Since I Was A Boy

Posted on by

Several years ago I lived in an apartment no more than a mile from a suburbia airport north of Dallas.  It is the home of a vintage flight museum I have visited countless times and volunteered two or three times just to touch and be near the famous warbirds.  Like a boy loves his dog or a little girl loves her favorite doll, I marveled at the history, pilots, and flying machines of World War II.  Some days I would utterly frighten my son and daughter by suddenly dropping whatever I was doing and run out the door as fast as I could.  Seconds later they would hear what I already heard.  Sometimes the windows and knickknacks on the mantel or shelves would vibrate.  Turn your volume up as loud as is appropriate to get the full effect and play this 20-second clip:

My kids would chase after me, sometimes out of breath because I would keep moving around in order to see as much sky as I could watching the spectacle arrive and depart.  “How can you always tell the difference between modern planes and the old ones!?” my daughter would ask.  “That is amazing!” as she shook her head bewildered.  As I have gotten older, been to many airshows, and gotten more informed and educated on EVERYTHING World War II Aviation, a few of those traumatic surprises would start with pumped adrenaline, then goose-bumps, and then tears.  My son, always emotionally connected to me since his first breath, upon seeing my tears would ask “Why are you crying Dad?”  And this is how I would describe to him the honored, revered tears.

* * * * * * * * * *

I love almost all of the WWII planes whether they were combat or cargo, they all had a vital importance to the war effort.  Their pilots were some of the bravest heroes under the most extraordinary circumstances.  All of our veterans from any war or combat service are and will be heroes.  However, if I had to choose just one WWII plane to love most, I know exactly which one she would be.

p-51-mustang-credit-caf
The P-51 D Mustang

If you are not aware or cannot remember, at the onset of the Second World War the Allies were grossly unprepared to fight Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan.  Both Axis nations had a big head start in fine machinery and experienced well-trained pilots.  In the first 24 to 30 months of combat, most air battles were won by Germany and Japan with much better maneuverable faster planes and better pilots.  Losses due to combat or dogfights were often staggering for the Americans and British.  Plain and simple, the German Messerschmitts and Folke-Wulfs, and the Japanese Mitsubishi Zeroes were flat-out better machines.  Any high-ranking general will tell you every time, if you don’t control the skies, you either will not win or you might win but at astronomical losses in men and materials.  In 1942 and ’43 the war in both theaters was very uncertain for America and Britain.  The Germans controlled the skies over Europe and the Japanese controlled them in the Pacific.

The Allies desperately needed an edge in the skies!

The primary reason Great Britain thwarted Hitler’s Luftwaffe (air force) in the Battle of Britain was because of their Spitfire and Hurricane pilots.  Spitfires could handle the Messerschmitts while the Hurricanes could take out the bombers.  The problem was that Britain could not quickly replace losses; both in planes or pilots.  The Spitfire housed one of the most superb engines ever built:  the Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12.  The Americans had a few good fighter-designs but most of them at the time were under-powered and couldn’t match the high-altitude performance of the German engines.  Finally, with British ingenuity and American manufacturing, emerged a single fighter-plane that would change the course of the air war in Europe and the Pacific…

The North American P-51 Mustang.

You might ask how can just one fighter plane change the course of a war?  Simple, the P-51 D Mustang saved thousands of American bomber crews from their deaths.  From 1942 to early 1944, American bomber losses were intolerable because the bombing raids required deeper penetration into Nazi Germany.  In the Pacific air war, vast oceans with few islands also required long-range aircraft.  The Allies had no such fighter plane capable of escorting bombers all the way to their target and back until the P-51 Mustang.

Not only did the Mustang, with its high-performance high-altitude Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, match and exceed those of its enemy fighters, but it was also highly maneuverable and lethal in the hands of a good pilot.  To put it in perspective just how much the P-51 Mustang changed the air war, the survival rate of American bomber crews in Europe prior to its introduction was 1-out-of-3 crewmen killed from 1942 to late 1943.  After the winter of 1943-44 when Mustangs flew escort, the survival rate rose to 67% after 25 missions flown, then 81% by 1945 and the end of the war.  The P-51 Mustangs were quite literally their knights-in-shining-armor for bomber crews, or “Angels on our wings” as many bomber pilots and crewmen would describe.  The Mustang helped turn the tide of war and bring it to a quicker end.

