20 December 1937
To Dad · Royal Air Force, Catterick, Yorks
CATTERICK,
YORKS.
TELEPHONE,
OLD CATTERICK 53.
Dear Dad:
After a week of really fine weather Old Man Fog has descended and visibility is nil. Fog as thick as grease and right on the ground.
Well by now you should be back from the Peace River.
On days like this we test our Fighters on the butts - firing the guns, timing them, etc. The whole Squadron is ready for active service at any time.
Things look pretty serious in Hong Kong at present. I only hope that I get home before anything happens to have my leave cancelled.
I hope you got my Christmas card in time for Christmas. This week I am Squadron Operations Officer, which entails most of the ground work in connection with raids and interceptions.
Some days I start to have colds but after a flight at high altitude with oxygen cure one feels fine.
Yours ears and head take severe punishment if one of your nostrils is plugged up - even the sinus bones above the eyes give one terrific pains if you are diving fast.
You come across a lot of phenomena at heights over 20,000 feet (four miles). I have been flying along in clear air but my propeller and wings cutting through the atmosphere shakes the water particles which are supercooled and they form cloud which streams off your wings etc. and leave a path like steam behind you. Sometimes watching at a great height you can see three long lines - miles in length form in the sky but cannot see aeroplanes yet it is your Battle Flight flying.
It is very easy to take on ice these days in cloud - yesterday while flying blind in one - the moisture collected on my windshield and I saw it turn into ice - but as soon as I left the moisture-laden cloud it melted again.
By the time you get this letter I suppose I shall nearly be home myself.
I managed to get someone else to exchange that Gas Course at London- one of my tactful ways to save money. Yours truly can't save money if he lives at Uxbridge about three miles from the metropolis.
Good old Piccadilly, the Strand - I say Old Chappie!!
I hope the Duchess of York irons some of those waves out on the way home!
Love Bill