5 July 1937

Dear Mother:

I put in a lot of flying today. Did two lots of air-to-ground Vickers this morning and one this afternoon. At 3 p.m. Flt. Lieut. Gosnell took Graafstra and I in formation on a cross-country above the clouds. He led us a foot or two above the ceiling of the cloud. It's very beautiful, and you get a real idea of your speed. I was looking through "Sketch" the other day, and I saw Russ Dingle's caricature in it. Some artist had drawn pictures of the officers on guest night at Termhill. Under it his rank is Pilot Officer. Quite usual as we wear Pilot Officer's uniform and have the one ring on our sleeves, so you can't tell and APO from a real P.O. One automatically becomes Pilot Officer twelve months after the first date of joining Civil School.

Thompson's fury caught fire today on starting, but was quickly put out and no damage done.

My Fury picked up some stones when I was running it up and they made the airscrew (U.S.) unserviceable, and so a new one had to be fitted.

Aerodromes in England have very good surfaces - just like a gold course. Real good grass and very green all year round. I am Duty Pilot next Wednesday, which means I'll have to stay on the ground and take weather reports, etc., wires, etc. You send wires out and receive other aircraft from the stations.

A.P.O. Black in Fury K7666 left one thousand hours. Wire Arrival. Etc., etc.

Tuesday

Formation flying all day. Flight Commander very strict and calls for unremitting vigilance. The strain of formation flying in fighters is very great and you can't relax for a moment. After half an hour formation you get thoroughly browned off. Constantly changing from V to right echelon and back to left echelon. Back to V and then to line astern and back to line abreast.

In line astern, planes are one behind the other, but stepped down so that you don't get in other slipstreams. Leader is high and number two keeps leader's wheels just below his main centre section.

Line abreast is hardest as you can't see how far the wings are apart and very dangerous in bumpy air.

You should see an English Flight Commander leading and echelon of fighters. Boy! is it an echelon? Hast heard of English discipline?!

As long as I am flying in the R.A.F. I'll never bother about old age insurance, I can assure you.

I see that the English "Caledonia" and American Clipper are flying in opposite directions across the Atlantic today. Also Lady Lindy is lost. Pardon me if I talk nothing but flying, but I fly all day, live, eat and swear at an R.A.F. station, so see nothing else. Anything you want to know about aerodromes, etc.?

How did Jean make out at school?

There are not many people who love their work, but I do. Fighters lined up in a row, running engines up, waving away chocks, and taxiing out and taking position behind leader. The "okay" thumps up - the easing of throttles and then tearing across the 'drome and shooting up in a terrific roar of open exhausts.

It's a good life and dispels and cob webs that may be lingering about.

Although we all have had pictures on order for over a month, nothing has happened yet. I want you to see the staff officers as well as the pictures of my pals in the Fighter Flight. I am getting a good one with names, etc., and you'll have it some year for the mantelpiece. Group Captain Dale, Doo Doc etc. APO Martyn K.F. (Keen Flyer) etc. etc.

Love Bill