Captains of the Clouds Page #6

Give him your regards.

These are the civilian pilots

up from AMP for interview.

Thank you, Corporal Harley. That's all.

Well, I'm very glad to see you fellows.

Have a cigarette.

Sit down.

You've been sent up to training division

because of your lengthy experience.

There's Mr. Bradley and Mr. Hunter, airlines.

The rest of you, bush flying.

We fully realize how anxious all you chaps

are to get overseas for active combat flying.

In fact, if you weren't,

we wouldn't want you in the RCAF.

But you are wanted, I can assure you.

But pilots of your experience

will be invaluable in training younger men.

Men who are physically capable of taking

a 7 G dive without blacking out.

- Men who can retain consciousness...

- Just a minute, please.

- What kind of a runaround are you giving us?

- This is no runaround.

You're being offered to take

the service training course...

...and be a part of the British

Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

- I signed up because I wanted to fight.

- Yeah, me too.

None of this kindergarten-teacher stuff.

It seems to me

that we're being led up the garden path.

Thanks very much. Tell us where we can go

to become fighter pilots.

I'm afraid that's out of the question.

You see, you're too old.

We have no pilots

doing combat flying over 26.

I'm too old?

You're telling me I'm too old?

Listen, I've been flying the bush all winter.

That's no job for an old man.

Sorry, fellas.

I know exactly how you feel, but there it is.

You know how we feel.

What does a chair warmer

know about piloting a plane?

- Our exhaustive medical research has...

- Exhaustive medical bourgeois.

Why don't you turn the air force over

to the fliers, go back where you belong?

I can't, Mr. MacLean.

You see, my home was in Coventry.

I'm sorry.

That's all right.

But unfortunately, our medical research

is correct. I happen to know.

I may be what you regard

as a chair warmer now...

...but a few months ago, I was flying

with my squadron on fighter patrol...

...over the English Channel

at 30,000 feet.

I'm 28 years old.

Yet I'm too old for combat flying.

I found that out at Dunkirk.

I got on the tail

of a Messerschmitt 110.

He dived and I went after him

at about 500 mph.

I got quite close to him.

Just a mere kid, about 20 years old.

When he pulled out of the dive,

we must, both of us, have blacked out.

He was younger than I.

He came out of the blackout

about a second before I did.

Had his sights on me. Next thing I knew,

I was hurtling down, half my tail shot away.

I pulled the old umbrella...

...and I'm lucky enough

to be alive to tell the tale.

No, gentlemen, modern air fighting

is a young man's game.

All right, out of that truck.

Right up, men. Step lively.

Right up, come on.

I'll never get my arms up that high.

I have a feeling this is gonna

be my permanent address.

- You're gonna be buried here?

- Come along. Join the rest.

- That's it.

- Needles and hypos and books on the opera.

Left. Left. Left, right, left.

Heads up. Swing those arms high.

- Left.

- I don't like his attitude.

- It's your fault.

- What do you mean it's my fault?

You're too big for the planes...

...so they gotta keep marching us

till they wear your legs off.

Stop that gabbing!

- Left, right, left.

- I wonder if they stop for tea.

Left. Right.

Come on, men, bring it in there.

Close it up. Left, left.

All student instructors, report to me.

Now, listen, men.

I understand some of you

have thousands of hours' flying time.

Your instructor will have to treat you

as if you were beginners.

You're training to be instructors.

Therefore, you'll have to adapt yourself

to the RCAF manner of flying.

I know you'll all have the good sense

to accept this situation without resentment.

- Bohat?

- Sir.

Plane 77.

- MacLean?

- Sir.

Plane 42.

- Witchell?

- Yes, sir?

Plane 86.

- Lebec? Plane 14.

- Yes, sir.

- Murphy? Plane 15.

- Yes.

- Goloshoroy?

- Yes, sir.

Plane 45.

MacLean reporting, sir.

Well, Johnny.

What happened to the airline?

What are you doing here?

They're gonna make an instructor

out of me. But I have other plans.

What about Emily?

Well, what about her?

You gave up an unborn airline

for king and country, didn't you?

You walked out on her, is that it?

I guess you could call it that.

Or is it any of your business?

You're right.

It's not any of my business now.

Get in the front cockpit.

- Switches off, sir.

- Switches off.

- Gas on.

- Gas on.

- Suck in.

- Suck in.

Throttle set.

Throttle set.

This flight is to find out

how well you can fly.

Level off at 4000 feet

and I'll tell you what to do.

That will be nice.

- Contact, sir.

- Contact.

Make a 360-degree

slow turn to the right.

I thought we came up here to fly.

A slow turn to the right, MacLean.

Yes, sir.

- What lake a trip had you?

- What?

- Anything else you want me to show you?

- Yeah, a slow turn to the right.

You may be great circus flier,

but you have to learn to fly in formation.

Yes, sir.

Now, what was it you wanted me to do?

A slow turn to the right.

A slow turn to the right. Very good, sir.

Well, how do you like it?

Oh, exciting.

Isn't it?

Harris, B.E. He's your man, isn't he?

Yes, and he's all right. I'll pass him.

- Murphy. Francis Patrick Murphy.

- Better known as "Tiny." One of my men.

- I'm afraid it's a no vote.

- Anything definite?

Hits the bottle. Out?

Johnny, what about MacLean?

He's good,

but he can't explain how he does it.

His paperwork is adequate.

He's not the instructor type.

All he wants is to get across and fight.

Don't we all?

I'd hate to see him out of the service.

He can fly circles around anyone here.

Perhaps he'd make

a good staff pilot for Jarvis.

Yes, I think he would. Let's try him.

- How was that, sir?

- Oh, that was all right.

You did everything according to the rules,

which is fine in peacetime.

But in a war, it doesn't work out that way.

You've gotta get on top of your enemy.

Pick your time, close in,

let him have it.

You'll develop an instinct.

When you get it, use it.

Let's make another run, sir.

I've half a beltful left.

All right, we'll do one

starting at 800 feet. Right?

- Well, nice shooting, son.

- Do you really think so, sir?

Been chauffeuring target-splashers

for months and haven't seen better.

- Well, that's very encouraging to hear.

- Chief pilot's compliments.

May you report

to the new flight commander's office?

- Another one?

- Yes, sir.

- Write your name on the target tomorrow.

- Oh, thank you, sir.

Been paying respects to the new boss?

- What's he like? Spit-and-polish fanatic?

- No, seems regular.

That's strange coming from you.

- Flying Officer MacLean, sir.

- Hello.

Well, so you're the new boss.

- Following me around?

- I don't think I have to tell you.

If I could help it, I wouldn't

be in the same province.

I suppose you had a juicy account

of all my shortcomings from Richards?

How I undermine dial readers, telling them

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