The Sound Barrier Page #6

future out there, all right.

- Nice hobby you've got here.

- Passes the time.

- Well, good night.

- Tony?

- You hardly knew Christopher, did you?

- Well, just that one night.

Susan blames me for his death, doesn't she?

Oh, that you needn't answer. I know she does.

I just wondered if you blame me too.

You can tell me the truth, I can take it.

Do you, Tony?

No.

Hm. Well, good night, Tony boy.

Happy landings for tomorrow.

Piece of cake.

Oh, sorry, darling. I

didn't mean to wake you.

- You're very late, Tony.

- I've been gassing with the old man.

Are you flying tomorrow?

Just the usual bumble around.

- What time?

- Three o'clock.

- I'll see that film at the Palace.

- Mm.

It's a good one, I hear.

- Darling?

- Mm-hm?

Do you mind if we call him John?

I think I do.

- Good night.

- Good night, my love.

- Pity.

- What?

- That I didn't meet you ten years ago.

- Why?

I'd have had ten years longer

of being married to you.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Tony?

Oh, Tony.

Crash crew, this is Control,

testing. How do you hear me?

Roger. Stand by in crash

position on runway 2-0.

- Good afternoon.

- Hello.

Ridgefield Tower from Glass

Jar 1-0. Clear for take-off?

1-0. Clear to go.

Roger.

Ridgefield Tower, this is Glass Jar 1-0.

I'm going up to 40,000 and dive her first

at a Mach number of about 0.95 or 0.96.

- Roger, 1-0. - Coming

in over the airfield now.

1-0 to Tower. Flying level. 30,000 feet.

Conditions pretty near perfect.

Visibility unlimited.

I'm going up another ten to 40,000.

40,000, straight and level.

Outside air temperature, 50 below.

Revs 12.5, ASl 380 knots.

OK, here we go.

0.90.

No buffeting, trim correct, increasing speed.

Nine four.

Nine five.

Buffeting, nose-heavy, trimming back.

Port wing dropping. Air

brakes open. Throttling back.

OK. At that speed, nothing serious.

Behaviour normal, apart from nosing down.

Right, I'm going up to 40,000

feet again for the full go.

Hello, Tony, this is Will. Did you correct

that nose-heavy trim before opening air brakes?

All right, Will, you old hen. Everything

you said would happen did happen.

All in order, don't fuss.

What about your nose-heavy

trim? Did you correct?

Of course I corrected. I told you

I was climbing again, didn't I?

OK, 40,000. Straight and level.

All set.

Hang on a minute.

Here we go. This is it.

Nine-five.

Buffeting. Nose heavy.

Trimming back.

Nine-six.

Nine-seven.

Nine-eight.

25,000. Very nose-heavy.

Air brakes open.

The controls don't respond! I can't hold her!

Nine-nine!

- Still no response!

- Bail out.

It's coming up to Mach One!

Bail out. Bail out.

Tony!

Crash, square able 7.

Get back!

- Why did you come here?

- I wanted to.

I wanted to.

Halt!

Here, you'd better sit down.

- Is... Is Father here?

- No.

He was here for an hour

or more, but he's gone now.

Oh, Will.

I don't know what to say to you,

Susie, love. I don't know what to say.

I can't go on, of course. I've had

my fill of designing aeroplanes.

Still I don't know where it

went wrong. I can't fathom it.

Oh, I suppose I've got too old.

What are you going to do?

I don't know. I... hadn't thought.

- I must go somewhere, I think.

- No, Susie love, please, don't.

I'm thinking of JR. I know how things are

between you, but don't leave him alone now.

Not for a bit, anyway.

I must go now, Will.

Please don't blame yourself.

Tony knew... he was up against

something he couldn't beat.

Come on, I'd better take you home.

All set.

Hang on a minute.

Here we go. This is it.

Nine-five.

Buffeting. Nose-heavy.

Trimming back.

Nine-six.

Nine-seven.

Nine-eight.

Down to 25,000. Very nose-heavy.

Air brakes open.

The controls don't respond. I can't hold her!

Nine nine!

Still no response.

- Bail out.

- Coming up to Mach One!

Bail out. Bail out!

- Sue.

- Jess.

Get Dr Peyton, Philip.

Come along, we'll go upstairs.

- It is a boy, isn't it?

- Yes.

Oh, it's Tony.

Oh.

- Name this child.

- John Anthony.

John Anthony, I baptise you

in the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost, amen.

Now, smile, please.

He's here. The car's outside.

Oh dear, I hoped he wouldn't.

Oh, don't panic, Jess.

Ah, how do you do?

- Well, hello, Sue.

- Hello, Father.

Hello, young fella.

- Did you christen him Tony?

- No, John.

It was what Tony wanted.

Hm. He's a fine baby.

Yes, isn't he?

- Oh, Sir John, can I tempt you to this?

- Oh, thank you. It's a charming house you have.

Glad you like it, Sir John.

I haven't had a chance yet

of congratulating you, Father.

Mm. Quite a surprise.

- I hear the new airliner's is a great success.

- Mm. We hope so.

Now, here's a small present for... John.

Thank you.

The Chinaman, he says, "Me no likey

plitty lady. Me likey plitty drinky. "

- Hello, Will.

- Hello, JR.

Delighted to see you looking better.

- How was Bognor?

- Oh, very restful, very quiet.

- I'm glad you're back.

- I'm not back.

Oh.

Well, when you're at Bognor, you might

have a look at this. I'd like your views.

- Byfield's work?

- Yes.

- What's his idea in that?

- To increase stability.

The way I see it, JR, a good aircraft has... It's

got to have something sort of... inevitable about it.

Now, look. This thing could be changed

a hundred different ways. For example...

Do you know what you are,

JR? You're a vile seducer.

Oh, by the way, I hear you've

made a... new Prometheus.

- What's the idea?

- It's too good an aircraft to lose, Will.

It's the best that came out

of England since the war.

- No. It failed, JR.

- It wasn't the aircraft that failed, Will.

Now, you come and see me on Monday.

Well, this may not be the time to tell you,

but I've been watching your work very closely,

and now Makepeace is leaving us, I've

decided to promote you to chief test pilot.

- Oh, thank you, Sir John.

- In the firm, I'm still known as JR.

- Take up the new Prometheus tomorrow.

- Yes, JR.

Take her up every day for the next few weeks.

No specific tests, just get used to her.

- Right.

- Goodbye and thank you. A charming party.

Oh, and Peel? Not above Mach

9.0, until further orders.

- Philip?

- I think so.

Hello, darling.

Come on. Up we get.

- Has John been good?

- Yes. He doesn't seem to mind the noise at all.

- Jess?

- Mm-hm?

You've both been very good to me here. I don't

think you'll ever realise how grateful I am.

Why this all of a sudden?

I think I've got that flat in London.

Oh dear, I'm sorry. We

shall both miss you terribly.

I shall miss you.

Couldn't you find something

a little nearer here?

I don't want him to grow up in

the shadow of his grandfather.

Come on, darling.

- Why not stick the nose on the tail?

- I'll stick your nose on your tail.

- Will?

- What?

Is it possible that at the speed

of sound, the controls are reversed?

At the speed of sound,

Philip, anything's possible.

Why?

During the war once, I put a

Spitfire into a flat-out dive.

No particular reason,

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