Читать книгу Our Father's Generation - F. M. Worden - Страница 9

Chapter 3

Air Shows 1937-39

The morning after the night Allie and I got married in Tijuana, Mexico, we had breakfast then ambled on over to the airport to face Jack, Allie’s daddy.

At his office, he invited the two of us to come in. “Come on in and sit down, I have to talk to you two.” He had already placed two chairs in a way that we had to face him. With legs crossed, hands folded on his stomach he began talking. “I have some serious talk for you two kids.” We both sat wanting to hear his every word.

“Kids, I’m in a whole lot of trouble.” We both looked at each other with questions in our faces. He continued, “This depression has put me in deep debt, I have this place mortgaged to the hilt, I need your help.”

Allie and I looked to each other in wonderment. He went on, “Barnstorming isn’t paying like it used to, people are tired of wing walkers and hangers. The crowds won’t come out to see that anymore. We can still get a few spectators, but nothing like the old days. We can still make a few dollars giving rides, but that’s not gonna cut it anymore. We will never be able to pay the bills; I’ve come up with this idea. I’ve just purchased two Alexander Eagle Rock biplanes; they’re the best stunt planes you can buy. One is up in LA, the other is at the factory in Colorado being refurbished.”

Allie and I were still looking at each other in wonderment at what Jack was getting at.

“I need you two kids to be the pilots.”

I was looking at him like, you’re kidding me.

“Tommy, you’re an excellent pilot, Allie is already a stunt pilot. Tommy, you can be the best if you try.”

I looked at Allie, she had a big smile on her face. She said, “Now we can get married Tommy.”

“Wait one darn minute.” Jack wasn’t going to be pushed into anything. “Later, after we get this thing going. I’m going to bill ya as the two youngest stunt pilots in the world, I’m telling ya, you two will be as famous as Earhart and Lindbergh. How ya like them apples?”

Allie was smiling all over. I could see she wanted to do this. I had reservations.

“Jack, I can’t just walk away from my Uncle Bob. He needs me.”

Jack was ready for that. “I’ve talked to your Uncle; he thinks it’s a great deal for you.”

What could I say? Looked like Jack had covered all the angles.

“Okay,” I said, “I’m ready if Allie is.”

She didn’t have to answer. I could see by her face she was ready.

Jack commenced telling what he had in mind for us. “The two biplanes are being painted to match. You two will do synchronized flying.” He showed us with his hands. “You’ll take off together. That’s after an introduction in front of the bleachers and the crowd. I want you two to stand in the cock-pit and wave, then fire-up, taxi to the runway and take off together side by side. Up you’ll go, do a loop and a bank to the right, then bank to the left, then climb, one break right the other left, do separate loops and then one will pass under the other, all the time trailing smoke. That will be a sensational stunt, the crowd will love it.”

I could see Jack was really fired up about the whole thing. He told us we would have to practice and practice to get it perfect. “We’ll only have a month to get it done, what do ya say guys?”

Allie was all ready to do it. “Tommy,” she said, “I bet we can’t miss, will you do it?”

How could I say no?

The next day I flew the Stinson home. Uncle Bob told me he would fly me up to Colorado to get the Eagle Rock. “That way you’ll get the feel of the plane on the way back.” He also told me he had a pilot coming to take over the charter flying. He said he had put some money in the air show to back Jack. “Do a good job, Tommy boy, I’m counting on ya.” He sure made me feel good about the whole thing.

Uncle Bob and I flew up and got the plane. On the way back I got the feel of her all right. She was a beauty to handle, I had never flown a ship so maneuverable. What a joy it was to fly this plane.

We came home on a Saturday. Sunday I announced I was gonna do a few stunts in the plane. Somehow I attracted a crowd. Louise, Mother, Popie, Pop, my brothers, Helen and Uncle Bob were there and about half our town.

I really had rung the ship out doing loops and rolls. For a final, I came across the runway on her back upside down about forty feet off the ground. Mother had a few words to tell me about my flying. I don’t think she was thrilled at all, just mad I would do that. She said the whole thing was silly to fly that way. “You could be killed. Do you know that?”

I told her not to worry, It was safe as riding a horse. She just shook her head at me. Everyone else told me it was great the way I handled the plane.

That evening we all had dinner at Uncle Bob’s and I stayed the night with Frank in his room. Frank worked the summer in Uncle Bob’s office. We had a nice brother to brother talk, he went on and on about his girlfriend Gloria. He kept asking how I liked her. I never told him I was married, but I told him I had a girl in California who would make Gloria look like a skinny boy. That shut him up about Gloria.

The next day was Monday, I took off early and arrived at Jack’s Airport early in the afternoon. I could see the other Eagle Rock tied down outside the hangar. Of course, I had to buzz the hangar, took her up and did a roll or two then higher up, I put her in a flat spin. What a ship she was to handle. I sat her down easy and taxied to the hangar. Allie, Jack and the whole bunch were there to meet me, Jack didn’t say anything then, but when we were alone he gave me holy-hell for doing stunts without his OK. He told me in no uncertain terms not to do that again. I said I would respect his wishes.

