Then Sergt Gay said he was going to let me work it, so we got off again & then he took his hands off the controls & put them on the sides thus I was working the “bus”! Then her nose began to get up so I put forward the joy-stick & brought it down but I put it forward too much & the “bus” started to go down again however I soon pulled her up, then we came down. We landed and went “up” three times running.
The weather was not very good but rather “bumpy” this means that every now & then as you went along the “bus” would bump & drop a few feet or perhaps would bump up. This is due to a kind of “air pocket” which always comes if the day is not nearly perfect, it is quite harmless but makes it difficult to feel what you are doing. I found it quite easy to breathe as we were only doing from 60 to 70 m.p.h. and there was absolutely no feeling of dizziness at all as the motion & wind prevents that, you never think of that & just feel that it is quite impossible to fall out. I just love it & there is no sensation in the world equal to flying.
This morning I was down again for early flying and got up for 10 minutes. This time I sat in the front seat where it is not so windy owing to having a wind screen. I tried a turn myself however it was a bad turn as I hardly “banked” at all & used too much rudder. I will know better in future, it was a bit “bumpy” too. The control consists of two foot plates which work the rudder, one stick in the centre which works the elevators and two handles at the top which work up & down for the ailerons – so it is really very easy. The engine is behind in these machines & they are termed “pushers”.
The Maurice Farman ‘Short horn’ Biplane shewing ‘Nacelle’
Control System in a Maurice Farman
I think the bank was something like this.
No 14 Reserve Squadron. R.F.C.
Catterick
8th April 1917. “Easter Sunday”.
I suppose you will by this time have got my letter describing my first flight; I had another yesterday evening lasting 23 minutes. It was just “topping” & not at all cold; I had complete control most of the time & took her off the ground & did several turns. I have got the “banking” all right & put on about the right amount. The Sergt who was instructing, told me to fly level at 500 ft, it is very hard to do this as you generally tend to climb or go down, however I managed it rather well & the Sergt was quite “braced” but he remarked it was probably a “fluke” as even the best pilots find it hard. We went over the surrounding villages & the view was gorgeous.
The Sergt started “stunting” once, he did a “turn” over a village & instead of doing an ordinary “bank” of about 40° he did a jolly nearly vertical one. I was scared blue & found myself looking down on a church & wondering when I would drop out! But that of course is quite imposs as going round a “turn” the centrifugal force keeps you glued to the further side of your seat. Well it was rather fun but don’t worry, I shan’t try any stunts myself yet. Then I tried landing but I wasn’t very good at that as I flattened out too much & am a bit too heavy handed at present, still that will all come in time. (Both Mc Elroy & Maitland are in my Squadron. “Mac” is in my “Flight” & Maitland is in “B”). I passed the “Vickers” exam all right yesterday & got full marks for the sequences part of it. I played hockey this afternoon & it was great fun. No 14 & No 6 the latter won 7-6. Well I must stop this now.
R.F.C. Catterick
11th April 1917
Thanks very much for the parcel & cigs. which were very welcome. I haven’t been “up” since I last wrote as the weather has been absolutely “dud” for flying & today the snow is thick. (I went to Middlesboro’ on Monday & took a holiday as did nearly everyone else, I had quite a good time. I & four other fellows are going there to a dance this evening in aid of wounded Tommies as there will be no flying today & there is nothing else to do. ) I passed in Artillery Observation yesterday in the written part & have yet to pass in the practical part in “sending” & “signalling”. Well I have no more news to give you, thanks for the hockey stick & stockings also for your last letter. I am afraid your “last hope”, that my nerves couldn’t stand it, is gone as they are quite all right!
R.F.C. Catterick
15th April 1917
Thanks most awfully for your letters & parcels, the gloves were “topping” also the books – I have read most of them but still I will read them again! The dance on Wed. night was great fun but the drive home was jolly cold we got back about 2.30 a.m. There is not much news; there has been no flying since I last wrote as the weather has been a “dud”. Yesterday I played “Rugger” for the Squadron against the H.L.I. We got badly beaten as we were two men short & had never played together before but it was a great game if a bit rough, the ground was rather stoney [sic] & we nearly all had cut knees. The Glasgow Highlanders were an awfully nice lot of chaps all broad Scots, we hope to play a return match against them some time soon.
I went to church this morning but I don’t think I shall go tonight as you can never tell if the wind will drop & if it does then there will be flying. I have some topping flying kit – a huge leather greatcoat lined with fleece, a pair of sheep skin thigh boots with the fleece inside going right up my legs – gorgeously warm, a safety helmet – padded – a fur-lined flying helmet like a leather Balaclava helmet; this is lined with beaver, a pair of goggles & a pair of fleece lined gauntlet gloves but these have no fingers and are most clumsy to grip the controls with so I think I am going to get a pair of fur gloves with fingers, they cost £1.1/- but are worth it. I am never strapped in flying because it is far safer not to be strapped in a “pusher” machine as in the event of a crash you are often thrown clear whereas if you were strapped in you would probably get the engine, which is behind, in the small of your back, if it carried through as it likely would, you can’t fall out. Well I have no more news so will stop now.
