27 June 1937

Dear Dad:

Please don't call me Pilot Officer. That doesn't happen till after two or three months in a Squadron. We are not playing at soldiers. You have to earn promotion. Still, I am flying single-seater fighters and they are okay!

Saw a marvellous display put up by the R.A.F. at the Hendon Air Pageant. Do see the news reels of the Furies in action, especially the crack formation by four Fury pilots. The formation of 260 aeroplanes was a great sight also.

Three instructors from C.F.S. (Central Flying School) did formation flying inverted. These men are good, as they are the instructors of the instructors.

Two officers went up as an instructor and pupil and the remarks of both were broadcast by radio telephony. It was really good.

Flying at one thousand feet:

Flight Commander: Peabody, your instructor tells me that your flying is generally hopeless, and if you don't buck up we will have to let you go.

Peabody: Oh no sir! He's wrong.

Flight Commander: Well! We'll see. First we'll do a loop. Ease the nose down to gain speed, open the engine, and ease the stick right back.

Peabody (on top of loop): Oh! My stomach!

Flight Commander: Now can you do one?

Peabody: Oh! Yes Sir! I'm good at looping.

Flight Commander: Well go ahead, you got'er.

Peabody: Okay! I got 'er.

Peabody goes straight up, stalls, and spins. As he stalls he says "you got 'er," then a moment later, "Look at that man down there with a red nose."

It was all jolly good fun and very entertaining, especially when Peabody's Flight Commander bounced the plane when showing him how to land and Peabody said "I didn't laugh!"

Love Bill