That is the historical impact of the Mustang.  Now I want to describe from a boy’s perspective the emotional impact of this gorgeous mighty bird.

Leave it to Steven Spielberg to capture the moment perfectly how it feels for a boy.  His 1987 film Empire of the Sun starring a young Christian Bale, tells the story of a small British boy fascinated with flight and “the brave daring pilots” of the Japanese Zero fighter.  He gets separated from his parents in Shanghai, China at the outbreak of war with Japan.  Though his captors are brutal to him and his “new” British prison-family, Jim (Christian Bale) worships the Zero pilots and their magnificent planes throughout the first half of the war.

After they are moved late in the war to an airbase to build a runway for the Zero fighters, Jim hears rumors about a new fighter plane called the Mustang, the Cadillac of the Skies.  He eats breaths and reads everything he can get his hands and ears on.  I relate completely to Jim’s obsessions of flying and the machines these brave pilots fought in.

And then one morning while paying his respect and admiration to the Kamikaze pilots and planes, Jim’s whole world and those of the planes and pilots he worshiped so long are turned upside down.  Apologies that this heart-wrenching scene is broken up into two clips – blame YouTube!

It is hard to put into words how the flight, the speed, the beautiful lines of a P-51 looks and feels to a young heart.  There is no other sight or sound in this world like the air being sucked into the intake whistling at a high pitch as it dives toward you, and a second later the reverberation of that V-12 roaring by as it climbs away at over 4,160 feet per minute!  “Go P-51…Cadillac of the Skies!”  As Jim screams, “HORSEPOWER!“

Since I was a boy I have always dreamt of flying in this mighty magnificent warbird.  To feel the immense rumble of that Rolls-Royce Merlin engine supercharged and forcing me back into my seat.  That would absolutely be one of the best days of my life!

For a few very lucky months the software company I use to work for had their offices at the end of the runway.  Every two or three weeks the owner of the flight museum and the P-51 D Mustang would take it out for some fly byes.  On one particular occasion he throttled it out on take off.  Just over halfway down the runway he had enough airspeed to lift-off and put this beautiful bird into a 35-40 degree climb with ease, banked it, and then leveled off about 600-700 feet at cruising speed.  It seemed effortless.  I thought to myself, so that’s how it must have looked and sounded back in 1940’s Europe and China.  Imagine if you were Japanese or German what it meant watching the Mustangs fly by and listening to that whistling horsepower.  Imagine how it felt if you were British or American back then:  finally, the beginning of the end.  Wow!  I still get chills up and down my spine every time I hear that distinct engine and watch it zip from one horizon to the other.

Some of man’s creations are works of beauty and timeless.  Today my son no longer has to ask why I have goose-bumps and tears watching famous warbirds; he gets it…just like I did when I was his age.

(paragraph break)
Creative Commons License
This work by Professor Taboo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://professortaboo.wordpress.com.

27 thoughts on “Since I Was A Boy”

    • LOL…Victoria! Hello!

      Yes, I know what you mean, “think happy thoughts and then take flight.” Certainly the context of your flight is much more thrilling than the context of mine inside a P-51. No argument there. I wasn’t sure you’d like this post, much less comment on it. I consider myself a very fortunate boy and now man not to have had to fight and kill in a war. I despise war. Sadly, I don’t think we always have the choice though when pure evil seeks only to destroy life and there are those who cannot fight back or stop it. Then it becomes a human duty of decency I think.

