3/22/40
Brooks Field, TX.
Hi Darling:
I must be slipping, for I’ve received two letters since I last wrote.
The idea of Mother coming all the way down here for our wedding is preposterous on at least three counts. It would cost $150, which, although it seems little, we just don’t have. I remember the last trip Mother made, about 200 miles, and it didn’t do her a bit of good. She’d have trouble standing up under a 1200 mile trip. Thirdly, we haven’t the slightest idea where I’ll be when we’re married. I shall undoubtedly not be in Texas. I’ll leave here for my first station about the middle of May and heaven only knows where I’ll be sent. Honey, I won’t be able to afford much of a wedding, but we’ll try to make it up later.
I’m glad you like your new home. Having Dotty for a room-mate isn’t a half bad set-up (wouldn’t mind it myself, hi). I yet remember the night I kissed her and about broke Fritz’s ego—or should I mention such things.
I wrote to John and Blenda a couple of weeks ago and gave them a good indication of what was about to happen. I talked to Blen about it at Christmas and she seemed to be all in favor of it. It’s funny how all of the people we want to be there are scattered all over the United States.
Three cheers for Wayne! Now you can start cautioning him like he cautioned you, hi!
Tell Gordon I have a total of 170 hours. Of this, about 40 have been dual instruction. 30 hours has been on the BC-1. This is the ship we fly here. It weighs 5500 lbs, cruises at 140 with a top of 200 at 5,000 ft.(500 H.P. cruising). It’s equipped with two-way radio, beam receiver, radio compass, blind-landing receiver, and a complete compliment of engine and flight instruments. Wingspread is about 42 feet, so it really isn’t a “big” plane. But it is a hell of a lot of airplane compared to a civilian ship. They fly more easily than a Cub, for the controls are balanced.
This week has been spent mostly on radio orientation. They fly you out from Brooks under the hood. When about 15 miles out, you turn on the radio and from that find the beam, determine what the beam is, and fly it into the field. It’s really quite simple to do, but to do it accurately and quickly requires a lot of practice. I’ve had ½ hour in the jeep and 2 in the air.
We’ve also been flying 6 ship formations. They’re a lot of fun, but awfully tricky. On cross-over turns 3 of the ships are about 15 feet higher and directly over the other three. Since the upper and lower bunches can’t see each other, it makes one feel awfully glad that all of the men receive the same thorough training.
We have to ferry some ships over to Kelly this afternoon for tomorrow’s graduation. They’re using 125 ships for it. It sounds big, but doesn’t look like an awful lot, just a bunch of mosquitoes.
That’s about all for now, honey. Be sweet and say hello to everyone.
Love, Cy