9 July 1939
To Mother · Royal Air Force Station, Aboukir Egypt
Aboukir Egypt
Dear Mother:
I see by the date that Jean should be out of school now and enjoying her holidays.
The squadron is here at Aboukir for a couple of weeks supervising the packing of our old aeroplanes which are being sent home to England.
F/O Schwab, a Canadian from Niagara Falls and great friend of Overall's in 41 Squadron, is stationed here and tests Blenheim bombers. These are the fastest twin-engined bombers in the world.
He took me up yesterday and what he put that machine through was a mystery! His main stunt was to fly about 300 m.p.h. straight and level in cloud and then pull the wheel back so that we would emerge out of a cloud vertically, both engines thrashing the air. He also loops and rolls them. For a bomber, they have remarkable powers of manoeuvre.
What I wouldn't give for a couple of months holiday.
RAF Station Aboukir