Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

Page 30 text:

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.

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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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IHHININH ..... lnslruclor's favorile melhod ol demonslraling plane alliludes is wilh his hands. Below: An inslruclor explains a formalion maneuver while cadels follow lhrcugh. Al basic he malres his lirsl sundown lrelr lo lhe llighl line, and, aller many anxious momenls, and by lhe lighl of lhe moon lil he is luclyl he shoves his plane up loward lhe conslellalions and realizes he is making his lirsl nighl llighl. Aller lhal comes inslrumenl lraining, and more nighf flighls, and cross-counlry llying and more nighl llighls, lhe use ol lhe radio, and slill more nighl llighls. By lhis lime also, he has learned ll-nal lhere is such a lhing as flaps, and has learned how lo use lhem. Wi+h his hair slanding on end he perceives lhere are limes lo use llaps and limes nol lo use flaps. Finally, comes lhal day when he happily walches lhe upperclassmen Cadel mess. s move on lo Advanced Training. A sell-salislied smile spreads across his lace, lor now HE is an upperclassman. lmmedialely, he lurns lo lhe new arrival lrom Primary and barlns, Brace lhere, Misler . . . Where did you gel so gross? Whal counlry club did you come from? There is lillle lime lo lord il. His lime now is lalren up sunlr in navigalion problems lo prepare him lor cross-counlry llighls. He is quile busy gelling a lirm hand on his lriclny BT. Basic seems lo become very gross loward lhe end. The cadel becomes conscious ol a new world, lhe lasl lo be lhoroughly loured before he gels his commission lo lhe world lrnown as Advanced Fly- ing School. Basic lrainers on lhe line. A ' 3 5 W- H A- ii? A l 's si E 7? ? 1 5 is