John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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However, a force having considerable bearing on the outcome of these races was the group of insignificant-appearing men, clad in grease-smeared, torn and dirty overalls, who at this time sat or stood haphazardly in the shade of the huge doorway of an empty hangar at the side of the field. These mechanics had come with their officers from the many army airports of the country to repre- sent their respective air units. As in the case of their commanding officers, they felt that the very honor of their units was dependent upon their showing in the air races. Therefore, each day and often at night, these typical grease monkeys had applied all their knowl- edge of mechanics in making the planes of their officers technically perfect. It was these excited men, who were nervously puffing at innumerable cigarettes, with their eyes glued on the planes as they streaked across the sky seemingly straight for their hangar. As the planes neared, the men rose in one motion. Anxiously, they sought the identity of the leader. It was not until they had almost swept overhead that one happy voice cried, Captain Keller's leadin' 'emf' Almost simultaneously was heard, Good boy, Murphy is second, and There's Thomas right on his tailf' The latter was uttered in the strangely anxious voice of Little john who had come up from Bolling Field with Captain Thomas. Well over six feet, and by far the most powerful man of the group of mechanics, Little john had been extremely nervous all that morning. Ever since he had arrived at the field Little Johnl' had time and time again gone over every mechanical detail of Captain Thomas' plane. He was truly satisfied in that he had done his part and done it well. However, although he always outwardly bragged that his plane would win, he really was extremely doubt- ful, for he knew the man who was piloting his plane. I-Ie truly respected and honored Captain Thomas and knew him to be one of the finest aviators in the Pursuit Division. But, still Little Johnl' did not think Captain Thomas was the right man to represent his unit in an air race. And Little johns, assump- tions were not unfounded. Captain Thomas had all the character- istics of a great flyer: stamina, nerves of steel, and a clear head. But, although Thomas was fearless, he was also unusually careful, never having been known to take an unnecessary chance. In an air race Little john knew that a flyer had to take risks in going through trick maneuvers. One could not be too careful and win! f 4' f Q, 1 .fnwf 'ZZ a at, fr WWW .7 X ' 4.2 f Little john was indeed excited when, at the half of the race, Captain Thomas was in third place. The spectators burst into applause as the planes swept around the pylon before the stands. lf' Suddenly shouts stopped and then began with renewed vigor, as C the third plane tore around the pylon in a wide arc, at a terrific I f-i C fff Ti . 2 . 'Qvxe K X Al A !! S ezfefz I f 'X f f ff via! Wo , ,ff X I

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Spring Wit By Eugene Werber 1 1 1 ANG! The sharp crack vi Luc starters gun was lllblafltly drowned out by the tfCfI1CI1clOuS roar of twelve super-charged engines of the dozen sleek army Boeing P-26 pursuit planes, which a moment before had been compara- tively sweetly purring as they toed the thick chalk-white line, wing to wing. The very earth trembled at this display of the latest toy of Mars, as twelve thundering and roaring messengers of war tore across the velvet-like grass field, rose in one motion, and disappeared into the glare of the mid-day sun. Similar scenes were but a matter of routine, repeated daily, during the years of 1915 to 1918. But this was the year of 1955. These planes did not set out in search of combat with the planes of the enemy. These modern planes and pilots were this day to test their respective merits in peaceful competition with each other and not with a real enemy. This was the day of the Mitchell Trophy air races, the only event in which army planes, piloted by army aviators, are permitted to race in competition with each Other. The huge grandstands at the sides of the field were greatly overcrowded, for here was being presented a contest of skill such as the sporting public always wants but so seldom gets. The conditions of this contest are such that luck plays the smallest possible part in the outcome of the events. Each pilot entered in the race is an officer of the army air ranks located throughout the different sections of the country. Likewise, each plane in any one contest is horsepower for horsepower and strut for strut, the same as each of the other planes entered in the race. It is, therefore, only by skillful maneuvering and superior flying tactics that any pilot can zoom twice around the three pylons of this thirty mile triangular course and outdistance planes of equal power. Six lg , 4

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speed, wavered a moment, one-hundred feet from the ground, and then fell into second place as it rejoined the other planes which had made much sharper turns but at reduced speeds. In the midst of the mechanics, Little john really looked scared as he saw this dangerous maneuver on the part of his pilot, and he quietly slumped down into his seat as the plane again tore out toward the second pylon at the west end of the field. At this time, the group of mechanics burst into a really serious discussion of the possibilities of the race, planes and pilots. Almost immediately a blunt fellow called XXfindy queried, Say johnny, whats wrong with Thomas? He never even cut the throttle on that turn. May gain a little distance that way, but he'll probably end up in the boneyard if he does it againf, And so it was that almost everyone was puzzled at the strange tactics of Captain Thomas. lt was known as a fact that to take a turn, in a tricky army pursuit plane, at well over two hundred miles an hour was almost certain to result in a side-slip, which is really deadly at a hundred foot altitude. Strangely enough, every pilot had throttled down just before making the turn. Except Captain Thomas. Those who knew the cautious Captain Thomas could not understand his queer action and to question his mechanic Little John brought no further solution to this controversy. Little john now appeared to be sick. He was breathing heavily and chewing and pufhng nervously at his cigarette as he watched the dim outlines or the planes on the horizon. His fellow mechanics felt lze had good cause to feel sick. As is the custom of both pilots and mechanics, each mechanic in the hangar was fondling his good-luck piece during these exciting and trying moments. Since each mechanic had done his utmost to have his oflicer win the race, they now resorted to supernatural powers. Little johnu was no exception, for in his strong right fist was held some such lucky-piece. Meanwhile, X5Vindy had secured a powerful pair of field glasses and with the glasses trained on the planes on the horizon was letting out short excited cries to his anxious audience. l'Nearin, the west pylon now. Keller's around. There goes Captain Thomas. Takin' it wide. Didn't cut the throttle at all, darn fool. 'S fallin' in again. Lven with Keller nowfl