Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The Read Online Free Page B

usual the trouble .The first landing was a perfect one with no bump. The next was rotten & on the next I broke a wing skid. However I didn’t know this & went up again & did a very good landing. I am now beginning to get the “hang” of the buses. I have done 50 minutes solo in De Havs. Tomorrow I am going to fly on a cross-country to Catterick, it will be very interesting. I shall go via York & follow the river Swale etc.
    I got to Catterick. I went to Leeds on Saturday & had a very good time – I went to see ‘Three Cheers’ which was excellent.
    Today I went into York to buy a pair of goggles as I think I must have left mine at home & I must have a pair. I only got a cheap pair so if you find mine you might please forward them. After 2 hours on De Havs I will go on F.E.2Bs. I will probably get about two days’ leave when I have finished De Havs, perhaps this week and I don’t think I can run to another trip to Dover, what do you think? Of course I would rather go home than anywhere else! The wind is blowing & it is beastly cold there won’t be any flying till it drops. I have managed to get the boss of a propeller which will make a ripping clock case. Well I must stop now as I have no more news. I didn’t get to Kirk yesterday as we are 3 miles or so from the nearest.
    Sketch map of route from Tadcaster to Catterick about 45 miles.
    Tadcaster
    10th May 1917
    Thanks for your numerous letters & etc. I have finished my course on De Havs now having done about 4 hours solo. I am now going on F.E.2Bs. Today I went for a cross country trip to Catterick; it is about 57 miles away. Going there with the wind I took about 50 minutes, coming back against the wind I was 1¼ hours. On the way there it was rather bumpy & horrid but on the way back it was gorgeous. Going I could only fly about 3,300 ft. as the clouds were pretty low, coming back I got up to 4,500 ft. & volplaned down onto the aerodrome without using my engine. I did a fine steep spiral. I found it a trifle hard to breathe at 4,500 ft. but I will soon get used to that, not much good if I can’t as I will have to get up about three times that height. It was lovely flying back & the old bus was going beautifully. I lost my way from York but managed to see the aerodrome away on my left & made for it. I travelled along the N.E Railway Line from York till I came to the River Swale & then I followed that till I came to the ‘drome. I arrived at Catterick at 11.15 a.m. & stayed there till 7.0 p.m. as it was too bumpy to go back in the middle of the day. I arrived home at 8.15 p.m. Altogether I had a great trip. Well that is all for today.
    Tadcaster
    13th May 1917
    Thanks so much for your letter and parcel, the cigarettes are “topping”. I expect by this time you will have had my letter about my cross country flight. I have now finished with De Havs & have gone on to F.E.2Bs. These are great big two-seater Fighters with 120 h.p. engines (Beardmore). They are very heavy on the control & absolutely stable & as safe as a house. They will get out of any trouble or difficulties themselves & they can’t be put into “spinning nose dives”! I am still on dual control but hope to be on solo soon. The front seat has no windscreen & so you get a terrific wind on you. Personally I don’t like these machines as much as the little De Havs, as they are so heavy on the controls & are rather unwieldy but I expect it will be better “on solo”. Tomorrow Monday, I am going down to Reading to take that exam that I missed when I was there. I expect I will be at Reading for about three days. The Major here says I will be able to have a weekend on my way back so you will be having me at Dover again soon, I will wire when I am coming. I will get my trip to Reading free. I don’t know anything about the work but have been “swotting” it up. I don’t suppose they will let me fail as I have done so much