      I still don’t feel I captured the rush and thrill of what the engine and plane does to me when it is flying and I’m so close I can FEEL IT in my chest. I know my heart rate goes crazy and my arm and neck hairs stand up! I’ve been around hundreds of WWII warbirds taxing and flying, as I’m sure you can appreciate and attest, and there are certain planes, moments, and sounds that enthrall you. The P-51 Mustang effects me like no other planes. Correction: the Supermarine Spitfires do too because they also had the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; it too has GORGEOUS lines, speed, and maneuverability. Geeezzzz, just writing about this now is giving me chills and causing my eyes to well-up. 🙂

      Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Hahah — you tickle me. I think it’s awesome that you FEEL IT. 🙂

        A fun fact: Every month the navy base I lived close to would have training for reserves every month. I’d take my daughter to a special spot just outside the fence of the end of the runway and park my car facing the runway. We would get out on the hood of the car, lay back against the windshield and watch the F-16’s take off right over our heads. You want to talk about FEELING IT? :mrgreen:

        Like

        Reply ↓

  2. It’s strange. I, too, grew up on/near planes most of my younger life. It was hard to miss, you know, me being an AF brat with the fortune of travelling with my dad. We stayed in Germany, Philippines, Cali…and there are pictures somewhere of a young me standing next to a tire of a C4 and looking not much bigger than a thimble. Still, I’ve only enjoyed flying…never felt that rush that you’re discussing (at least not where planes were concerned).

    For me, that kind of rush has always been tied to bookstores/libraries and music. Kind of explains my passion for both books and music, no? I keep promising myself that one day I’ll have enough money to be able to buy a first edition of some of the classics I loved as a girl.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you Lisa! Thank you for stopping by and commenting!

      Isn’t it strange the certain things that overwhelm us like that? But not long after a certain life-event in 1990, I realized, as a “man” it is perfectly fine to FEEL, and to feel it emotionally! 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓

  4. Professor Taboo,

    Be still my heart!

    The nostalgia and grace of every single WWII aircraft! We are of a kindred spirit for sure my friend. I have a unique ability to detect the sound of a radial engine from far away while being completely involved in something else . It is as though a light goes off inside of my head and I too run, like a boy to see what it is. I just cant help myself…

    All airplanes speak to me but there is something special about that period of time, the sound of a radial engine and the smell of avgas!

    I have played your audio clip several times already and people around me are probably beginning to become annoyed with me.

    I have the rare opportunity to see some old WWII airplanes still flying. I was in northern California just a few months ago and saw a P-51 flying. It was an older man just out giving rides to friends and family. The line guys at the airport said that he does it once a year.

    On a different note, I was in Tuscon last month a was able to watch a F-22 practice for an airshow…

    I feel like I am high jacking your post, Professor, but I too have a “thing” for the WWII airplanes.

    Great! Great! post…

    Kindest regards,

    Mr Fox

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • My friend, you have not high-jacked my post in the least, especially when we share such a profound passion for a beautiful work of machinery and collaboration between two great nations during one of history’s most pivotal conflicts.

      Aviation in the 1930’s to 1945 represents an era of pure balance between pilot and plane, where life and death was truly decided by the machine’s performance but equally as much the pilot’s knowledge, experience, and ‘feel’ of his warbird’s abilities on that day. The two were one. In WWI it was primarily the pilot’s performance. After WWII and the Korean conflict it became more and more the aircraft or jet, and has become the technology of the jet-age that GREATLY determines the fate of the pilots — today pilots will not even SEE their adversary. Make sense? I often refer to this era as the Sweet Spot of military aviation, where plane and pilot were perfectly balanced and dependent on each other. HAH! I just realized how true that is in our “lifestyle” too. 😉

      Yes, the F-22 is an unbelievable fighter-bomber and will rule the skies for a VERY long time; a very nice feeling for Americans, huh?

      So happy you enjoyed the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine clip. Pretty hair-standing stuff I must say.

      Thank you for your “kindred” comment Mr. Fox!

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Professor Taboo,

        I was in Nassau, Bahamas today!

        And What was sitting on the ramp being loaded with freight? A DC-3… Still flying… There was a Beach-18 on the other side of the field. While these two few similarities to the fighters that we have been discussing, I still stand in awe of them. I was going to upload a picture of the DC-3 But I cant put it in your post, I will email it to you…

        The F-22, while practically brand new to most of us, is no longer being manufactured. The assembly line has already been disassembled and taken away. Extremely sad! They began building F-16’s 38 years ago, not quite the cutting edge fighters that we imagine. (Still an incredible machine but nothing like the F-22)

        The fact that our American built fighters afford Americans “a very nice feeling” is indeed paramount! Air superiority is obviously important. However, our American built fighters afford much of the world “a very nice feeling”. For example, the F-16 (one of our many fighters) is operated by no less than 24 other countries around the world, allowing them to rest better at night as well. Furthermore, the reach of our Air Force protects many more that do not operate the aircraft!

