The Great Waldo Pepper Page #2

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it really makes Axel

feel appreciated,

if when he's done,

assuming he's alive,

there's a reward waiting.

In Wichita folks

gave $15 to $20

just to see a crash

like this, up close.

But you all decide,

whatever you like,

I'll take it.

Thank you. Thank you.

They love it, Axel!

They're good people!

Now, down to

the pond, everybody.

That's the best spot

to see it from.

Thank you.

Be sure and give

the captain

a nice round

of applause

when he's finished.

It just means

the world to him,

knowing you care.

Hey, you!

Come back here!

Come back here!

That was a mistake.

What?

He shouldn't have

taken off his gun.

Why not?

Arabs behind those rocks.

You like movies?

Mmm-hmm.

If the clothes is nice.

Is this your sweater?

Uh-huh.

No, no!

Don't worry. Don't worry.

You know what I'd do

if I was him?

What?

Throw sand

in their eyes,

blind 'em.

And you could tell

It was Kessler,

because he had a black

and yellow plane,

it had three wings

and looked like a wasp.

Oh, that could

sting you, you mean?

And he had...

Huh?

Right.

Aw!

And he had the name

of his girlfriend, Lola,

painted along the side

of the plane.

Honest?

Yeah.

Oh, that would've

been the highlight

of my life.

Seeing my very

own name flyin'

through the...

Oh, there's Axel.

Hi, Axel!

My goodness,

he's hurt himself again.

Poor thing.

Hi, honey.

Axel, what happened

to you?

Oh, it's a long story.

Don't tell me.

I'll be too upset.

I want you to meet

a friend of mine,

now, he's a pilot, too,

and he's been telling me

one exciting thing

after another.

Waldo, this is Axel.

Axel, this is Waldo Pepper.

Smile, son,

never disconcert

the masses.

Oh,

why don't you

sit down, dear?

Oh, I can't hardly believe it.

Me sittin' here

with two aces.

Well, why don't you

tell him about

when you fought

the black and

yellow German.

No, no, he wasn't...

He wasn't black

and yellow, Mary Beth.

His plane was.

That's right.

And it had "Lola"

written on it.

Lola was Kessler's

truest love.

- Ernst Kessler?

- Uh-huh.

You fought Ernst Kessler?

He sure did.

And was it ever exciting.

Just wait 'til you hear it.

Go ahead, tell him, Waldo.

No. Later.

Later, maybe.

No, please.

No.

Do it, Waldo.

Kessler could have

killed Waldo,

but he let him go

on account of Waldo's

guns jamming.

When Kessler

and Waldo tangled,

Kessler had such

respect for Waldo,

that he just

gave him a salute

and off he went.

That must've

been some thrill.

Uh, well,

it went by so fast.

But looking back on it,

I guess I'd have to say

it was kind of exciting.

Oh, he's just

being modest, Axel.

That was a very

dangerous thing.

That German had

already shot down

four other planes

before Waldo

could stop him.

Landis, Swaab,

Curtin, McKinnon.

Right, and...

How did you know?

Because they were

with me in the 14th

Scouts, Mary Beth.

And when they took off

that morning,

I didn't see

any Waldo Pepper

taking off with them.

You didn't?

There was five of 'em

in the flight.

Kessler shot down four,

but he let the flight

leader live.

His name was

Captain Frank Madden.

He died in combat only

a couple of months later.

I don't get it.

You've been sitting here

with a four-flusher,

Mary Beth.

He's been telling

you stories,

getting you drunk,

so he can work

his way with you.

Come on.

It should've been me.

Ladies

and gentlemen...

It is my pleasure,

as the head

of the Dillhoefer

Flying Circus,

to present to you,

on his first

and his foremost

and his final tour

of America,

the greatest flyer,

the most courageous

ace of aces,

the most foolhardy

aerial stunt performer

in this entire

civilized world,

the black knight

of Germany,

Ernst Kessler!

Goddamn Kraut!

All right now!

He's made his turn

out there, ladies

and gentlemen.

And now, he's coming back.

So keep your eyes on him.

He's about to perform

a spectacular victory roll!

Thank you.

What are you

doin' here, Ezra?

It'll be a monoplane.

Here he comes, now,

gaining speed vertically.

A monoplane?

You mean to tell me

you're building me

a plane with only one wing?

Oh, I thought you'd like

to know, the bi-plane

Is as dead as a dodo bird.

And now he comes,

gaining speed. Pulling up!

And there it is.

It's a roll

going straight up

into the heavens.

And now he comes

out of it on the top.

In case you

hadn't noticed, Ezra,

that was a biplane.

Exactly, it's an antique.

Another

death-defying maneuver!

Monoplanes fall apart.

Mine is cantilevered,

it can't fall apart.

They can't pull high Gs.

Absolutely untrue!

It's unstable and

unmaneuverable and...

And they can't do that.

When we were 10,

who built a glider

that flew a 176 feet

off the top of

the Johnson barn?

You did.

And who busted his butt

jumping out of a second

story window

with a parachute

made of bed sheets?

I did.

Then don't lecture me

on aerodynamics.

Was I lecturing you?

You were.

He's going

now for altitude,

ladies and gentlemen.

That means...

It really is a brilliant

concept, Waldo.

Wait a minute.

Let go of that.

DILLHOEFER Okay.

Now, here's something

to tell your grandchildren.

At an altitude

of 3,000 feet,

the only man alive today

to do 10 full,

complete revolutions

without a crash,

the death spin

of Ernst Kessler!

Now, look, Waldo,

you're worried

about maneuverability.

Look at the size

of that aileron...

Shut up!

Huh?

Four!

Five!

Six!

Seven!

Eight!

Hurry up!

You're running

out of room.

Nine!

Ten!

He is the best, isn't he?

You can beat him, Waldo.

In my monoplane.

Here he is, folks.

He's coming in to land.

The greatest aviator

in the world.

Ernst Kessler!

Ladies and gentlemen,

a short intermission,

during which time,

for a nominal fee...

Have you test

flown it yet?

As soon as it

gets an engine.

I got a line on

a surplus Liberty.

All it takes is money.

Here, I got lucky

last week.

Then that'll do

for a down payment.

Don't worry.

I'll get more.

All right.

Mr. Dillhoefer.

Yeah.

I'd like to

introduce myself.

I'm Waldo Pepper.

Please to meet you, Pepper,

but the answer is no.

I thought

we might discuss...

The answer's still no.

Look, I know

who you are.

You're a damn

good pilot. Right?

But barnstorming ain't

what it used to be.

So, now you want a job

in my Flying Circus.

But do you got an act?

No! Right.

Well, the answer's no,

unless you got an act.

Look up there.

Do you think

that pack of jackals

want to see a good pilot?

They want blood.

Sudden death is

my business, Pepper,

not good pilots.

Wait a sec,

give me a chance,

would you please?

Ah, come on.

I'll give you

the same deal

I give everybody else.

Now, I'm gonna

lose the Kraut

to a Western outfit

at the end

of this month.

That means

there's an act free.

Now, you dream up a stunt

where people think

you're gonna die.

No. Where people are

sure you're gonna die,

and I'll take you on.

You might try wing-walking.

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