MEN WITH WINGS

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 34, 3 February 1939, Page 21

MEN WITH WINGS

The_ TEcxNicALIE QF The BASED On Picture 2 35 PASEAMOUaE NAME 30 5 5

-EoIooOOr-"~---sMGaOs"rrtrlmh heer. SYNOPSIS: The maelstrom of war shuffled lives rapidly and strangely, and its effect on Peggy Ranson, orphan, and her two best friends, Scott Barnes, aeroplane designer, and Pat Falconer, combat pilot with the French air forces, approached tragedy. Raised in the town of Underwood, Maryland, together, the children became interested in flying even before her father died testing a ship of his own design in 1904. Scott and Pat were progressing in their flying in 1914 when J.-A. Nolan, aeroplane builder, gave them jobs. Pat lost his, rushed off to France, leaving Peggy with the knowledge that she loved him. The United States declared war, and the shock killed Peggy’s mother, Scott was given a commission in the United States Army, sent to Washington to design planes, ° CHAPTER V. N a manner known only to himself, Lieutenant Scott Barnes, of the United States Signal Corps, secured the exelusive services of Joe Gibbs, mechanic, who had toiled faithfully with him under the Nolan regime. Both men found themselves at Bolling Field, in Washington. working on ships which Scott had designed, and checking motor performances. They were both dirty, exhausted. one night as they worked over one of the new Liberty motors in a canvas hangar. Joe was just suggesting taking" the motor to his barracks so that he could work on it in his sleep when an orderly entered and saluted Scott. "Lootenant Barnes,’ he _ said, ‘there’s a dame---a lady--outside fiat wants to see you." Scott gave him a startled look. He turned to Joe. "Be back in a minute," he said. He went outside the hangar and, as his eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness, he saw a woman standing in the shadows, The next instant he realised that it was Peggy, attired in a trim little uniform and a service cap. He rushed to her with a glad cry of welcome, "T’ve only got a minute between trains," Peggy explained, quickly. "J had to come up here and say good-bye. I’m going over with a unit of telephone operators." "Isn’t--this rather-sudden?" Scott asked. He took her arm and_ they walked deeper into the shadows. "} had the chance," she: replied. "There’s nothing to keep me at home now."

Scott gave her a knowing glance, "and you'll see Pat," he finished. "Give him my love." " will," she promised. They talkea for a few moments longer. "I’ve got to go now," Peggy said, finally. "Is there any rule against an officer kissing a private good-bye?" "I’ve got grease on my face," Scott protested. "I aon’t care." He took her in his arms, kissed her gently. "Tt seems like the whole world’s saying good-bye now, doesn’t it?" she asked. Scott said nothing. She turned quickiy, ran to a waiting taxicab, elimbed in, closed the door, Scott continued to stare after her, then whirled, walked rapidly past the hangar. He:-heard Joe call after him, didn’t pause. He went directly to his quarters, spent the night trying te sleep, failed. The next morning, more worn and tired than ever, he faced his commandant, Colonel Hadley, in the latter’s offices at headquarters. The colonel asked him what he wanted. "As soon as I test this ship, sir," Scott replied, "I’d like to be assigned to service in France." : Colonel. Hadley stared at him. "Have you lost your’ mind?" he demanded. "No, sir." "You sound fike it, For every ten thousand fighting pilots we have one man with your ability. . What’s your reason?" , "It’s-ah-it’s a private matter," Scott faltered. ‘ «Well, your agreement with your country is a public matter," the colonel snapped. . "Yes, sir." Scott Barnes went back to his work. Soon he was. back in a cockpit, his disappointment swallowed. his job the most important . thing in the world to him-on. the ‘surface. He sent a-.test ship to six thousand feet. Then, coolly and calmly, he throttled back the motor, pulled the stick to his stomach and sent it into a spin. Savagely he whipsawed it back and forth, punishing it brutally. Beneath, a group of. officers watched the. mad gyrations of the ship which seemed to.Jeap in the air like a hreoked tuna. Among them was Corporal Joseph Gibbs, chilled with apprehension, his eyes glued on the stunting plane, Lower

and lower it came, faster and faster, its wires screaming, motor roaring. Then, just when everyone was sure that Scott would crash, he levelled the ship, sent it into a terrific whipstall. For a moment it seemed to hang in the air by its propeller. Then it fell off on one wing. Suddenly, the leading edge of the right upper wing shattered under the strain, wood and cloth spewed and plumed behind. The ship went into a second spin, began tearing itself to pieces. Those below saw Scott start side slipping toward the _ ground, keeping control and using his good wing. For a while it looked as if he’d make it, and that the -men who raced across the field, and the ambulance, with gong clanging, wouldn’t be needed. Then, 30 feet above the ground, the battered wing collapsed. The ship went out of control. Scott saw that nothing more could be done, whipped off his goggles, cut

