16 December 1936

Dear Mother:

Thanks for your letter of December 2nd. - I will certainly appreciate the scarf for my full dress suit. - I have not bought it yet. Aunt Ida sent me a box of Macintosh apples - Lord only knows what I can do with it as I am moving away from here this week - I hope.

The box hasn't come yet but I have been notified by London that it is on the way. I flew into one of the worst storms in my life today. It was pure ice - good old hail. The stuff cut into my face and I soon had a red gash of a face. Enough of this says I and got the H' out of that storm.

Maidment, another of our chaps and a fine fellow, was suspended by the S.O.R. after he had done 50 hours - not likely to make a service pilot. It is a terrible thing to happen this late in the course.

We have the final "do" with our instructors tomorrow night - the liquors etc. have all been ordered and everything will be done in true R.A.F. style.

The weather is certainly extraordinary today. Bright patches and then terrific rain and hail storms - such is England.

We get a credit note for $250 for uniform and I hear this just covers it. - You have to buy a separate service jacket out of your own money to wear under Flying kit so to keep one clean.

Nearly everyone that is healthy is all right for Private Flying but when it comes to confident, steep turns with wings vertical near the ground - loops and screaming vertical dives, then comes the test. Seven of our chaps have gone, leaving 11 of us to standard so far.

What they really want is a little "tough guy" - my instructor was in a fighter squadron that put on the display for fighters at Hendon last year and is he cool!

We often dive, come up and over on our backs - hold it there upside down and then flick it in a half roll and away.

The picture I sent you was taken in August when I was staring on Limey food. - I weigh 174 lbs. now and am keen as a hawk.

Why not come with me for my morning flight - the usual.

First 1/2 dozen spins to the left followed by 1/2 dozen to the right. One-half dozen assorted loop-the-loops, suffice to say you come down with a gleam in your eye.

Here's hoping my engine doesn't cut and that I don't hold off bank on gliding turns.

Yours Billy