Bombardier Page #4

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an electrically operated plumb bomb,

dropped at the proper instant

to hit the moving target.

Bombs away.

Bingo.

How high is

this supposed to be, sir?

8,000 feet.

Oh.

Bombs away.

9 degrees left drift.

They look fine, Chick.

Hello, Buck.

What are you doing here?

Don't you feel well?

Ground fever, swollen arches,

and general lassitude due to

inactivity and lack of companionship.

You won't be lonesome long.

You'll be doing what everybody

else is doing, working.

Buck, this time no fireworks, behave

yourself. You mean I'll be flying

again? Yep, we need pilots.

You mean you need

good pilots for this outfit.

You've poured ground knowledge into

these boys, but in the air,

parrots aren't eagles.

In the air, you'll follow orders. On

a bombing run, you'll follow the

orders of the Bombardier.

I'll follow them to the letter, sir.

If you don't,

I'll break you down

to what O for Oliver

really stands for - zero.

Student Jordan, Peter.

Fight A, altitude 4,00,

estimated circular air 236 feet.

Nervous, poor coordination,

bad procedure.

Borderline case.

Recommend check for elimination.

Jordan, you've got to think,

concentrate. The bombsight

can't do everything for you.

Pilots to Bombardier. Yes, sir.

You having difficulties, son?

There must be something wrong

with the sight, sir, or me.

I can't get my course set up.

Guess we'd better call it a dry run.

Student Carter, James.

Always calm and relaxed.

Decisive, excellent coordination,

excellent procedure.

Bombardier to pilot, ready to

adjust automatic flight control.

Right.

Sure you wouldn't rather be a pilot?

No, thanks.

You've been showing

promise with your flying lessons -

a transfer might be arranged.

Thanks just the same,

I hope to be a Bombardier, sir.

You missed it by 50 feet - it would

have been right down the pickle

barrel if you'd killed your drift.

Would that get a battleship?

Sure, it'd sink one. Well...

Student Harris, Paul. Very timid.

Instructor attributes

poor bombing to fear.

Recommend change of instructor

before checking for elimination.

I think we're far enough upwind.

Release the flare.

Flare away.

Bomb away.

Mister, I often wonder what

you think about when you turn

them loose - you look scared stiff.

The flick of a finger,

100 pounds of dynamite,

500 or a ton if you like,

just by moving a finger.

Yeah, that's the idea.

What's the matter - afraid those

bombs will jump back up and bite you?

No, sir, I'm not afraid,

not in the way people

usually think of being afraid.

We go by the records here, Mr Harris.

Now, you've got three bombs left,

you'd better make them good.

Release another flare.

Flare away.

That flare didn't clear us -

it's caught on our tail.

There's a flare caught on the tail.

Get back there and see what you

can do.

Pilot to crew, pilot to crew -

standby for an emergency.

What is it? It's caught on our tail.

I'll take a chance, sir, if someone

will hold my feet and swing me.

Get a rope. Yes, sir.

Hold my feet.

You'll never guess who did it.

Who? Harris.

Harris? Yep. You know I'll never

savvy that kid - I guess I had

him pegged for the wrong colour.

I appreciate your confidence,

Mr Harris, in showing us these

letters from your mother.

Any man who can do what you did

last night, any man with your

brilliant ground school record...

by theory should become

an excellent Bombardier...

..and yet your bombing average

is one of the lowest in your class.

Yes, sir.

I keep trying, sir,

but when I look at the target,

I see people...women and children.

Those letters...she says

I'm making myself a murderer.

Have you've been reading

the newspapers lately, Paul?

Yes, sir. Well, my philosophy

has always been to turn

the other cheek,

but I'm afraid we've

almost run out of cheeks.

I believe in peace

as much as your mother and

these organisations she belongs to.

Peace isn't as cheap a bargain,

Paul, as the price those people

put on it.

Those people lock themselves up

in a dream world.

You see, there are millions of other

mothers who are looking to you,

boys like you,

to destroy

the very forces of murder that your

mother mistakenly attributes to you.

The enemy's targets are everywhere,

but yours are clear and confined -

not women and children but

their arsenals for spreading death.

That's why the American Bombardiers

are trained to hit the target.

There's a little prayer for that,

Paul -

God give me not the spirit

of fear but of power and of love

for the oppressed,

a sound mind and a clear eye.

God, make me a good Bombardier that

I may destroy the poison in this cup

and quench the violence of fire and

overcome the false gods who make war

with the Lamb,

for He is the Lord of Lord

and King of Kings, and they who are

with him are called and chosen...

..and faithful.

Student Connors, Joseph.

Hospitalised with broken ribs

sustained in line of duty.

Unless released for flying duty

immediately, recommend that

student be set back a class.

What are the rumours about

Joe Connors being washed out?

The man's in the hospital. But I'm

not in the hospital, sir, I'm here.

How did you get out of the

hospital? By doctor's orders, sir.

I told Cadet Connors

he could take a little exercise...

..but I didn't mean

walking down the wall.

Excuse me, please,

I'm looking for Mamie Foster.

Excuse me, please,

I'm looking for Mamie Foster.

Mamie! Mamie!

Hello.

Hello! How do you do?

I am Chito Rafferty, and from Mamie

Foster, I receive this note tied

to my parachute. Did you write this?

Yes, I wrote that. It's a joke.

It's not a good joke, and from a

nice young girl, it's a terrible

joke. What are you doing tonight?

What? I'll meet you

at the PX at 20 o'clock. What?

Why you say what? Can't you say yes?

Yes. Hasta la vista, 20 o'clock.

Student Rafferty, Ignacius.

Frequent deficiency ground school,

unable to determine cause.

Recommend change of instructors.

Rafferty, you have very good

coordination between your mind,

your eyes and your hands,

but if you could only get

over this air sickness.

Oh, it isn't air sickness.

I got things on my mind.

Student Hughes, Thomas.

Ground school very satisfactory,

frequent air sickness partially

due to air turbulence,

also have reason to believe air

sickness caused by fear.

Pilot to Bombardier,

on course and level - your ship.

Where does he think he's taking us?

I don't know.

Pilot to Bombardier, where

are you heading, bub?

The target's 30 degrees left.

It's not me, sir -

I haven't touched the control.

Cut off your bombsight.

Not that.

Hey, what's going on here?

Captain Oliver, he's always

kidding...I hope.

8134 to Bombardier radio.

8134 to Bombardier radio.

Mayday, Mayday.

8134, go ahead. Ship out of

control, automatic pilot haywire.

Control's locked, ship in 20-degree

bank, no immediate danger.

Tower to 8134, Roger.

Standby on tower frequency,

we'll contact Major Davis.

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