Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The (4 page)

Sorry not to have written before. This place is very nearly as “dud” a spot as Catterick – 2½ miles from Tadcaster village & a very rotten aerodrome very rough bumpy ground. The machines here are all “pushers” viz. De Havilland 2-seater fighters (D.H.1A) with 80 h.p. Renault engines. F.E.2Bs (Fighting Experimental) very stable machines 120 h.p. Beard motor. F.E.2Ds an improved 2B 250 h.p. Rolls-Royce engine.

 

At present I am on D.H.1s. I went up for 50 minutes dual yesterday & did very well. I then went up again for 15 minutes.

The F.E.2d. Engine 250 h.p. Rolls-Royce.

Then they thought I was fit for “solo” so up I went alone!

These machines are very sensitive fore & aft & “stall” at about 48 m.p.h. Well I was quite all right in the air – they are very nice buses to fly. I went round & tried to land but I flattened out too soon & put her nose up. She really “stalled” but I switched on again. Then I tried to land again but a beastly F.E. came down beneath me & right across my front. This put me off so I went round again. By this time I was a bit “fed up” & it was getting “bumpy” so I tried to land. This time I thought I was quite near the ground & put her nose up to put her tail on the ground but I was really about 10 ft. up. I nearly “stalled” again so jammed down her nose & came down “bump” & continued to bump till the machine got “fed up”! I am now on dual again! I did quite well this morning & am quite confident that I have got the “hang” of landing now; I am going solo again next time. I won't hurt myself so don't worry. My course down was rather like this:

My dramatic landing on a D.H.1

I think I will pass out of this Squadron in about 3 weeks, most people do. Then I will go to Turnbury [Turnberry, Scotland] for a machine gun course & then “Wings”!

I think I am going to Leeds tonight – about 11 miles off as the weather is too “dud” for flying.

 

Nr. 46 R.S.
Royal Flying Corps
Bramham Moor
Tadcaster

Thanks very much for your letters. This morning I went up again solo on De Havs, they are very easy buses to fly – but landing is as usual the trouble .The first landing was a perfect one with no bump. The next was rotten & on the next I broke a wing skid. However I didn't know this & went up again & did a very good landing. I am now beginning to get the “hang” of the buses. I have done 50 minutes solo in De Havs. Tomorrow I am going to fly on a cross-country to Catterick, it will be very interesting. I shall go via York & follow the river Swale etc.

I got to Catterick. I went to Leeds on Saturday & had a very good time – I went to see ‘Three Cheers' which was excellent.

Today I went into York to buy a pair of goggles as I think I must have left mine at home & I must have a pair. I only got a cheap pair so if you find mine you might please forward them. After 2 hours on De Havs I will go on F.E.2Bs. I will probably get about two days' leave when I have finished De Havs, perhaps this week and I don't think I can run to another trip to Dover, what do you think? Of course I would rather go home than anywhere else! The wind is blowing & it is beastly cold there won't be any flying till it drops. I have managed to get the boss of a propeller which will make a ripping clock case. Well I must stop now as I have no more news. I didn't get to Kirk yesterday as we are 3 miles or so from the nearest.

Sketch map of route from Tadcaster to Catterick about 45 miles.

Tadcaster

Thanks for your numerous letters & etc. I have finished my course on De Havs now having done about 4 hours solo. I am now going on F.E.2Bs. Today I went for a cross country trip to Catterick; it is about 57 miles away. Going there with the wind I took about 50 minutes, coming back against the wind I was 1¼ hours. On the way there it was rather bumpy & horrid but on the way back it was gorgeous. Going I could only fly about 3,300 ft. as the clouds were pretty low, coming back I got up to 4,500 ft. & volplaned down onto the aerodrome without using my engine. I did a fine steep spiral. I found it a trifle hard to breathe at 4,500 ft. but I will soon get used to that, not much good if I can't as I will have to get up about three times that height. It was lovely flying back & the old bus was going beautifully. I lost my way from York but managed to see the aerodrome away on my left & made for it. I travelled along the N.E Railway Line from York till I came to the River Swale & then I followed that till I came to the ‘drome. I arrived at Catterick at 11.15 a.m. & stayed there till 7.0 p.m. as it was too bumpy to go back in the middle of the day. I arrived home at 8.15 p.m. Altogether I had a great trip. Well that is all for today.

