Franklin High School - Molecule Yearbook (Franklin, VT)

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6. The oil gauge registered very low. That could only mean one thing. A break in the oil line I The motor temper- ature was climbing slightly)but steadily. The humming of the engine was disturbed by a series of knocks and then came a steady rattle and clatter. Hang on we’re going upstairs,” Ken shouted. He gave it full throttle and we climbed as steeply as possible. Then the engine conked out. ’’What did you do that for?” I asked. ”So we could gain altitude. We've got to go quite a way yet and we can't land in this forest.” Ken explained. Do you think we can make it?” I asked. Small chance,” Ken leaned over his stick, faco grim but calm. A very small chance indeed. -We were losing altitude now. We were down to 6000, 5500, 5000, 4500; still no break in the trees. I was beginning to think we would not make it--4000, 3500. Hey, Ken, where are the parachutes?” I asked rather ex- citedly. Haven't got any.” What will we do?” I asked. Just wait; that's all, he replied. There was a note of tension in his voice. We were down to 2750 feet, There it is, shouted Ken, the landing field, but I don't know whether we can make it or not. The runways came into view, but we were still over the forests at 1000 feet. We would clear all but the last two trees. There was a clearance of about fifteen feet between them and the plane had, at least, a twenty foot wing span, Fasten your saftey belts, Ken shouted. This is it. If we can’t go over the trees we'll go through them. He twisted the stick sideways and at the same time turned the aileron control, so that we were tipped up at a ninety degree angle and we went through.

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Aa we leveled off we, flaw that there was no chance of reach ing the runways. We came tearing in and bounced along for a rather choppy three point leading. Well, that was lulu wasn't it? asked Ken as he pushed back the canopy. Y-Y-Yes, I guess so, I stammered. The mechanics and ground crew came with a tow-truck and took the plane in. Another pilot came up to us and said, Captain wants to see you, Ken, on the double. As we left for home on the train I asked Ken what Captain Craig wanted. Ken looked at me and a boyish grin came over his face. Just gave me a bawling cu;. You see there were thirteen plane to be sent to New Brunswick by us, and Captain Craig was our cammanding officer. He was mad 'cause I was late. We got home all right, at 7:09 P. M., and I got a bawling out from my folks. Three weeks later I was out in the meadow with the neigh- borhood kids, playing baseball)when a flight of airplanes came cruising overhead at a low speed. About fifteen minutes later another one came along, rocked his wing3;and dropped a manila envelope. I bet I know who that is, I said. In the envelope I found a letter for me. It read: hi ya Kid, Well, I'm late again. I can catch them though, if I don’t have trouble again. Will you come out to that little airport down by your house? I will pick you up and we'll catch them. Ken P, S. This time I'm carrying a couple of parachutes. Bruce Corey '56