Afternoon clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird pilot do I describe?
1. This pilot is well known.
2. Perhaps less well known today than in years past.
3. He was an innovator.
4. And an inventor.
5. And he helped develop new tactics.
6. He was known for passing what he knew along to fledgling pilots under his command.
7. He had much to do with the development of fighter aircraft.
8. And he was constantly working on making the aircraft under his control better able to perform their missions.
9. Many of the innovations he developed were widely adopted.
10. And over the years, most people have forgotten the man who pioneered them.
11. He came from a family with a long tradition of military service.
12. At an early age, he proved to be an able inventor and innovator.
13. He had a keen interest in mechanical and engineering developments.
14. He had planned, or had planned for him, a naval career.
15. However, he proved to be physically incapable of withstanding the rigors of marine life.
16. So, he joined the engineers.
17. Then he developed an interest in flying.
18. And learned to fly at his own expense.
19. He then joined his country’s air force, just before his war broke out.
20. And was soon in combat.
21. Early in his flying career, he was wounded by ground fire.
22. Not long thereafter, he was awarded a medal for carrying out a noted bombing attack.
23. And not long after that, he was again wounded by ground fire.
24. He was hit in the foot this time.
25. He refused to be taken off flying duty until an ongoing historic battle was finished; even though he had to be carried to his plane.
26. At the time, the wooden propellers in use had a tendency to split at the tips. This unbalanced the propellers and could quickly lead to complete failure of the propeller and damage to the aircraft.
27. I’m sure you have all seen various methods used to prevent the tips from splitting.