The next morning Allie and I began our synchronized flying. Jack would lay it out on the ground and we would go up and do it. I’m telling ya, Smiling Jack can chew butts and in a way to make ya like it, he chewed on the two of us every time we got back on the ground. He kept saying, “Little mistakes can kill ya.”

I was trying my best to please him. We flew eight hours a day, seven days a week. By the time we finished I could do the routine in my sleep. When we told Jack that he said, “That’s just what I wanted you two to say.” Allie and I were ready.

Most nights, Allie and I would take off and spend the night together. Jack never said a word, but I knew he was suspecting something was going on between us, he never said anything.

We spent several weeks getting the planes ship shape. We were taking four Jennys, a Ford Tri-motor plus the Eagle Rocks on the tour. The Tri-motor carried our mechanics and equipment.

We had two parachutists from France join our company. They do what is called skydiving, that is, they don’t open the chute until about one thousand feet from the ground. It was a new technique developed in Europe. Jack said it was as close as man could fly without an airplane, I was anxious to see that myself.

I did a few days later, the two went up in the tri-motor and leaped into space like nothing I had never seen before. They flew down and landed on the runway, I was impressed.

Our first show was in Salt Lake City, Utah. I must admit I was a bit nervous the first time I had to fly before a crowd. Allie could see my anxiety, she got me aside and said, “Tommy, I can see you’re the same way you were the first time we made love, I told you then all would be okay and, Tommy, I want-a tell ya, you were great then, you’ll be great now.”

Boy, oh boy, did she make me feel better, what a gal I have. We did do a good job, Jack made a few changes, but he said on the whole it was a good show.

The next three stops were on the northern cities along the west coast. The only problem we had was the wind coming off the ocean. Everybody adjusted to it and we did have big crowds. We got super write ups in the local papers, Allie and I got big hands everywhere we went even to cafes and all. She really took the attention in stride, me, I kind of liked the way people made over Allie and me.

After the west coast we headed inland to Denver, Colorado. Allie talked me into spending the night together in the back of the tri-motor. We were in blankets and getting it on, when a light lit up the place. It was Jack and he was mad as hell, he had me by an arm and with a fist doubled up he was about to pop me in the face. Allie started screaming, “NO! NO, Daddy! We’re married, we’re married!”

I was damn glad she stopped him or I may not be here now. Her words took the air right out of him, he kind of fell back and sat down. For a minute I thought he was gonna cry.

“God dammit,” he said, “I can’t trust you two at all.” He covered his face and said, “You can get us in a hell-of-a mess. What if you get knocked up Allie? How you gonna fly then?”

“How long is the season gonna last?” she asked.

“We’ll be through the last of September.”

“That’s great, daddy,” she said, “I won’t even be showing by then.”

I looked to Jack, he looked to me and we both looked to a smiling Allie.

“Showing?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said. “You got me a month ago, you’re going to be a daddy.”

I had no idea she was pregnant. “How long have you known?”

“About two weeks, I went to a doctor last week, he said I been had a couple weeks.”

I didn’t know what to say. I jumped up, pulled on my pants and hustled out the door of the plane. On the ground I was feeling sick. Me, a father? I could hardly believe it. Then it hit me; me, a daddy! I started dancing and singing at the top of my voice. I looked to Allie and Jack standing in the door of the plane, both laughing and singing, too.

I heard Jack tell Allie, “Baby, you’re gonna be a special Mom.”

She told him, “You’ll be a wonderful Grandpa.”

Allie and I got dressed and Jack took us to the best hotel in Denver. I was so happy our marriage was out in the open. Jack said he was overjoyed for the two of us, he even called me “Son.”

After breakfast, I called home and got Grandma Michelle. All the folks were out working. In her broken English she told me how happy she was I was married and had a child on the way. “Your Mommy will be so happy, we all knowed you’s different. Tommy, we all love you and your new wife. Your brother Frank is on the way to Europe to study architecture. Your Uncle Bob is sending him, come home as soon as you can, we want to meet your Mrs.” I told her I would and to tell the folks I’ll come soon.

After Denver we went to the mid-west and toured all the big cities. Allie and I were being billed as the youngest stunt flying married couple in the world; the people came out in droves. Allie loved every minute of the attention she was getting. We made radio appearances and were interviewed by newspapers everywhere we went. Jack was so happy he was almost beside himself, the money was pouring in.

We did a show a few miles from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. A squadron of Grumman F3F1's flew in and landed just before our show got under way. These were the Navy on line fighters at the time, a biplane with closed cockpit, I got to look one over. The Navy guys were friendly and informative, I even talked the commander into letting me fly one. What a nice guy he is, I took her up and she seemed awfully slow to me. Back on the ground I was informed I had forgotten to raise the landing gear that was the first time I had flown a retractable gear. All the Navy pilots got a big kick out-of-that.