the ignition switch and braced himself, The ship crashed, sending up a cloud of dust, folding like an accordion. It was Joe who got to Scott first, heard him say: "You've got to reinforce that leading edge with plywood." "Yeah," said Joe, as the stretcher-bearers arrived. "Work on it alone. Don’t let anyone else fly it. Pat would have brought it in without any wings on it,’ Scott was saying when unconsciousness overtook him. And Pat, the last person Scott thought about as his head fell limply against Joe Gibbs’s shoulder, was late for a date. The date was in the lobby of the Paris Y.W.C.A,, and it was with Peggy, who looked lonely and unhappy. Two of her comrades, escorted by baggy-breeched "gold bricks," gave her pitying looks. "You’d better come with us," said one. "I’m sure Jimmy could handle two girls for a couple of hours." As Peggy shook her head, the other advised:

"You’re crazy to wait for an aviator, Peggy. They’re harder to get than generals." There was laughter, and Peggy was turning away as Sous-Lieuten-ant Patrick Falconer of the French Air Force entered the lobby. On his immaculate horizon-blue uniform shone his wings, the Croix de Guerre with five palms, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medaille Militaire, A kepi was raked over one eye. His boots and belt gleamed with polish.’ As the two friends of Peggy stared at him with awe and wonder, he spotted Peggy, called happily: "Hi-soldier!" "Pat!" came Peggy’s glad cry. They ran together. Pat took her in his arms. Both groped for words, couldn’t find them in that moment of ecstatic reunion. "Pat-I can’t cry in this lobby!" Peggy gasped tremulously, after a minute. ° "T can’t either," he replied. "Let’s get out of here." He took her arm and they hur: ried from the lobby, now filled with envious, gaping girls. For a while they walked under the dark, serene sky. Then, eerily, with an unearthly quality, the air-raid sirens wailed. Searchlights fingered the night. Lights vanished, machineguns hammered into the sky. The first bomb roared hollowly, far away. The night was lit by the, explosion. On all sides of Pat and Peggy, people, prodded and helped by gendarmes, raced for sand-bagged underground shelters. Men and women with drinks in their hands raced from a bar. Pat pointed to it. "Let's go in there," he said. They did-and found champagne, which they drank. A bomb blasted close, shook the huilding -and Peggy. "You know," said Pat, "no mat. ter where you go, Peggy-if your number comes up-you'll get it. I’d rather get it in a bar than the Y.W.G.A. Drink your champagne. It’s good'for that nervous feeling." She did as he told her. Suddenly she laughed. "Tt feel happy, Pat!" she ex claimed. "Tell me-do they bar bombs-I mean bomb bars?" "Not often, They bomb the rivers to spoil the drinking water." "Frenchmen don’t drink water -they drink wine!" — "Sh!" warned Pat. "The Germans don’t know that!" They laughed uproariously as

"MEN WITH WINGS" (Continued from previous page.)

*T want to go .outside," Peggy said. "Very well." Together they went out into the deserted streets, paying no attention to the death which rained from the skies, the wild havoc in the night above. "You're never afraid, are you?" Peggy asked. "No; are you?" he countered. "Yes." Peggy nodded solemnly. "Afraid of being alone, afraid of being unhappy, afraid of life," "TI was afraid of one thing," he admitted. "That I’d never see you again." "Pm glad you said that, because I haven’t anything to be afraid ofnow." They walked along, unmindful of more bomb explosions, the horizon reddened by the thunderous blasts. ‘J wender what Scotty’s doing to-night?" Pat asked, when there was momentary quiet. . "He sent you his love," said Peggy. "What about you?" "1 brought mine," she confessed. She lifted her face up to his. Tears shone in her eyes. For an instant, Pat looked at her wonderingly. Then he took her in his arms, kissed her, Far across the Atlantic, in a hospital in Washington, Scott Barnes lay in bed, propped up by pillows. His ankles were in casts. The casts were suspended from the ceiling by weights and pulleys. He was busy clipping 2 pieture of Pat from a newspaper. The Picture showed Pat being decorated for bravery by a French general, . Corporal Joseph Gibbs entered the room, clutching a sad bunch of flowers. "Your ship’s warmed up," he said, solemnly. "Lootenant Blake is gonna fiy it in an hour." Scott sat bolt upright in the bed. "Let me out of here!" he snapped, "I’m the ouiy cas at. flies that ship!" Joe, understanding his desire, cut the ropes which held his ankles aloft, bundled him vp, carried him pick-a-back to the street, -loaded him into a motor-cycle sidecar and drove him to Bolling Field. He put him in the cockpit of the plane. Scott took the ship off the ground, tested it to perfection. Colonel Hadley was startled to find it in the air. "Who’s flying that ship?" he de--manded of Joe. "Sir, the Wright brothers, Lilienthal, Bleriot, Immelman, Richtofen, Guynemer, Pat Falconerand Lootenant Scott Barnes!" Joe replied, proudly. CHAPTER VI. November 11, 1918, was a redletter day in the life of Hiram Jenkins, of the Underwood "Daily Record. " First of all, he had a great story; the World War, with .its .sorrow, its suffering and its separations, was ended, and he had played the- story properly ‘on the front page for once. Second, as he looked up from his desk he Saw a familiar figure advancing toward him, grinning, He jumped .to his feet, threw’ his arms about _ the stalwart man. "Why, Scott!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from?" . "Just flew in. Landed out on ‘our old cow pasture," the aviator--plane designer replied. "Ain’t you through with the -Army?" Hiram asked. "Not for a white," Scott informed him. ‘Y’ve been transferred to the air-mail run between New York and Washington. I’m ‘On my way ,to New York now to go to wor Hiram abbed his hands together. "Yd rather be a newspaperman than a mailman, but it’s good story "anyway. TH do a couple of col-

