On landing in Alameda a post flight inspection showed the dreaded IOC oil leak had struck again on my aircraft (A4-236). This was the first problem of this kind I had experienced since my first ferry flight over a year and 1000hrs flying previous. Both were new out of deHavilland. I grounded the aircraft and a new prop/IOC was ordered. Five days latter we were still waiting as Hamilton Standard were on strike.

During this five days we had run and test flew the aircraft but could not duplicate the problem. Most of us had been on either one of the first two ferry flights and completed a tour in Vietnam. We were looking to go home. Our CO asked the other three Loadmasters/Engineers what they thought and they all said they would fly on with it as is. At this, the CO advised, as we (my complete crew) would not fly it, he would swap aircraft. At this point you get a bit silly about someone taking your aircraft so I said if he would sign the aircraft up as serviceable I would go. The rest of my crew advised “if he will fly, so will we”. Off we flew to Hickam. Post flight inspection again showed an oil leak. After topping up the oil, we again ground run the engine for some time and test flew it but could not replicate the oil leak. Again the CO signed the aircraft up as serviceable. Some would say we were slow learners and this proved to be true.

We left Hickam at 0555hrs on the 16^th Aug. About six hours into the flight I was in the left seat acting as George (the autopilot) when an orange warning light came on. The port IOC oil warning light. This was the first time it had indicated an issue and as it had not illuminated previously, the leak must be getting much worse. The pilot jumped in the seat and asked what I thought our options were. It was highly likely that we would run out of oil before we made landfall and loose control of the prop. Not looking forward to ditching with a runaway engine,I advised shutting down.

This he done and pushed the starboard engine up to max power. Due to the ferry fuel, we were still well above our max all up weight. From our cruise altitude of 9000ft, we were loosing altitude at 200ft/min.

The decision had to be made to either turn back or go on to Canton. We had just passed the point of no return but at least we knew with help from Hickam, we could find land but it was further. The RDF needle indicated where we thought Canton was but could not get the audible confirmation tone. As we were reasonably confident of where Canton was, the decision was made to continue on. A PAN was called but no one seemed interested. We were still loosing altitude so a Mayday was called. Every one now wanted to talk to us. Hickam scrambled a Coast Guard C130 to chase us. When we finally landed on Canton some seven hours latter, he was just 20mins behind us and simply turned around and went home..

 As we were burning more fuel on one engine than two, dumping the ferry fue was not an option. We were finally able to hold altitude and slowly back off the power at 5000ft. The engine temps eased back from the red lines. An RAAF C130 flew past at altitude on the way to Hickam. It was carrying personnel and equipment for a RAAF  Neptune anti submarine aircraft that was on the way over for exercises. Due to his load he was unable to loiter and help with pinpointing our exact location. There was an uninhabited island with a wartime strip on it about 300km off our port but unless we knew exactly where we were, finding it would be unlikely.

 Next came the Neptune. He offered sympathy and kept going to. Miserable sod. If anyone could have helped, surly he could have. Any way, after another seven hours we landed on Canton. A RAAF C130 bought in a new prop and after a three day delay we flew on to Nandi then Richmond. We landed on the 21st Aug after a 15 day 66.00hr 6 leg ferry.

 Five years later I was appointed as an instructor on ground operations at 1 BFTS (Basic Flying Training School) Point Cook. At the first passing out party I attended, I happened to be talking with a navigator who was re-training as a pilot. He had been on Neptunes so I mentioned my experience over the Pacific. Small world, he was the navigator on that aircraft. He told me the captain was carpeted for not offering assistance. Given my rank at the time I was never told. As you can imagine, our ferry CO was also spoken to.