Blue Panther: A Cold War Thriller (Space & Military Thrillers Book 1) by Mehdwan Bobby

Author:Mehdwan, Bobby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 60 Strategies Ltd
Published: 2023-06-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12 - PUKE

March 1952, Saufley Field near Pensacola, Florida

Jim and Frank’s final O-course times were worthy enough to earn Midshipman Third Class and jettison White, though he remained a strange enigma in Jim’s mind.

They’d been trained to protect the Navy’s investment. Now it promised to spend. The flying finally began at Naval Air Station Saufley Field near Pensacola, almost immediately after Frank lamented its absence.

The first night, Jim dragged Frank back to his bunk after one too many beers following two years of sobriety. The next day, wearing new brown shoes and greens with anchors on their collars, they met Squadron Leader May.

First, he presented the silver, all-metal North American SNJ-4 at the assignment board where each lesson began. With a single prop, it bore a large American star on its body and a US Navy emblem painted just forward of the rear elevator and on each wing. To Jim, the cockpit resembled a small prison cell, with its protruding glass canopy crisscrossed with dark bars between small, equally square panes.

Jim had learned to locate every control blindfolded by the end of the first week when they joined Basic Training Group 2 at nearby Whiting North.

And after four weeks, thanks to his previous experience, he’d had already mastered the basics of flying. Surprised, the instructor asked if he’d done this before. “A little,” he said, holding the fact that he had a license, though it must have expired by now.

He was well ahead of the group when the infamous aerobatics training began on a warm April morning. A steady stream of SNJs went up and down as he walked toward his plane. It had just taxied onto the ramp, but the cadet remained inside, searching the cabin as he unbuckled.

He saw a yellow sheet on the canopy as the instructor emerged from the back seat and conferred with his own. “This one’s out. The kid threw up out the window and got it all back in the face. I told him not to open it. He’s mopping up right now.”

Jim and his instructor took the next SNJ to pull up. They checked it over. He put on a green cloth cap, stowed his parachute, jumped into the front seat, and strapped himself into the light green cocoon. He pulled the canopy forward while the instructor installed himself in the back.

Smoke billowed from the exhaust as the engine fired. The plane captain gave the all clear, and the instructor guided them straight to the runway. Minutes later, the tail wheel came up and they were cruising over Florida.

At five thousand feet, the instructor looped and spun the plane to show an elated Jim what was to be done. “Here’s what I want you to do,” he said. “I’m going to roll the plane first then push the nose up. We’re going into an inverted spin. I want you to put your hands on top of your head and keep them there at all times. You got that?”

“Sure,” said Jim, grinning

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