Our whole company was invited to dinner on the Navy. All the guys paid a lot of attention to Allie and why not, she was the best looking woman in the world.

After our swing through the mid-west we went south into Texas. At one of our shows the Army Air Corps made a fly in visit. They were flying a squadron of Boeing P26C’s. This Fighter is known as a pea-shooter, it’s an open cockpit, fixed gear, and dumb looking airplane.

Yeah, the commanding officer let me have a go with one. On the ground I complained the craft was a bear to handle. He agreed and told me all the pea-shooters were going to be sent to China to fight the Japanese. I told him, “I hope the Chinese can fly better than I.” Again we had an invite to dinner on the Army, yes, Allie was the center of attention. She told me it was a good thing we were married as the Army boys were good looking and she said there where one or two she could go for.

I told her, “Lady, you been had, I got ya.” We both had a good laugh.

While we were in Texas, Jack purchased a Boeing Stearman biplane. I didn’t have any idea why he would buy a plane like this. He took the ship up and did he ever give her the works, the man could fly an airplane.

The next day he had a post with a harness attached and two steel shoes fixed to the top wing. “Now,” he said, “All I need is a volunteer to take a little ride standing on the wing.” He was looking at me.

“Oh no, not me!” I said. “Not in this world.”

Allie popped up and said, “I’ll do it, Daddy.”

“No, you won’t. Not carrying my baby. I won’t let you.” I meant it, too.

Jack said, “No babe, Tommy will do it, I know he will.”

What could I say but “I’ll do it.”

Allie was not only pretty to look at; she was as brave a person I have ever come across. Did I do it? Yes I did and you know what? When I got into it, I really, really enjoyed standing on top of the wing.

The first time I went up, Jack was the pilot and the next time Allie flew the plane. We kind of did the same as our other act, we both stood in the cock-pit and waved to the crowd then took off. Allie trailed a white scarf from her neck and as we came across the runway I would climb from the front cock-pit and get myself to the standing position on the top wing. Strapped in the fun began, me standing hand and arms out to my side, we came back across the runway then straight up. At three thousand feet we did a big slow inside loop, some fun!

I began to enjoy the stunt, Allie was tickled to death that we were a big hit with the people. We were on a national radio show a couple of times and we were getting all kinds of mail, that is, when it caught up with us. Allie loved to read the mail and she would talk about it all the time, me, I could care less. Allie wanted to be famous; she said a woman flyer would help make aviation better for all the people, I think she was right.

We flew the same routines for the next two years. Yes, Allie had a beautiful little girl baby, she became the delight of everyone connected with the show. She was the apple of Grandfather Jack’s eye, he carried her everywhere he went, and he even helped us give her the name Elsa. It was his mother’s name; he was so pleased that we used the name.

The flying seasons passed so quickly I couldn’t believe we could be thru so soon. The whole troupe returned to San Diego every year to get ready for the next. We had a show in all the 48 states each season. Jack declared each season a great success. That made Allie and me happy.

We were having lunch at the diner when a Navy pilot Jack knew came in and joined us. He told us he had signed a contract to fly for the Flying Tigers in China. A General Chennault was asking military pilots to resign to go and fight the Japanese in China. I could see Jack was interested in this man’s talk, Jack was a real old war horse. Big money was being paid to military pilots.

I started asking questions, but Allie cut me short and said, “Don’t you get any ideas, you’re not going anywhere without me and Elsa.”

After the Navy Officer left, I asked Jack if he thought there would be a war that the US would get in. “You can bet on it,” he said. “Have you been reading the papers?”

I told him, “I only listen to the radio, I don’t seem to have time to read.”

Jack said, “It looks to me like the Germans are on the march again, they have the biggest air force in the world, most modern, too. They sent planes to fight in the Spanish civil war.”

“My brother Frank is a student in Germany, I hope he is okay.” I was real worried about Frank.

I must have had real concern on my face as Allie said, “He better get out of the country, I read the Germans are drafting the young men. Wouldn’t it be something if your brother got forced into their military?”

I could only say, “God, I hope not. That would kill my Mon and Dad.”

We finished our meal and headed back to the airport. A news flash came over the car radio. “Germany has just invaded Poland and England has said it would declare war on Germany if they didn’t pull their troops out today.”

Jack said firmly, “The war is here now.”

That was the first time I had ever seen or heard Allie cry, I could say nothing to console her. I knew in my heart, the USA was going to war sooner or later. Jack told the two of us that our government had not prepared us for war. He was mad as a hatter and said, “President Roosevelt and his cronies let us down, the writing has been on the wall for some time, our big shots don’t even think about war, the way the draft went proved that.”

The next thing we heard was England and France both declared war on Germany and Germany was in the process of invading France. England had sent troops to France to fight the Germans.

Our world was at war alright, where the heck was Brother Frank?