WAR FLYING
WAR FLYING
BY A PILOT
THE LETTERS OF “THETA” TO HIS HOME PEOPLE
WRITTEN IN TRAINING AND IN WAR
_And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky._--CAMPBELL.
BOSTON
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
1917
THESE--
FROM “THETA” TO HIS MOTHER
PREFACE
This little volume of “Theta’s” letters to his home people is offered
in the hope that it may prove useful, and not for glory or reward. The
Royal Flying Corps in war-time works in secret. Many of our gallant
lads would gladly become pilots if they knew how to set to work, and,
approximately, what they would have to face. When “Theta” decided to
try to enter the service he had nothing to go on save a determination
to “get there” and a general idea of the difficulty of achieving his
purpose. His careless and unstudied notes, written at odd moments in
the work of training and of war, do show how a public-schoolboy may
become a flying officer and how he may fare thereafter. Names, dates,
and places, about which the Censor might have concern, have been
concealed, and extraneous matters have been omitted. The letters are a
cheery and light-hearted record, and may stimulate others. From first
to last they have not contained a grumble.
It should be understood, however, that the experiences of the writer
must not be taken as typical of those of all pilots at the front. The
R.F.C. has different squadrons for different duties, and different
types of machines suited to the nature of those duties. In the faster
type of machine it is possible to do better and more dangerous work,
and, even in one’s own squadron, the duties of a colleague may have
been more onerous and more trying than those described. In a fighting
squadron the pilot may have almost daily combats in the air; in
another, he may have very long and very trying reconnaissance work.
“Compared with that of some squadrons,” writes “Theta,” “our work is
pleasant.”
_November 26, 1916._
CONTENTS
PAGE
ORDERED OVERSEAS (AFTER KIPLING) 17
INTRODUCTORY
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IDEA 23
BOOK I
_IN TRAINING_
I. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE 33
EARLY IMPRESSIONS 33
MY FIRST FLYING LESSON 34
ON GOING “SOLO” 38
TAKING A TICKET 41
FIRST CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT 44
II. SOME EPISODES: AND A “CRASH” 47
III. FROM PASSENGER TO PILOT 53