WINGS OVER AKRONTom was flying in front of me to my left. We both had PW-8s. We were heading toward Uniontown, Pa. They were opening a field there. We were going to stunt for them. We were flying 7,000 feet high in a milky autumn haze. The rolling Ohio country beneath us was visible only straight down and out to an angle of about 45 degrees. Beyond that the earth mingled with the haze and was invisible.I saw a town over the leading edge of my lower right wing. I recognized it as Akron, O. I pushed my stick forward and opened my throttle. I had always wanted to jazz the fraternity house in a high-powered fast ship.Down I came. Roaring louder and louder. I couldn’t see a soul in the yard of the fraternity house.I missed the house by inches as I pulled sharply out of my dive and zoomed almost vertically up for altitude. I looked back as I shot up into the sky. The yard was full of fellows.I kicked over and nosed down at the house again. I came as close to it as I could without hitting it as I pulled back and thundered up into the air.I nosed over into a third dive at the house. As I pulled up this time I kicked the ship into a double snap roll as I climbed. I didn’t look back. I just kept on climbing, heading for Uniontown. I overtook Tom a little while later.On my return trip from Uniontown I was forced down at Akron owing to bad weather. Tom had gone back a day earlier than I. I was alone.Friends of mine at the airport came up to me as I climbed out of my ship. They asked me if I had flown over Akron in a PW-8 a few days before. I said, “No. Why?” They showed me a clipping from a local newspaper. It said:AIRMAN STARTLES AKRON—MANY LIVES ENDANGEREDAt noon today a small fast biplane appeared over Akron and proceeded to throw the populace into a panic by performing a series of zooms and dives and perilous nose spins low over the business section of town. Onlookers said that the plane narrowly missed hitting the tops of the buildings and that it several times almost dove into the crowds in the streets.Hospital authorities complained to city officials that the plane roared low over the hospital, frightening many of their patients and endangering the lives of others. Other complaints have rolled in from all over the city.City officials told reporters that the name of the pilot is known. He was a former resident of Akron and was a student at Akron University. At present he is on duty with the Army Aviation Service. Officials said they had reported the outrageous act to the military authorities at the pilot’s home station.“I wonder who that damned fool could have been,” I said as I handed the clipping back to my friends. I grinned.I was staying with my uncle. I didn’t have much appetite for dinner that night. I didn’t sleep very well.“What is the matter, Jim?” my uncle asked me at breakfast the next morning. “Why don’t you eat more?”“I don’t feel very well,” I said.I got back to Selfridge that afternoon. Nobody there had heard of my escapade.I ate a big dinner that evening.
WINGS OVER AKRONTom was flying in front of me to my left. We both had PW-8s. We were heading toward Uniontown, Pa. They were opening a field there. We were going to stunt for them. We were flying 7,000 feet high in a milky autumn haze. The rolling Ohio country beneath us was visible only straight down and out to an angle of about 45 degrees. Beyond that the earth mingled with the haze and was invisible.I saw a town over the leading edge of my lower right wing. I recognized it as Akron, O. I pushed my stick forward and opened my throttle. I had always wanted to jazz the fraternity house in a high-powered fast ship.Down I came. Roaring louder and louder. I couldn’t see a soul in the yard of the fraternity house.I missed the house by inches as I pulled sharply out of my dive and zoomed almost vertically up for altitude. I looked back as I shot up into the sky. The yard was full of fellows.I kicked over and nosed down at the house again. I came as close to it as I could without hitting it as I pulled back and thundered up into the air.I nosed over into a third dive at the house. As I pulled up this time I kicked the ship into a double snap roll as I climbed. I didn’t look back. I just kept on climbing, heading for Uniontown. I overtook Tom a little while later.On my return trip from Uniontown I was forced down at Akron owing to bad weather. Tom had gone back a day earlier than I. I was alone.Friends of mine at the airport came up to me as I climbed out of my ship. They asked me if I had flown over Akron in a PW-8 a few days before. I said, “No. Why?” They showed me a clipping from a local newspaper. It said:AIRMAN STARTLES AKRON—MANY LIVES ENDANGEREDAt noon today a small fast biplane appeared over Akron and proceeded to throw the populace into a panic by performing a series of zooms and dives and perilous nose spins low over the business section of town. Onlookers said that the plane narrowly missed hitting the tops of the buildings and that it several times almost dove into the crowds in the streets.Hospital authorities complained to city officials that the plane roared low over the hospital, frightening many of their patients and endangering the lives of others. Other complaints have rolled in from all over the city.City officials told reporters that the name of the pilot is known. He was a former resident of Akron and was a student at Akron University. At present he is on duty with the Army Aviation Service. Officials said they had reported the outrageous act to the military authorities at the pilot’s home station.“I wonder who that damned fool could have been,” I said as I handed the clipping back to my friends. I grinned.I was staying with my uncle. I didn’t have much appetite for dinner that night. I didn’t sleep very well.“What is the matter, Jim?” my uncle asked me at breakfast the next morning. “Why don’t you eat more?”“I don’t feel very well,” I said.I got back to Selfridge that afternoon. Nobody there had heard of my escapade.I ate a big dinner that evening.