        Best wishes,

        Mr Fox

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

  5. Have you read Len Deighton’s (he’s Brit, so prob not) Mickey Mouse? It’s about American air force in Britain, I thought it was a good story.

    I think it’s fascinating the way we view history – differently. So WW II started in 1939, Germany invaded Austria, annexed Poland etc and the rest of Europe waded in. But over in another playing field, Japan had invaded China two years previously as part of the Sino-Japanese thing, I think (we didn’t learn non-European history at school or university).

    So to say at the onset of the war, which implies the beginning, that the Allies weren’t capable of fighting Japan, was from a European perspective, irrelevant. Obviously, we had our skies full with Germany. And, y’all didn’t join in until two years later. A third of the way through, or nearly halfway through, depending on how you like to fiddle with stats.

    I certainly take umbrage at the better pilots comment. I would however agree that we were ill-prepared. Although that’s never seemed to stop us. But that sort of war is a lifetime ago, literally. All the serving men in family, father and uncles are now dead, one (RAF) died in the war anyway. I’d say it seemed a more idealistic/noble war than the crap that has gone on since. While it may have been portrayed as such, wars are always about power. And money.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Have you read Len Deighton’s (he’s Brit, so prob not) Mickey Mouse? It’s about American air force in Britain, I thought it was a good story.

      I haven’t and since you recommend it, I’ll check and see if I can get it cheap off of Amazon. Thank you. 🙂

      I think it’s fascinating the way we view history – differently.

      This reminded me of our 101st Airborne Division inside the bulge in the Ardennes 1944, where everyone (including arrogant General Patton) was telling the Press that the 101st were “rescued” — but the actual Screaming Eagles insisted they NEVER needed rescuing. Pride and other human elements play roles in storytelling and history books. 😉

      The main point I was wanting to convey was the emotion. the intense passion these warbirds, their impact during remarkable events, and their engine sounds and smell evoke from me… even as an adult today, they pull the boy out of me.

      Thank you Roughseas for your comment. ❤

      Like

      Reply ↓

  6. I live close to the Lemoore Airforce Base in California, and it’s really cool to hear the planes and jets overhead. I loved hearing the video clip. It reminded me of the sounds that they showcased in the Pearl Harbor movie. Were those the Mustangs that Ben Affleck was flying in while helping Britain? It was exciting reading about your passion.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Were those the Mustangs that Ben Affleck was flying in while helping Britain?

      You are close E.M., 😉 same engine—the Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12—however, while over in Britain (fictitiously of course; Ben Affleck’s character was cinematic license by Screenwriter Wallace) Affleck flew the famed British Supermarine Spitfires. Not to get overly giddy and nerdy with you E.M. because I can indeed go on and on and on about these gorgeous warbirds so I’ll TRY to contain myself; keep it brief ya know. 🤭

      The North American Aviation Co. didn’t quite have the earliest designed P-51’s ready for deployment when the Battle of Britain broke out in July 1940. The Rolls-Royce Merlin versions wouldn’t be ready for the Americans until around 1942. Unfortunately for me, Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett never flew P-51 Mustangs in the film. But I was briefly thrilled with goose-bumps when in the film Affleck was over in Britain volunteering with the Eagle Squadron (American pilots) fighting the German Luftwaffe and their Me-109 fighters. Yet, it was also a bit torturous too—that tiny portion of the film lasted way WAY too short for me. Hah! But when it comes to the Mustangs and Spitfires, I’m a GREEDY NEEDY S.o.B. 😄

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Pearl Harbor is actually one of my favorite movies, so I am glad that I was close with the sound of the engine 😀 I agree that they should have showcased the squadron longer and better! It was cool to see how they moved and executed. So you are in company on the needy and greedy when it comes to that part of the movie! Thanks for answering my question 🙂 I am running late on my responses today due to insomnia keeping me up wayyyyyy too late.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

Go Ahead, Start the Discussion!