Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

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,1- -2- -1.1- '1- HHSIElHHIlllNE Off we go info +he wild blue yonder, climbing high info 'rhe sun: Those firs+ lines of The Air Corps Song provide fhe selling for fhis phoio- monfage of men and planes. Dominaled by ihal sleelr, s+ub-nosed masier of fhe slcies, ihe advanced irainer af fhe lefl, fhe picfure shows lboifom lo iopl fhe Corps of Cadeis on fhe march, wilh ihe Siars and Sfripes of America 'Flying beside +he Brifish Union Jaclr, and fhe U. S. cadei and The R. A. F. slanclards billowing nexf 'lo +hem. Direcfly overhead is a scene on 'the flying line, and above 'lhaf are ihe Three Muslxe+eers of 'lhe air-ihe combal' 'ream of piloi, bombardier and navigalor. Surmounfing all is an echelon of warbirds, ready io loose 'iheir fhunder on any enemy who dares io confronf fhem. i 4

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l I ,ff ? N' U ' f cf Wi ,,, ,',' A 'U N This is whal' makes if fly. Ready for fhe firsf ride. is fi? '14, He arrives af a primary school and affer being quarfered and fed, reporls early one morning af fhe flighf line for his firsf ride. Wifh four or five ofher cadefs comprising his group, he is assigned fo an insfruclor. Firsf he has fo learn how fo don a parachufe, which is an arf in ifself. He fhen climbs info fhe rear cockpif and sils down fo look if over. A sfick, fwo rudder bars, a fhroffle, an alfimeler and lachomefer are fhe chief insfrumenf's he musf learn fo use in governing fhe flighl' of his ship. Firs+ he hooks on his gosporfs, which are rubber fubes fhrough which his insfruclor can 'lalkg and much 'lo fhe conslernafion of many a dodo, he learns fhere is no way 'lo falk back. Ready fo go, he shoves fhe coal fo his crafe and faxis in S curves, for beffer visi- bilify, ouf fo fhe runway, All clear, fhe cadef, wifh a slighf sinking sensafion, inches fhe fhroffle forward as fhe ship gafhers speed, gradually applies forward pressure fo fhe sfick. Then, iusf af fhe righf fime, he hauls back on fhe confrol and pulls +he nose up info a long, shallow climb. Nol' so sfeep . . . fake if easy ..,. Do you wanl lo sfall fhis cra+e? lhe insfrucfor barks in his ears, A fleefing glance downward causes lhe cadef lo gulp a couple of 'limes fo keep his hearf down. The ground drops swiffly away. He circles fhe field fo gain alfifude, all fhe fime being careful fo conform lo fhe local fraffic paffern. Al' lasl' he reaches lhe alfifude for sfraighf and level flighf. Lef'l wing foo low-Pull 'er nose up-Wafch fhaf fachomefer, she's revving 'loo high-Ease back on fhe fhroflle-Hold a liffle righf rudder, fhe insfrucfor caufions. Correcfion afler correcfion burns up fhe gosporfs as fhe insfrucfor's monologue becomes a sfeady drumming in fhe ears of fhe chagrined cadef. As days go by, fhe cadef learns fhe feel of fhe plane, becomes dexlerous al' fhe more simple maneuvers of flighf and recognizes fhe various plane alfifudes and fheir relafions fo mainfaining his course. He is now ready for fhaf glorious experience when, for fhe firsf fime, wifh high spirifs and sinking hearf, he fakes off, flies and lands, wifh- ouf fhe comforfing companionship of his insfrucfor. He solos, Affer fhe solo he becomes familiar wifh various acrobafic maneu- vers. Slow-rolls, snap-rolls, loops, spins, chandelles and lazy eighfs are parl' of fhe concenfrafed 'lraining program. Then suddenly affer weeks of primary fraining, he gazes upon a new world. A world he dared nof even dream of herefofore-fhe world of Basic Flying School. He is no longer a dodo. He rapidly is developing info an Army Air Forces pilof. If he ever had a sinking sensafion upon looking af an airplane he probably has losf if by now, and when anyone asks him if he can fly, he can answer yes, sir in a low, reserved fone- buf wifh one eye cocked foward days fo come. Leaving fhe hangar. f 'ek , . .ww 'fi . MW Q .. H-M-....,, Q

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READY TO FLY . IN HHSIE ak Svfepping on fo fhe whirligig of basic school, fhe cade+'s iirs+ warm glow of enfhusiasm soon changes +o puzzled bewildermenr. The very speed wifh which he is carried boih in his new ship in ihe air and in 'lhe classroom on fhe ground reminds him of an old phrase he heard quife offen in ihe iirsl week of +raining: Wipe 'rhal smile off your face, Mis'ler. In addilion fo more difficulf flying rechnique, he sfeps info even harder miliiary rouline, and lo fhe casual ob- server his fhrusl-oui ches+ is likely ro appear as ihe only visible parl' of his anafomy. His memory, consfanily being polished up on mailers of mililary discipline, begins fo shine like fhe wings he slrives for, The weighf of +he world is on his shoulders when affer four or five hours inslruciion comes 'lhe day when he mus+ fake his heavier and fasier ship up 'For solo. lf is only afier fhis accomplishmeni fhai he begins fo warm up once more fo +he possibilify fhaf he siill may have fhe makings of +he world's hoH'es+ pilol. By 'rhe day of his second solo he is geH'ing downrighi' eager. Buf always presen+, oulsiriding by iusi one sfep his rising enfhusiasm, are ihe upperclassmen fo keep his eagerness af half +hroHle. Once he is allowed fo sif on 'rhe liHle red s+ool or io couni' himself a member of fhe Eager Squadron, he may be convinced 'rhal no one is perfecf-nor even himself-'rhal all is noi perfecf, and lhar maybe he is even a gross cadei. WARM HAND OF WELCOME FOR UNCLE SAM'S ENEMIES. Etched ' -c--M-V A againsf sky, iradifional Army .45's are aimed by Army Air cadefs. The re- volvers may be no mafch for dive bombers buf ihey are mighfy handy in hand-foahand fighiing on fhe ground.