Tom was flying in front of me to my left. We both had PW-8s. We were heading toward Uniontown, Pa. They were opening a field there. We were going to stunt for them. We were flying 7,000 feet high in a milky autumn haze. The rolling Ohio country beneath us was visible only straight down and out to an angle of about 45 degrees. Beyond that the earth mingled with the haze and was invisible.
I saw a town over the leading edge of my lower right wing. I recognized it as Akron, O. I pushed my stick forward and opened my throttle. I had always wanted to jazz the fraternity house in a high-powered fast ship.
Down I came. Roaring louder and louder. I couldn’t see a soul in the yard of the fraternity house.
I missed the house by inches as I pulled sharply out of my dive and zoomed almost vertically up for altitude. I looked back as I shot up into the sky. The yard was full of fellows.
I kicked over and nosed down at the house again. I came as close to it as I could without hitting it as I pulled back and thundered up into the air.
I nosed over into a third dive at the house. As I pulled up this time I kicked the ship into a double snap roll as I climbed. I didn’t look back. I just kept on climbing, heading for Uniontown. I overtook Tom a little while later.
On my return trip from Uniontown I was forced down at Akron owing to bad weather. Tom had gone back a day earlier than I. I was alone.
Friends of mine at the airport came up to me as I climbed out of my ship. They asked me if I had flown over Akron in a PW-8 a few days before. I said, “No. Why?” They showed me a clipping from a local newspaper. It said:
AIRMAN STARTLES AKRON—MANY LIVES ENDANGERED
At noon today a small fast biplane appeared over Akron and proceeded to throw the populace into a panic by performing a series of zooms and dives and perilous nose spins low over the business section of town. Onlookers said that the plane narrowly missed hitting the tops of the buildings and that it several times almost dove into the crowds in the streets.Hospital authorities complained to city officials that the plane roared low over the hospital, frightening many of their patients and endangering the lives of others. Other complaints have rolled in from all over the city.City officials told reporters that the name of the pilot is known. He was a former resident of Akron and was a student at Akron University. At present he is on duty with the Army Aviation Service. Officials said they had reported the outrageous act to the military authorities at the pilot’s home station.
At noon today a small fast biplane appeared over Akron and proceeded to throw the populace into a panic by performing a series of zooms and dives and perilous nose spins low over the business section of town. Onlookers said that the plane narrowly missed hitting the tops of the buildings and that it several times almost dove into the crowds in the streets.
Hospital authorities complained to city officials that the plane roared low over the hospital, frightening many of their patients and endangering the lives of others. Other complaints have rolled in from all over the city.
City officials told reporters that the name of the pilot is known. He was a former resident of Akron and was a student at Akron University. At present he is on duty with the Army Aviation Service. Officials said they had reported the outrageous act to the military authorities at the pilot’s home station.
“I wonder who that damned fool could have been,” I said as I handed the clipping back to my friends. I grinned.
I was staying with my uncle. I didn’t have much appetite for dinner that night. I didn’t sleep very well.
“What is the matter, Jim?” my uncle asked me at breakfast the next morning. “Why don’t you eat more?”
“I don’t feel very well,” I said.
I got back to Selfridge that afternoon. Nobody there had heard of my escapade.
I ate a big dinner that evening.