The Flying Fleet

[Reconstructed titles]

1
ANNAPOLIS--
The Cradle of the Navy

2
The last dress parade--
the Academy's yearly good-
bye to its graduating class

3
"I don't know what all
these poor girls will
do after I graduate, Tommy."

4
"That's right, Steve. They'll
never meet another fellow
who can talk about himself 
so well."

5
"Four years I've been
waiting for the night
before graduation...
and here it is."

6
"Get away, Kewpie! This
is no hope chest!"

7
"Last colors, fellows."

8
"We've had four great 
years together...and
I'm sorry they're over."

9
"But think of all the
years we're going to have
together...in
aviation!"

10
"Navy wings or...angel
wings! The flying six."

11
"It's our last night through 
the old gate! Let's get
going!"

12
"The Officer of the Day is
ill. You are ordered to
relieve him immediately."

13
"I'll say all your good-byes
for you, Tommy."

14
"I'll sub for you...in pinches
or clinches!"

15
"Listen, you buzzards!
Liberty's up at one
o'clock...and I'm hard-
boiled!"

16
"Steve and Dizzy stopped 
to recite Gunga Din to 
a cannon."

17
"Why wasn't this man 
reported to me?"

18
"My fault, sir. I was
trying to sneak by him!"

19
"You realize that this 
may mean your dismissal 
from the academy?"

20
"Report to your room
under arrest."

21
"All midshipmen present 
or accounted for, sir."

22
The next day--
The first milestone in
the career of a Naval
officer...the step from
Midshipman to Ensign....
GRADUATION.

23
"Only five of the old bunch 
left...and there might have 
been only four. I'll never 
forget it, Tommy."

24
AFTER ANNAPOLIS--
A year's cruise with the
fleet...some to the Atlantic,
some to the Pacific...then to
report for aviation selection--
AT SAN DIEGO.

25
"That's what I call
seafood!"

26
"I didn't expect to join 
the Navy this morning."

27
"The Navy welcomes you 
with open arms, Miss...
er--er--"

28
"Not Miss Er-Er...Miss
Hastings...Anita
Hastings."

29
"I am Steve Randall, and...
that is my valet!"

30
"Don't pay any attention to 
him and he'll go away."

31
"Perhaps you could settle it 
quicker with hammers."

32
"I want you to meet three
of the best fellows in the 
world."

33
"I'll get his cape this
evening...when 
I call."

34
That evening at the
Hotel del Coronado.

35
"Miss Hastings, please."

36
"Are you Ensign Randall?"

37
"Is this all? No message?"

38
"Your daughter is in the 
gardens, Mrs. Hastings."

39
"I'm Steve Randall, Mrs. 
Hastings. Anita has 
spoken of you...so
often."

40
"So glad to know you,
Mr. Randall. Do you
play bridge?"

41
"What luck! My pal's
the best bridge player 
in the Navy!"

42
"You know...I think
you're lovely."

43
"As long as we have a
Navy I suppose we'll hear
that same old speech."

44
"No fooling...I think
you're the nicest girl
I've ever met."

45
"Mr. Randall tells me you
play wonderful bridge,
Mr. Winslow."

46
"He's modest! He teaches
the Admiral!"

47
"You don't mind if I take 
him away, Anita dear?"

48
"I suppose you think 
that was pretty good, 
don't you?"

49
"Pretty good? I think
it was perfect!"

50
"Please forgive me."

51
"That's a new Navy
maneuver, isn't it?"

52
"Now the Navy would 
like to maneuver you 
out for a walk."

53
"Mr. Winslow teaches bridge
to all the Admirals."

54
"I said 'two hearts,'
partner. What do 
you say?"

55
"I think I could do 
much better with 
a club."

56
The first obstacle in the
exacting grind to become
a Navy Flyer...is the
Doctor.

57
"Now...cough!"

58
"No use examining me,
Doctor...I feel fine!"

59
"Spill basin to the
right!"

60
"I'm a cinch! The best
physical specimen
they've seen since 
Adam!"

61
"--and by reducing the
oxygen until your senses 
fail...we find out what
altitude you could
reach."

62
"Good work! You went 
to twenty-three thousand
feet!"

63
"Do you always wear 
glasses?"

64
"Oh no, sir! I really
don't need them!"

65
"You may still become an 
Admiral...but bad eyes
don't belong in the air."

66
"But I want to be more
than just in the Navy!
I want to fly!"

67
"I guess only four of 
our whole bunch will
get their wings."

68
"But I'll get a berth
around airplanes
some way...and I'll
be seeing you."