Tadcaster

Thanks so much for your letter and parcel, the cigarettes are “topping”. I expect by this time you will have had my letter about my cross country flight. I have now finished with De Havs & have gone on to F.E.2Bs. These are great big two-seater Fighters with 120 h.p. engines (Beardmore). They are very heavy on the control & absolutely stable & as safe as a house. They will get out of any trouble or difficulties themselves & they can't be put into “spinning nose dives”! I am still on dual control but hope to be on solo soon. The front seat has no windscreen & so you get a terrific wind on you. Personally I don't like these machines as much as the little De Havs, as they are so heavy on the controls & are rather unwieldy but I expect it will be better “on solo”. Tomorrow Monday, I am going down to Reading to take that exam that I missed when I was there. I expect I will be at Reading for about three days. The Major here says I will be able to have a weekend on my way back so you will be having me at Dover again soon, I will wire when I am coming. I will get my trip to Reading free. I don't know anything about the work but have been “swotting” it up. I don't suppose they will let me fail as I have done so much flying! But you have to pass the exam just to get your “Wings”. I enclose some photos I took when at Catterick; please send them back also my photo album. Don't show the photos of the buses all round as I really oughtn't to have taken them. I have got a chest of drawers & a spring bed in my room here so am well off. The huts are wooden & two men occupy one room. I went over to Harrogate lately & had quite a good time. The weather has been too misty for flying lately, good climate this! After I get my wings I may be instructing on De Havs, if I don't go “Overseas” I should love that. The messing here is very bad indeed, far worse than Catterick which was pretty poor!

Yesterday morning I spent cleaning wires on an F.E. an awful job! I went up for a short flip but it was very bumpy & the machine wasn't running well. Maitland has finished his Elementary & is now at No 6 R.S. [Reserve Squadron] Catterick learning to fly De Hav 2s Pusher Scouts. I'm afraid I won't be able to go to Church today either as I have to work for that exam this morning & then will probably be flying tonight. I am very sorry as I really wanted to go.

We don't get up till 7. a.m. A lot of Catterick men are here. No more news & so I will stop.

Tadcaster

It was simply “topping” seeing you. I had a “ripping” time & enjoyed my short leave immensely. I had a very comfy journey back but on arrival at York found that there was not a train to Tadcaster till Monday morning. Net result a taxi! Net cost 19/- !!! I found that another fellow had taken my room when I got back so I promptly turfed his kit out! His expression on coming in about 1. a.m. & finding me in bed was a dream! I gently explained & he retired muttering imprecations, whereupon I chuckled & went to sleep!

I have been up 3 times to-day. The new goggles are “topping”. The first time I came down & took a tyre off the machine, not my fault though. Then I went up again & landed amongst the sheep – one idiotic quadruped stood absolutely stock still while I ran over it with my left wheel, also I killed it but it wasn't my fault as you can't choose your ground & as a rule they run away. I shan't have to pay for it though!

Then I went up again & got up to 6400 ft when I was well above the clouds – a beautiful sight. When up I tried “stalling” with the engine on, I pulled her nose up till the speed fell to about 44 m.p.h. then the bus stopped & the nose flopped down to just below the level & we went on again, a very tame performance! I hadn't a coat on & was very cold so came down. This evening I went up again & as there were no clouds to speak of I managed to do my height test & reached a height of 8100 ft. I found that I had no difficulty in breathing there & it was lovely! I then tried “stalling” without my engine, a very different matter! I pulled her nose up with the engine on till she lost flying speed & just before she started to fall I switched off the engine. Down went the nose & the bus did a very steep nose dive for about 200 ft. till it regained flying speed when the nose went up. That dive is thrilling – you leave everything behind you for the moment! Oof! I did three lovely spirals down from 8000 ft. two right hands & a left – they were well over 45° of bank! I got back onto the aerodrome without using my engine at all & thus have passed the test! Thumbs up! I am very pleased with myself! To-morrow I am going to do my photography test & may be a cross country to Catterick again. Well no more now.

Tadcaster

Yesterday I did 3½ hours flying. In the morning I went up for 2¼ hours doing photography, I took 15 photographs but only two were of the proper spots & so I will have to do it again till I get my 6 proper pinpoints! I got up to 10,200 ft. some height! I had no feeling in my fingers up there through my gloves & all! The goggles are grand! I “stalled” at 10,200 ft. & came down without my engine in grand spirals, then I went up for 1¼ hours & did bombing – it's a ghastly job but I managed to pass in that. Well I will write again soon, I have no more news now.

Tadcaster