umns, I’ve got it! Local boy to fly air mail!" He suggested that Scott stay in Underwood for a while, now that the tension was leaying the world, and rest. But Scott told him he had to report for duty. They were discussing their skill at checkers, and how they’d like to have a game, when Hank Rinebow, the city editor, barged in. He waved a piece of copy paper. ‘Married! Married!" he managed to gasp. "Who?" asked Hiram. "Peggy and Pat! They got married in Paris?’ Hank looked at Scott, remembered, choked. There was a moment of silence as the three men Jooked at each other. Finally, Scott drawled: "That’s swell," Hank excused himself, embarrassedly. Hiram looked at Scott, cleared his throat, when Hank had closed the door behind him. "i sort of thought you had the inside track when Pat went

away to war," he said. ‘"Women don’t usually forget bein’ lett behind." "Not Peggy," Scott replied. "She’d forgive him anything in the world except not loving her." Shortly after that Scott left the Office, went to his plane, flew on to New York City. Within a few days he was again immersed in a hard job, which demanded ali his time, all his energy, both mental and physical-whipping the mail ships from New York to Washington and bacir, fair weather or foutk Weeks drifted into months as the mail pilots battled the elements, often lost to them. Then, one night when it had been storming, and fog still hung menacingly over the Belmont Park field, on Long Island, a tall, curly-haired man in horizon-blue uniform, with wings on his tunic above 2 row of ribbons, escorted 2 £bright-cyed young woman into the operations office of the mail line, Together they faced Chet Cody, night operations manager. . Cody studied the young man. He rose to his feet. "Say!" he demanded. "You're Patrick Falconer, aren’t you?" Pat nodded, introduced Peggy. "We're out here to see Scott Barnes," he said. "He’s late to-night," Cody replied. "Came down at Trenton with a broken ofl line and I tried to hold him. He taped it up and took off. Ought to- be here any Minute. Joe Gibbs, his. mechanic, says he'll land even He caught himself, Tistened. He and the others heard the roar of a Liberty motor. The mail driver, mechanics, groundmen outside rushed on to the field, A moment later the ship landed, a black bat Sweeping out of the void. Joe Gibbs was first to meet the taxiing ship. "Good trip?" he demanded, .as the big motor coughed, died. —

*T,ovely," replied Scott. "There’s nothing like a hot oil bath for cold nights." Pat and Peggy ran to the ship. "Hello, dirty face!" Pat said, his voice husky with emotion as Scott pulled himself out of the cockpit and jumped to the ground. Scott stared at him. Then he answered, in a tone just as filled with emotion, "The big war hero!" They grabbed each other. Pegsy circled them, caught Seott’s eyes. "Remember me, Scotty?" she demanded. A moment later the tric formed a circle, arms about each other, all talking at once. After a while, and the first rush of greeting was over, Scott said: ‘T was terribly sorry fo learn of. your father’s death, Pat." "That’s what brought us back from Europe,’ Pat answered. "What're you going to do now?" Scott asked. "Get a string of polo ponies, or something-the world seems sort of flat." "And I can’t make it round for him any more," cut in Peggy. Scott shot her a quick glance ag he detected her strained tone. "My wife wants to divorce me,’ Pat said, grinning. "But

