A story most pilots will understand, and enjoy

I don't know who wrote it, or even if it's true, but I want to believe
this story.

Do you?





This is a good little story about a vivid memory of a P-51 and its
pilot by a fellow who was 12 years old in Canada in 1967. You may know
a few others who would appreciate it.



_____________________________

It was noon on a Sunday as I recall, the day a Mustang P-51 was to
take to the air. They said it had flown in during the night from some
U.S. airport, the pilot had been tired. I marveled at the size of the
plane dwarfing the Pipers and Canucks tied down by her. It was much
larger than in the movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of
security from days gone by. The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver,
and then stepped into the flight lounge. He was an older man; his
wavy hair was gray and tossed. Looked like it might have been combed,
say, around the turn of the century.



His flight jacket was checked, creased and worn - it smelled old and
genuine. Old Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected
a quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He filed a
quick flight plan to Montreal (Expo-67, Air Show) then walked across
the tarmac. After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around
check the pilot returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone would
be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while he "flashed
the old bird up. Just to be safe."



Though only 12 at the time I was allowed to stand by with an
extinguisher after brief instruction on its use -- "If you see a fire,
point, then pull this lever!" I later became a firefighter, but that's
another story. The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a
mirror from fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One
manifold, then another, and yet another barked -- I stepped back with
the others. In moments the Packard-built Merlin engine came to life
with a thunderous roar, blue flames knifed from her manifolds. I
looked at the others' faces, there was no concern. I lowered the bell
of my extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the
lounge. We did.



Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his pre flight run-
up. He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All went quiet
for several seconds; we raced from the lounge to the second story deck
to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she started down
the runway. We could not. There we stood, eyes fixed to a spot half
way down 19. Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than
before, like a furious hell spawn set loose---something mighty this
way was coming. "Listen to that thing!" said the controller. In
seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight.



It's tail was already off and it was moving faster than anything I'd
ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way down 19 the Mustang
was airborne with her gear going up The prop tips were supersonic; we
clasped our ears as the Mustang climbed hellish fast into the circuit
to be eaten up by the dog-day haze. We stood for a few moments in
stunned silence trying to digest what we'd just seen. The radio
controller rushed by me to the radio. " Kingston tower calling
Mustang?" He looked back to us as he waited for an acknowledgment.



The radio crackled, "Go ahead Kingston ."



"Roger Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is
clear for a low level pass." I stood in shock because the controller
had, more or less, just asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air
show!



The controller looked at us. "What?" He asked. "I can't let that guy
go without asking. I couldn't forgive myself!"



The radio crackled once again, "Kingston , do I have permission for a
low level pass, east to west, across the field?"



"Roger Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west pass."
"Roger, Kingston , I'm coming out of 3000 feet, stand by."



We rushed back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the
eastern haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a
muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51 burst
through the haze. Her airframe straining against positive Gs and
gravity, wing tips spilling contrails of condensed air, prop-tips
again supersonic as the burnished bird blasted across the eastern
margin of the field shredding and tearing the air.




At about 400 mph and 150 yards from where we stood she passed with the
old American pilot saluting. Imagine. A salute! I felt like laughing,
I felt like crying, she glistened, she screamed, the building shook,
my heart pounded.




Then the old pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled
out of sight into the broken clouds and indelibly into my memory. I've
never wanted to be an American more than on that day. It was a time
when many nations in the world looked to America as their big brother,
a steady and even-handed beacon of security who navigated difficult
political water with grace and style; not unlike the pilot who'd just
flown into my memory. He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a
braggart, old and honest, projecting an aura of America at its best.
That America will return one day, I know it will.




Until that time, I'll just send off this story; call it a reciprocal
salute, to the old American pilot who wove a memory for a young
Canadian that's lasted a lifetime.



author unknown