, they were not able to build enough revetments and protective dispersals to safeguard their large number of aircraft. US forces struck at Wewak in a combined night raid, followed by a daylight raid the next morning. Surprise was achieved with both strikes, and a substantial number of Japanese Army Air Force planes were destroyed on the ground. (The day raid was helped immensely by the Japanese commander's decision to have all aircraft parked wingtip to wingtip in the morning so he could inspect the damage done by the night raid!)
In any case, as he returned from escorting the night raid, P-38 pilot Ralph Wandry (49th FG, 9th FS "Flying Knights") had some unwanted excitement.
Landing the mixed fighter and bomber elements was time consuming and frustrating -- especially when planes were sucking fumes. The B-24s required longer approaches, slower speeds, and longer roll outs than the P-38s, and there were not enough strips to allow the units to land separately. So the practice was to have a Liberator land, and while it was still taxiing a P-38 or two would slip in, land, and clear the runway before the next buff would set down.
Wandry was the last P-38 to come in. He executed a textbook landing approach, got flaps and gear down, and flared just as he reached the stall threshold. Unfortunately, the B-24 pilot ahead of him didnt have a good run....and decided to abort the landing and go around for another try.
The B-24 suddenly applied full power to four very large engines. The backdraft from all that power hit Wandry's P-38 at a very bad time...and the rotational component of the airstream proceeded to lift the Lightning upwards some, and flip it over onto its back. Wandry found himself looking through the top of his cockpit, and seeing nothing but runway.
Fortunately he had good instincts. He didnt have time, or space, or airspeed enough to fly the plane upright. If he applied heavy control inputs that close to the stall threshold - with flaps pushing him now CLOSER to the ground -- he would have been a streak on the runway. Instead, he reached over and firewalled the power to ONE engine. The assymmetric power nicely reversed the situation, and he flipped right back over so the gear could touch down. He landed without a scratch -- though there's no mention of any extra laundry work being needed.
He said he was certain that if he flew a single engines fighter, he would have died that day.
He also reported that his best friend was so shaken up by watching the episode that Wandry had to reach out and steady his buddy's hand so he could light a cigarette.