69
     Then--
On to the U.S. Naval
Aviation Training School....
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

70
"This is the first lesson
for all of you...and
probably the last for
most of you!"

71
"When I shake the stick
you take the controls.
I'll give orders through
your earphones."

72
TEX

73
STEVE

74
KEWPIE

75
"Take the stick!"

76
"Fly straight and
level!"

77
"Let go of that stick!"

78
Six years to get there...
and six minutes to go 
back.

79
"Well...three of the
old bunch are left 
anyway."

80
After a few more instruction
flights Steve was bowing to
nobody but Lindbergh and
a couple of pelicans.

81
"From the way I've been 
flying I wouldn't be
surprised if I could lay
an egg!"

82
"If there really is a
Bird of Paradise...
I must be it!"

83
"Speaking of Paradise...
I just got this postcard
from Anita."

84
"From the same girl! And
on page twenty she says
'I wonder what's become
of Tommy'!"

85
"Well, you Mud Turtles...
this is the day you go up
for your first flights alone."

86
"First bunch of solo birds...
on your way! And don't crash
on the parade ground...it's
just been cleaned up!"

87
"I don't mind going up...
but I'm not so keen about 
landings."

88
"That man, Winslow,
has been shaky on
his landings."

89
"What did you think 
you were landing...
a load of horses?"

90
"There's a couple of flag-
poles and a church 
steeple you overlooked."

91
"After that remarkable
demonstration of how
not to fly...let's see
what this bunch can do."

92
"Into your ships! The
Crash Boats will take
care of that!"

93
"It's tough...but they've
got to be sent up or 
they'll lose their nerve."

94
BUT THEY GO ON--
Drill...study...flying...
a grind that only the 
few survive.
FIFTY WEEKS OF IT.

95
ANOTHER MILESTONE--
From Ensign to Lieutenant....
BACK TO SAN DIEGO

96
"Well, I didn't get my 
wings...but I'm flying 
anyhow! I'm a navigator!"

97
"And look me over! I'm
radio officer on the
aircraft carrier Langley!"

98
"Gee, Anita...I don't see
how you stayed so beautiful
with me away."

99
"Wings...and Lieutenants!"

100
"I want you to have
the first pair of wings
I give away."

101
"But you won't be able 
to fly without wings."

102
"You don't know what 
a clever bird I am!"

103
MONTHS LATER--
Competition...Records...places
won in The Flying Fleet...and
then keen rivalry for naval
aviation's highest honor...
A PROPOSED FLIGHT TO 
HONOLULU.

104
"Lucky Specs! He's going 
to navigate this crate!
I'd give my right eye to 
pilot her!"

105
"I'd give both of mine...
and a lung!"

106
"Here comes the
Old Man!"

107
"Winslow, you've been
sticking your nose
against every bolt and
strut on this craft...
for weeks!"

108
"Yes, sir."

109
"And I suppose you think 
I'm crazy enough to let 
you fly her!"

110
"Yes, sir!"

111
"You do?"

112
"Yes, sir!"

113
"Well...get her ready!
You will pilot her to 
Honolulu!"

114
"Oh, boy! Kiss me while 
I'm conscious!"

115
"Well, I suppose you'll 
be dashing right over 
to tell Anita all about
it."

116
"No chance...I'm 
too busy."

117
"Me, too! I've got a 
bunch of work to 
do!"

118
"Coronado Hotel."

119
"Gee, I never expected
to ever see you...alone."

120
"Well...the things we least 
expect often happen."

121
"Did Steve tell you 
the news?"

122
"I thought you'd want 
to tell her yourself."

123
"I got the Honolulu
flight!"

124
"Tommy...that's wonderful!
That's the best news I 
ever heard!"

125
"Do you think we
can trust him with
another cape?"

126
"May I see you tonight, 
Anita?"

127
"See you at the Hotel
as soon as I get my
clothes on."

128
Bath houses have an
inconsiderate habit of
staying locked till
morning.

129
"You look like you're 
dressed for a flood."

130
"By the way...thanks
for lending me your
Ford. Sorry I can't
return it."

131
"Why not? Where 
is it?"

132
"It's hugging a tree... 
down on State Street!"

133
"And I've some hot news
for you...about Anita 
and me."

134
"We're going to be 
married!"

135
"That's not on the level!
Anita didn't say that!"

136
"She doesn't have to 
say it! I'm saying it!"

137
"The Admiral wants 
an explanation of 
that outfit."

138
"There is no explanation, 
sir."

139
"You will report to the 
Admiral as soon as you
can get into uniform."

