FLYING AND FLYERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 9826, 20 March 1923, Page 6

FLYING AND FLYERS

THE LIGHTERSIDE. SOME HUMOROUS EPISODES.

In an entertaining article on “ the human side of flying and flyers,” Mr S. H. Mac Kean, in an American paper, says in conclusion: The life of a flyer does not consist entirely of thrills by any means. They have many good times, lots of fun, and they enjoy themselves tremendously. Many humorous incidents occur to military, naval, and civilian pilots. Sometimes they take a malicious delight in “razzing” the type of smart individual who never has been aloft, but who is fully convinced that talk about danger is all poppycock, and that there is nothing in the calendar of stunts that he would not calmly undertake. At the time when the army and navy services were bombing the captured German warships off the Virginia Capes, a committee of Congressmen visited Langley Field. Among them was a wiseacre from rural Kansas who affected to scorn all danger. Nothing could feaze him. Others in the party urged him to make a flight—he seemed delighted with the idea. The commanding officer agreed, and so Lieutenant Eugene Barksdale, a star stunt pilot, was selected to take him up. The Congressman was put into the rear cockpit of a DH, from which the seat had been removed, and standing up was strapped safely into place. Then Barksdale gave her the full gun at the take-off and zoomed into the air. His passenger was seen to throw his hands upwards and diasppear within the fuselage. Followed' every stunt known. Barksdale barrel-rolled, which is a hair-raising complete sideways roll over, executed dizzy tail spins, “cut grass,” which means zooming at full spin to within a few feet of the ground, looped the loop, did Immelman turns and wound up with five consecutive loops and the falling leaf, in which the ’plane flutters downward as if out of control, just as a leaf falls from a troe, and finally pancaked on to the field. The conspirators ran over to the ’plane to revive the boastful Congressman, presumably by now unconscious, and then to give him the laugh. Looking a trifle dizzy, but with a broad smile, he struggled from the ship—he had swallowed his quid of tobacco and the terrific wind had distributed much more generously over his countenance, otherwise he was unaffected.

Amazed, the conspirators could only gasp: “How’d you like it?” “Fine!” was the startling reply. “But why the didn’t he give me a loop?” ■ A couple of years ago Captain Rickenbacker, the American “Ace of Aces;” Bert Acosta, Colonel H. E. Hartney, John A. Bockhorst, a noted aerial photographer; John L. Larsen, an aeronautic engineer, and others made a pathfinding flight across the continent for the benefit of the air mail. Many thrilling incidents occurred during the trip and many that were amusing. In the course of the flight the detachment of “Junkers,” Germantyped all metal monoplanes known as JL-6s, landed at Salt Lake City after a flight over _ the Rocky Mountains at 22,000 feet in a temperature of 14 degrees below zero. Having been notified in advance a local reception committee with army and postal officials was awaiting at the landing field. The fliers leaped from the machines tired, cold and hungry. An officious member of the reception committee bustled forward and seized upon Sammie Eaton, then a civilian pilot, but now an air service officer, known officially as LieutenantSamuel Custer Eaton, stationed at Wright Field, Fairfield, Ohio. “Would you like a drink?” cried the committeeman, pumping Eaton’s half-frozen arm with enthusiasm. Under the circumstances Eaton’s reply may easily be imagined. He called to Bockhorst: “Hey, Bockie, a little speed. We’re goin’ to get a drink!” Bockhorst responded with alacrity. “Go right up to, the clubhouse,” gushed the committeeman. “They’ll take care of you there. Go to the service bar and say that Mr Blank sent you. Go right up, boys, and have a good time.” The clubhouse was not far, and still wearing “monkey suits” with hoods and goggles', the : ;pair did as directed. “What’ll you'Lave boys” asked the bartender. " “Gimme a little Scotch,” said Boekhorst. “I’ll have a little rye, said Eaton. The bartender looked shocked. “Oh no!” he replied/* You muist have misunderstood ;;Mr Blank. We haven’t any- liquor, but we’ve got lots of sarsaparilla, orangeade and lemonade! What’ll you have?” .. “Nothing,” murmured the disgusted pair. “We’re on the water waggon!”