The length of my course here depends entirely on the weather. You have to do altogether 3 or 4 hours in the air “dual” & then 5 hours “solo”. With good weather I may get out in a month & if the weather is bad I may be here 3 months. You see a “Maurice” is not a very stable “bus” like a “Vickers” & I can’t fly it in bumpy weather or at any rate it can fly but it is no good for “instruction”.
The Safety or ‘Hun’ Helmet. Fur lined helmet.
Catterick
18th April 1917
Thanks very much for your letter just received – also for the newspaper cutting. The Scouts’ Machine which it refers to that can climb so well is S.E.5 (Scouting Experimental No 5). It flies level at a speed of 140 to 160 m.p.h. whereas a “Maurice” never does more than 60 to 65. Some difference! I have just this minute been up for 20 minutes with Sergt Gay. We had 4 landings. I was trying to land to-day & am slowly improving at it – my chief fault being that I am too heavy handed on the controls & a trifle too jerky. In landing you glide straight down for about 10 ft. when you very slowly pull back the joy-stick. This flattens it out, then you push it forward a trifle & then flatten out again about an inch on the stick & when she touches ground you put the stick forward gradually and hold her down. I flatten out rather too soon generally & am a bit jerky but I am improving. If you flatten out too much the bus will lose flying speed, the engine being off, & “pancake” the rest of the way & then exit undercarriage! The course of the landing is something like this
A ‘bus landing; flying level, engine on – 60 m.p.h.; nose down, engine on 75 m.p.h.; engine off, gliding at 60 m.p.h.
I can “take off” & “turn” quite all right now myself but find flying level rather a problem as the “bus” always tends to climb a bit. I found today that going up hadn’t the slightest effect on me; I might have been sitting in a chair at home! I don’t think anyone would feel dizzy in an aeroplane; I just love it & am awfully glad I joined the R.F.C. The word “dud” originated in a shell which failed to explode on striking owing to a defective fuse that was called a “dud shell” – now “dud” has come to mean anything which is no good. “Dud” weather means no good for flyin
g; it is not in parliamentary language! Well goodbye – please don’t worry about me I am quite all right!
Catterick
22nd April 1917
Thanks so much for all your letters etc. Since I last wrote you will have got my epistle by this time; please will you send me some books to read as I can’t get any here. There is really not much news for you in this letter; after I wrote my last to you I went down to the “sheds” & got another flight of 24 minutes. Yesterday I was up three times, it was too bumpy for instruction in the afternoon so I was taken up to let out the “aerial”, this is a long line of copper wire with a weight at the end used in “wireless” from planes. I let it out 5 times & had a very nice joy ride as I was in the back seat & not doing any of the flying myself.
For the first time I managed to get above 500 ft & on that trip we got up to 1100 ft it was very nice up there & you got a splendid “view” & also the feeling you might just as well be 1100 as 500. Sergt Gay did some more of his “vertical banks” at that height, he did 3 or 4 turns on end & I got quite giddy being twiddled around like that, still I am getting used to these “stunts”. It was so warm that I didn’t even wear a coat & wasn’t a bit cold without it, one feels far freer minus that great heavy coat. I tried strapping myself in for fun but discovered that the strap came undone when I was “up”, that would have been a lot of use wouldn’t it?
In the evening it got calm & I was sent for & got up again. This time the C.O. Major X – Y [Name erased, but “Major Ross-Hume” added in pencil on opposite page in Guy Knocker’s hand], commonly known as Ping Pong, took me up, he is an expert flyer & a very good instructor. However on landing we broke a tail skid & so had to bring the “bus” in. Then I went up again with Sergt Gay & had a very nice trip. I did 4 landings, I do most of the controlling now including opening the throttle, taking off & turning & last night I landed all by myself – quite a good landing too! I flattened out a little bit too soon but not much. My chief trouble now is flying level; I find that my beastly left wing will insist on coming up & that I fly along left wing high instead of level. This means that instead of flying straight the “bus” is always side-slipping slightly to the right. This is my fault & not the machine’s because the other day when “up” both the instructors & I took our hands off the controls & the bus flew quite level except that it tried to climb slightly being a bit tail heavy. I enclose a photo of the machine I fly taken by another man. I expect I will get up again today as the weather is excellent.
I am orderly officer today & have to conduct the “Church Parade”. I also walk round breakfasts & say “any complaints?” The following are the latest R.F.C. songs:
(To the tune of “Another Little Drink” etc)
When you’re up alone “on solo”
And you don’t know how to land
And you buzz around the aerodrome
Your joy-stick in your hand.
And you think of all the tales you’ve heard
About “The Promised Land”
Then another hour on dual
Won’t do you any harm!
When you’re out across “The Lines”
And your ammunition’s out
And the “Archies” they are busy
And you start “to swing about”
And the “Fokkers” on your tail
Will have you down without a doubt
Then another thousand rounds
Wouldn’t do you any harm.