140
"This is a pretty stiff test 
of friendship, Steve."

141
THAT AFTERNOON--
Weekly inspection...and,
while Tommy was silently
taking his medicine "on
the carpet,"--

142
"Honest, Anita...I'm 
running out of words
asking you to say
'yes.'"

143
"Better grab me before some 
lady seagull catches me in
one of my weak moments."

144
"Come on, big trans-
Pacific flyer!"

145
"Forget it....
you two can't
have a bust up."

146
"I'm leader of this 
section...and I'll fly 
him ragged today!"

147
"I never have much luck 
about seeing you alone, 
Anita."

148
"I've brought you some-
thing, Tommy, to bring
you better luck."

149
"I'll wear it to Honolulu...
and back...and always!"

150
"Your last flight with
the squadron, Tommy.
Make it good."

151
THE FLYING FLEET

152
BOMBERS--
Artillery of the air!

153
TORPEDO PLANES--
Eagles of Death.

154
FIGHTERS--
The Navy's Hawks!

155
Thousands of feet higher....
the Crack Squadron.

156
"Ragged as the devil!
Almost as bad as 
the Army!"

157
"There goes Steve's
section!"

158
"Look! Tommy's ahead!"

159
"Tommy vede!"

160
"No...Steve dived on Tommy!
He's egging him into a dog-
fight!"

161
"Whoever sticks on the 
other man's tail and
rides him to the ground
...is the winner!"

162
"Tommy's on Steve's 
tail now!"

163
"Steve can't get away 
from him!"

164
"Tommy shouldn't have 
done that."

165
"It wasn't very fair to 
run Steve down after 
he'd landed."

166
"I'm sorry, Anita."

167
"I'm sorry, too."

168
The U.S.S. Langley--
Aircraft carrier of The 
Battle Fleet.

169
"Winslow, you can't dive
at men on the flying field
in this man's Navy!"

170
"You are relieved of the
Honolulu flight! You 
will make the cruise on 
this ship!"

171
"You will report back at 
San Diego at once...to
pilot the big plane to
Honolulu."

172
"What do you know,
Kewpie...the Navy's
opened its eyes at
last!"

173
"I am sure glad one of 
our old six is going 
to fly her."

174
The Langley was two 
days at sea...when 
Steve received orders 
to shove off for the 
big flight.

175
"Steve, you have my
wishes...and my 
prayers."

176
"Anita, won't you say
now that you love 
me?"

177
"I'm sorry, Steve...but
I can't say that."

178
"I think I understand."

179
"I wish I knew how to 
be half the regular guy
that Tommy is."

180
"Good-bye, Anita."

181
POINT LOMA--
The last sight of land...
2500 MILES TO
HONOLULU

182
"I don't think they can 
climb out of it...with 
all the gas they're 
carrying."

183
"If it can be done,
Steve can do it."

184
NIGHT--
10,000 feet high...still
fighting to get above the
fury of the Pacific...
GALE! RAIN! WIND POCKETS!

185
"Their message cut off
before they could give
their position!"

186
"I want every man ready 
to take off at daybreak!"

187
"I can't use my legs, Steve.
I guess I'm all cracked up
inside."

188
"Fight it, buddy...they'll
be coming over us 
soon now."

189
"See if you can get 
the thermos out of 
the cockpit."

190
"No, thanks...I'm 
not thirsty."

191
"No, thanks...I'm 
not thirsty."

192
"This is all the water
we have...and you're
trying to give it to me."

193
"You're wrong, Specs.
We've had all we 
need...and there's 
plenty left."

194
DAYS OF IT--
Torturing sun...wet cold
nights...the last few
swallows of water...and
Specs knew they were 
saving it for him.

195
"I know Randall, sir!
He's keeping that
crew afloat...some
way!"

196
"The Navy can't afford to 
lose men like them, sir."

197
"Please, sir...just one
more try!"

198
"Well...this is one 
order I'll take a little 
latitude with."

199
"I'm going nuts! I keep
thinking I hear a plane!"

200
"Where's Specs?"

201
Aboard the hospital ship,
U.S.S. Relief.

202
"The Doc told me to see 
if you have room for a
steak and potatoes."

203
"Nurses and soft chairs!
I'm surprised the doctor
doesn't order perfume
on your oatmeal!"

204
"And why Congress wants 
to give you a medal is 
beyond me!"

205
"Young lady...are you
interested in one of
those nincompoops?"

206
"Do you know the difference 
between a marlinspike and
a mizzen topgallant fid-
block?"

207
"Neither do they...
but as men, you
can't do better!"

THE END