FIRST WORLD FLIGHT - The Odyssey of Billy Mitchell by Spencer Lane

Author:Spencer Lane [Lane, Spencer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: U.S. Press
Published: 2011-04-21T18:30:00+00:00

SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 1924

4:00 A.M.

LAKE WASHINGTON

Major Martin assisted Sgt. Harvey in pulling their World Cruiser to the dock on the quiet lake. The other crews were also preparing for a dawn departure. The truck that brought them dispensed hot coffee and cocoa to fight the early morning chill. The first spectator car was already there waiting for them, the driver pumping their hands and wishing them good luck. He would be joined by other well-wishing residents and friends before they climbed into their cockpits as the sky lightened.

This was their third “official departure date”. They were ready on April 4 but the weather had been too foggy. They tried again on April 5 but Major Martin broke his wooden propeller and the piece that had broken off made an ugly gash in one of his pontoons. Assisted by mechanics working at the new Boeing Aircraft factory at Seattle, repairs had taken the entire day. Hopefully, the third try today would be the charmer.

They had gotten a lot done. Cockpit covers had been finished, new engines had been overhauled and installed in all the airplanes, equipment selection had been completed, and the airplanes had been named and christened. They really wanted champagne, but with Prohibition, General Pershing insisted on using water. Their flight represented the entire country so names of distant cities were chosen.

Major Martin’s Cruiser Number 1 was named the Seattle and christened with the water of Lake Washington by the wife of the head of the local chamber of commerce, Mrs. David Whitcomb. Lowell Smith’s Cruiser Number 2 was christened Chicago with water from Lake Michigan by the wife of U.S. Army Air Service Captain, Car Connell.

Leigh Wade’s Cruiser Number 3 was christened Boston with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean by the wife of Army Air Service Major, M.F. Harmon. Erik Nelson’s Cruiser Number 4 had the combined waters of the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico anoint it New Orleans by the wife of Army Air Service Lieutenant T.J. Koenig.

It was during the christening ceremony that Lowell Smith noticed Sergeant Turner coughing up blood. He knew that cutting him from the crew at this late date would be a crushing disappointment. He had no choice. After the ceremony, he quietly broke the news to him then called Les Arnold into his quarters.

“Still want to go, Les?” Lowell asked.

“Are you kidding Smitty, more than anything else in the world,” Les replied.

“Willing to work like a devil, Les?”

“I’d work like a whole flock of devils, Smitty,” said Les.

“Okay. Turner can’t go, Les. You’re going!”

“Are you kidding Smitty? I’m no mechanic.”

“I am. You do the simple stuff. I’ll do the hard stuff.”

Les couldn’t believe his good fortune—then was saddened knowing the effect this would have on Turner—then wished he had paid closer attention during classes.

The four World Cruiser’s engines split the quiet dawn of Lake Washington and one by one lifted off into the cool, moist dawn of April 6, 1924. That first official day of the world flight presented some challenges.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.