(To the tune of “The Tarpaulin Jacket”)
A stalwart young pilot lay dying
And as near his crashed “bus” he lay
To the frightened mechanics around him
These last dying words he did say,
Take the Gudgeon Pin* out of my kidneys
The Con-rod** from out of my brain
From the small of my back take the cylinders
And assemble the engine again.
* Part of the piston
**Connecting rod
Well I shall be “on solo” myself soon as I have done 2 hours & 24 minutes “dual”. However I feel quite confident & won’t go up “solo” till I am quite sure of myself. Jack Gilman has been made a Flight Captain & has got the M.C. Jolly good!
Catterick
25th April 1917
Thanks very much for your letters & etc. I haven’t written before this week as I thought I would wait till I had done my first “solo” & tell you all about it. The deed was done this evening!
The weather has been too “dud” for flying all day but this evening I went down to the sheds after tea on the “off chance” when for my special benefit the wind kindly dropped. Then Capt. Mardell told me to come up with him so up I went & flew the “bus” round & landed. We did this three times & then apparently satisfied with my exhibition Mardell got out & told me to go up alone! Gee!
I taxied right across to the furthest corner & turned her face to the wind & took off – she went up like a bird! The evening was simply gorgeous & nary a bump! I flew her round & landed & really made quite a good landing, this time I was a bit too flat so I went up again! next time on landing I lost my prop or in other words my engine stopped, still I landed quite well & waved for an air mechanic to come & start her up again then I couldn’t resist the temptation of going up once more. This time I was 500 ft up & switched off the engine & landed rather far down the ‘drome also rather fast but still it was a very good landing. Then I taxied in with some difficulty as “Rumpeties” are brutes to taxi!
Well my first “solo” is safely over & I am very bucked. The C.O. was very braced & said “A very good show, you took off well, flew well, & landed well – & you looked quite at home” – which I really did feel! That was jolly high praise from old “Ping Pong”. he generally slangs you after you finish “solo” & sends you on dual again. Capt. Mardell said “Well done – you did well!” Ain‘t I a kink? I am most awfully pleased & feel just “ripping” flying alone. I was flying a 70 h.p. engine instead of an 80 h.p. I am down for early flying to-morrow at 5.30 a.m. Ye Gods! Well no more now. I am before Mac & Maitland in flying “solo”. Thumbs up!
I think a good motto for the R.F.C. would be “Underneath are the Everlasting Arms”.
Catterick
27th April 1917
Yesterday I arose at the grisly hour of 5.30 a.m. & went down to the sheds to take up a 70 h.p. machine which was a rotten “bus” into the bargain, it couldn’t climb above 500 ft., & though the engine was doing 1900 revs. a minute the speedometer was registering only about 50 m.p.h! Well it was very cold & I was cold & half asleep & the engine was cold so it wasn’t very nice flying & I took her round once & landed. I was so intent on watching the speedometer that I forgot about flattening out till a bit later & hit the ground a bit too steeply. The wheels hit the ground & the old bus simply bounced up & down & broke two wires in the undercarriage. However I soon got them put right & went up again for 25 minutes & did four landings – not very good ones but I didn’t break anything more! I just wasn’t flattening out soon enough. Then I came in & someone else went up.
At about 7.30 I went up again with the idea of flying over to Richmond (8 miles off) with another fellow in another “bus” but it was so “bumpy” that I made two landings, very good ones, & came in. I don’t think I ever had such a bumping, side slipping, nose diving & all! Still I got in all right! I have now done 1¼ hrs solo & hope to have finished my time by Monday. If I can get a good excuse I may be able to get 48 hours leave, do you think you could find me one & send me a wire?! This afternoon was a great experience & I must admit I fairly “had the wind up”, or in other words was in a blue funk! It was quite all right about my feeling dizzy that time with Sergt. Gay, & was only because I was being twiddled round! I shouldn’t think of giving up flying I just love it. A Henry Farman “bus” crashed yesterday but the man was unhurt. It finished up nosedown – tailup.
The Henri!
Catterick
29th April 1917
Thanks
so much for your letters both of which I received this morning. I expect you got my other epistle telling you of my second solo trip. The weather has been quite too “dud” for flying since. A steady N.E. wind has been blowing for 3 days which means no flying at all. If only I could get one really good day I would finish my time on “Rumpeties” & put in my remaining 2¾ hrs. & then would leave here. If you manage to find me an excuse for me to get 48 hrs. leave before I join my next Squadron I may get it! I am applying to go to Stirling as I want to fly Tractor Scouts. I am afraid however that I shall be sent to an Artillery Observation Squadron being a gunner. If I get Tractor Scouts I might be sent down to Dover as there are Martinsyde’s Scouts there. Jack Gilmore at Dover. The Art. Obs. machines are all F.Es which are “pushers”. I went to church today.
On Friday a lot of us went to Harrogate for the afternoon it is a very nice place with lovely hotels but it was very quiet when I was there. I won’t get my “wings” after I leave here but I will get my “ticket” or Royal Aeronautical Club Certificate. I don’t get my “wings” till I have passed through an Advanced Squadron & done 25 hours “solo”. It is very warm indeed up here now wonderful to relate. Well you have all my news as I have done no flying lately.
Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The Page 2
