Evening star., 1942-07-23
Hiqhrood to Britoin
mo. ; OF q Series. J
BY DON WHITEHEAD,

WIDE World.
AN AIR BASE SOMEWHERE IN
NEWFOUNDLAND, July % - The
fighting pledge of the United Ma
tions' forces stationed here is this: :
Well get things done, we'll
make things hum,
Wen send you ships to Brit
ain;
And if these dam things can't
be done,
Well all be off to quittin'."
They're not quitting. They're
sending ships to Britain through
this wilderness station in great
f1ocks.
Five years ago this was a wild.
desolate region of rock and scrub
pine and spruce forest. Now it's
one of the largest airports in the
world. From the lonely outpost
the planes take off for the last leg
of the journey to England-a 1000
mile fight.
Some day this place may become
An important stopping place for
commercial transatlantic aviation.
That was the purpose when the
British started it. Now it's the
rendezvous for the bombers headed
east.
Around the flying field, the ham
garS and administration buildings,
new construction is under way, Run
ways are being heightened greatly.
New buildings are going up. Trac-
n nf
thin, rocky soil.
Anti-aircraft guns point their
snouts into the sky from strategic
locations. Machine gun nests ring
the field. Canadian and American
troops stand guard everywhere. To
walk across the runways is forbid
den: the guards shoot first and ask
questions later.
Commander Unsympathetic.
Just before we arrived here. an
RAF lieutenant started across a
runway at dusk. A sentry chal-
lenged him and then opened fire.
The lieutenant complained to his
commanding officer.
Did the shot hit you?" the off,
Ger asked.
No"
Then I shall see that the guard
gets some additional target prac-
tice." was the curt reply.
Just now the sun doesn't fall over
the horizon until II pm, and it's
up again five hours later, SO that
the little airport city never seems
to sleep. The several thousand
British, Americans, Canadians and
Observation-Disclosures here have no
where to go and nothing much to
do except work. Time means little.
The days of the week run together
into the months until some can
hardly tell you the date.
While it seems so near the fight
ing fronts, news of the war is scarce
ly heard. Few newspapers arrive,
and commercial radio reception is
poor due to atmospheric conditions
so the people live in a tight, iso-
lated little world of their own, where
the big topic is planes.
Here the bombers get their final
check and fueling for the long hop.
AS each ship lands from an air
dlrome somewhere in Canada a crew
OF expert mechanics gives it final,
thorough going over to make sure
everything is in perfect condition.
No ship lelaves the ground until
the chief maintenance engineer
gives his okay.
While the mechanics are at work
and tanks are being filled with
gasoline the pilots and crews get
the latest weather reports and map
their flight plans on the basis of
prevailing wind and cloud condi-
tons.
Pilot Picks Time for Jump.
No one ever orders a ferry pilot
TO take off at given time or on
certain date. Each pilot makes his
own decision about when to leave,
for he is considered the best Judge
OF the range OF his ship, the gas
load, fuel consumption and other
things with which he must con-
tend once he gets out over the At
lantic. This is an important factor
In the low rate or ships lost by the
Royal Air Force Ferry Command.
Usually, however, the flyers ac-
cept without question the forecasts
of the meteorologists here and at
Montreal, who have been studying
Atlantic weather for years.
But when the weather closes in
and the flights are Cancelled. then
the pilots gather at the inn or at
the home of friend to swap stories
Of their flights.
Most of the civilian pilots with
the RAF Ferry Command are
Americans, like Clyde Pangborn.
Duke Schiller of Onawa. Iowa. Big
Tom Smith Of Atlanta. Ga: serious
Bob Leroy OF Los Angeles, Jack
Terry of Clarksdale, Miss: Bob
Cofman Of Baton Rouge and Earl
Ortman of Los Angeles.
The majority are married and
live with their families in or near
Montreal. They're the flying elite.
since they draw $1,000 each month
during the first year of service
Sl,l00 the second and $1,000 the
third year. But some of them see
the time coming when the civilian
pilots will be replaced by Canadian
and British servicemen. A great
many already are being trained for
the job.
Most OF the civilian pilots are a
dashing, carefree lot. They plav
hard between trips. although some
live AS quietly as ultra conservative
businessmen. They try TO think of
themselves as ordinary folk, but
they aren't.
There's Duke Schiller, for exam
pie. Dukes 40. He's considered
too old for combat duty but not for