she can’t. She has to present me with a son first." Scott’s face was marked with surprise as he looked from one to the other, "Tf it isn’t a son," Peggy confided, "I’m afraid he’ll divorce me, " "Tvll be sreat, anyway," Seott said. "I thin He looked wp, found @ group of men surrounding Peggy, Pat and himself. "Were newspapermen, Captain Falconer," said one. "Fhis is quite a break-catching you at the air mail field." "Going into the air mail, captain?’ asked the second. "This kind of fiyine’ll be too tame for you," suggested 2 third, The questions came faster and faster from the reporters. Pat smilingly answered aH of them. Scott found himself pushed into the background as photographers moved in, began making flashlight pictures, He stood alone and unnoticed, wiping smudges of oil from his face. Joe Gibbs came to his side, jerked the waste from his hand. ‘Lemme do that!" he ordered. For a second, Scott dropped his guard, his face revealing to Joe his sorrow at losing Peggy. He chided, gently: "Old Mother Gibbs!" After a while the reporters and photographers went away. Pat asked Scott to celebrate their reunion at a speakeasy, but Scott was exhausted from his flight and faced another in the morning. The reunion, however, was only a preliminary toa a resumption of the old friendship and, as soon as Pat had purchased and furnished a large home on Long Island, Scott was a frequent visitor. The raw months of early spring passed, bringing in their wake the awalening of the world of Nature and the gentle month of June. .

Pat, in the city one day on bustiness in connection with his father’s estate, drifted into a speakeasy and there was surprised to find Burke and Galton, two of the pilots who had served with him in France. This called for a celebration. "We've just found 2 war in Morecco," Burke confided, "Not a very big war, Pat-but better than nothing.’" "You ought to come along," Gal ton urged. "Tt can’t," said Pat, reluctantly. "Fonight, or tomorrow, my wife’s presenting me with a son and heir." There were drinks to this forthcoming event, still more drinks. At dawn, Scott Barnes found himself at the hospital on Long Island, walking beside the rolling bed which was taking Peggy to the delivery room. She was very pale and wan. "I-vwouldn’t heye called you," Peggy faltered, "but I couldn't find Pat. it’s been so hard-being alone." She reached up, clutched Scott’s hand, demanded: "Find him, Scotty. Ef he’s been hurt, or--"’ "He hasn’t been hurt," Scott told her, tenderly, "ané you’re not alone," Tears of gratitude filled Peggy’s eyes as the bed was wheeled inte the delivery room. While she went through the shadows, Scott was busy on the telephone. He called the numbers of several speakeasies. It was mid-morning when Pegsy Tegained consciousness. She saw a nurse arranging flowers. For a moment she was dazed. Then she demanded: "What-was it-was he--" The nurse turned, smiled at her, "Just wait ‘till you see young Miss Falconer!" the nurse. exclaimed. Peggy stared at her unbelievingly. Her heart sank. "Miss?" she asked, Her hand went feebly to her throat. "Tll get her. She’s beautiful, You can see for yourself," the nurse said, and hurried from the room, When" she returned, she brought the baby-and -Pat, Pat came in behind the whiteclad woman, For a moment, he stared at his wife. He swallowed hard. His clothes were soiled and wrinkled, his eyes puffy. He needed a shave. Peggy smiled gladly, and Pat walked to. the bed. "Peggy," Pat faltered. "I was going to write you a letter and then go out and hang myself-but I thought maybe you wanted to see me-just once more." "At least once more," she agreed, softly. "T didn’t mean-you see, I met & couple of fellows-and if Scotty hadn’t reached me on the telephone---" Peggy raised her hand to silence him. "We're together again — the three of us-and-meet Pat," Pat’s eyes brightened. He straightened up. "Pat! Then it’s--"’ "Short for Patricia," Peggy finished. She saw the light flicker out of his eyes. She bent, kissed the child. "It was as close as I could come to Patrick," she added. The words’ went to Pat’s heart. He bent over Peggy and the child. "She’s beautiful!" he exclaimed, "She’s probably the most beautiful girl that ever lived-except her mother." He kissed Peggy tenderly. Then he grinned. ‘Holy smoke!" he exclaimed. "We've got another Ruth Law on our hands!" . The news travelled rapidly. It reached Underwood, Maryland, by wire, and gave Hiram Jendins and Hank Rinebow another big thrill, Hank was trying to sell Hiram the idea of making headlines out of the fact that John Alcock and Arthur Brown had just made a non-stop flight across the Atlantic, ‘ve got a better one," snorted Hiram, What?" asked Hank, "The stork. He brought a baby girl to Pat and Peggy.

"How’ll I do the story?" Hank asked, "Just say a baby was born to ’em-and then give its wingspread, rate o’ climb and horsepower," ordered Hiram. (To be continued.)