THE KING AS AIRMAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 18

THE KING AS AIRMAN

DETERMINED TO, QUALIFY

Stories of King George in his Air Force days are told in the autumn issue of the "Journal of the.-Air Force College," says the "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post." Prince Albert, as he then was, had been with the Navy at the Battle,-cf Jutland, and it was not until September; 1918, that he was sent out to the Air Force in France. , ' '• Lord Trenchard, then Sir Hugh Trenchard, who was in- command:of the force, received htm kindly, but "he was left to eat his meals in the junior officers' mess.' It was reported to Lord Trenchard that the Prince had an 'instinctive respect for authority. Once when Lord Trenchard asked how the Prince was getting- on, he was told that he had been a little shy? at first, but that he was "damned good company" and especially adept ' at leapfrog. f

The Prince was determined to learn to fly, and after certain -opposition had been overcome his wish was gratified. , \ , i . "Wing Commander Coryton looks back upon the months in which he taught Prince Altiert to fly with pleasure and ctearrcut' recollections. 'He had the rare quality which an instrtic"for always dreams of. instilling into his pupil.. By inslinct, he..was able to' Use eyes, hand, and brain in" unison.' "Prince Albert was 'amazingly quick' at learning to land. ~He seemed'to know where he .had.his aeroplaneun relation to the" ground 'without any trouble,' and although he never showed great interest in the mechanics- of aviation, he was keen upon every mark'of his progress. • "With' characteristic ' patience and application he mastered the pilot's technique, and, within a little time, a senior officer was sent to Croydon from the Air Ministry to test Prince Albert's flying. Care still governed the authorities, and they insisted on Prince -Albert taking off with his instructor. But,. in Wing-Cojnmander Corytoh's own words, he ha* 'his hands onthft struts when they left the ground, and he kept them there during the entire flight.' , ' s "The examination included the usual tests: landing on a 'mark from 2000 feet without the engine, figures',of eight with and without the engine, spinning both ways, looping. On the second day, Prince Albert made his cross-country > flight of ,'BO, miles arid larided perfectly. There was one picturesque interlude during this" flight. He'flew over Windsor Castle. 'at 4000 feet." ; ' _, V