 From New York City, where the American stage begins, here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time has been made available by this station to bring you this story, as proudly we hail the United States Air Force. Our presentation is entitled, The Telltale Spin. This is the story of a jet aircraft, an experimental aircraft. It is also the story of the men who test it, the kind of men who help make the planes flown by the United States Air Force the best in the world. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment, but first, men, your Air Force offers you an open door to a specialized career, good pay and adventure. Find out now how you can become an airman and open the door to a whole new, colorful world. As an airman, you'll be given highly skilled technical training that is second to none. You'll step out in the handsome blue Air Force uniform and you'll be assigned to one of the many Air Force bases at home and abroad. As an airman, you'll have an opportunity to visit many of the colorful places you've dreamed about and you'll be doing a job that offers ever increasing prestige and advancement. It's the opportunity of a lifetime and you can share in it if you begin today. Visit your local Air Force recruiting station or your nearest Air Force base and get the facts on a career in the United States Air Force. Believe me, you'll be glad you did. And now your United States Air Force presents the proudly we hail production, the Telltale Spin. Paul Sedgwick, am I glad to see you. I heard you were up here at Edwards. Larry Farley, you old son of a gun, what are you doing here? Me? I belong to that. Well, that experimental fighter, no kidding. I should think. Well, if I'm not wrong, I've just been assigned a test here. Well, I knew I'd have to expect some bad breaks along the line. Boy, it's great to see you again. Those major gold leaves look pretty sharp, too. Yeah, I had them a while now, so long I'm in the market for some silver ones. I guess that makes you a wheel. How about roller skate size, I'd say? Do you remember when we were flying together, you used to talk about designing an aircraft like this? And now I've gone and done it. Well, I laid dough in a lot before of anything that flies. The answer to a fighter pilot's dreams. You are one guy who knows what a fighter pilot dreams about. Well, she looks good on paper anyhow. On paper and in the air, no sweat. Let's hope. On the level, Paul, I got a wonderful break if it's true you were assigned to the test. You were right the first time when you said it was a bad one. You know I'm the guy who can really louse you up. Yeah, you mean like the time we were flying close support in Normandy. I'd be sitting at a drawing board now in Kingdom Come if you hadn't been along on that trip. Remember? Pure selfishness, of course. I couldn't stand the thought of breaking in a new bridge partner. What are you going to call this brain child of yours? Officially, the X-28. And unofficially? I guess I've always thought of her as Farley's Farley. Very good. Hey, how about we go off and find someone with a paintbrush to put it on her? Might even run across an old bottle of ginger ale to tap across her nose. Well, let's go. It sure seems like old times, huh? It sure does, and good, too. Hey, hey, hey, look at that. What? That girl over there by the door. Hmm. Good looking, huh? Well, that's the understatement of the year. You know, it's funny, isn't it? You can just tell by looking at her that she's got brains. Oh, you think so? Well, I forgot you're not interested in girls anymore. Well, not with Marge and four fat little Indians at home in Van Nuys. But, uh, well, otherwise... I wonder who she is. Hmm. Hey, what's the matter? You holding out on me? Me? Hey, she's coming this way. Imagine that. Well, I guess if you play your card right, I just might be able to introduce you. I've known it. You're a sly one, you are. Hey, Annie! Come on, sit down. Glad you got here. They told me at the project office I'd find you in here. Uh, if you're busy... No, sit down, sit down. Paul and I are too old to be standing here. Annie, this is Major Paul Sedgwick. Paul, Miss Anne Roberts, my Able assistant. How do you do it? You're Larry's assistant. How does he rate that sort? Oh, I'm the one that's lucky. Anyhow, he's only being nice about the assistant stuff. I'm a junior, junior draftsman. But back someplace in the dark ages, I learned shorthand. So, Mr. Farley thought I might be helpful up here. And you will. It's a wonderful experience for me. And, of course, I'm simply fascinated by everything. Miss Me Too. I'd better not be getting any ideas, Paul. This girl's married to a drawing board or something. Oh, oh, a career woman. I hope so. Of course, it's a rather short career so far. I graduated from Caltech last spring. Well, I'm crazy about brains. Listen, Annie, pay no attention to this guy. He's really okay. You know, when you get to know him... Sure he is. Have you had lunch? Oh, yes, I had a sandwich on the plane on the way up. Well, that doesn't sound too substantial. But if you're sure you're not hungry, we have a date with the project engineer. And you'd better come along. Right. Oh, come in. Come in. I've been waiting for you. Sergeant, you can finish those notes later. Will you get down to ops on that other thing I discussed with you? Yes, sir. Miss Roberts, Major George Denton. How do you do? George is this other character's an old friend of mine, Larry Farley. He's a man responsible for designing the plane. He represents the company. Larry George Denton. George is the guy who's going to translate my flying into facts. He's our project engineer. I know you, Denton. Same here. And these facts he's talking about, he knows more about them than I do, but he won't admit it. Okay, let's get down to business. All right. Now, I've drawn up a program here. I'll show you. Paul and I have been over most of it together. You can see what we plan. Now, this is apparently tomorrow's schedule on top. Take off at 0600. Your daughter's all there, Larry. I see. Annie. Yes, Miss Farley. I'll make some notes here. Now, first, we can take... Well, there he goes. Let's hope everything goes all right. It means a lot to me. I know. Well, let's get him on the radio. You've got to be ready to receive him when they cut him loose from the mother plane. All right. Will we hear the whole thing? We're on the same frequency. We can transmit to him. Pretty soon you'll hear his end of the conversation with the pilot of the mother plane. That's him now. How's the air? I want something extra smooth for this baby. It is? Okay. Letter rip. Airborne, 06, 15 hours. Smooth as silk. He's off. Hey, Chase, where are you? Right here. Right on your tail. That's a chase pilot. Okay, I'm at 25. Right? Let's go. That's 27. Are you getting this okay, George? Loud and clear. Are you shooting his fingernails down in the necklace yet? He looks pretty relaxed to me. I guess he's numb, then. Well, here we go again. Amen, nice and smooth. Now you're making me very happy. We'll get the Jeep there before he gets the canopy open. Hey, I presume? How corny can you get? How did it go on the level? You haven't got a thing to worry about. Of course, this is my own lop-eared, rag-tailed, unexpert opinion. George, he's the guy who'll tell you he and the electric brain. Well, give me your notes, and I'll see if the electric brain can decipher him. Essentially, I won't be able to. Here they are. No fooling. She's a beaut. All right, what's the verdict? Everything meets the specifications or exceeds them. So far so good. That's right. Well, what do you say we knock off for today? That suits me. Okay, I'm going to hit the sack early. I was up there flying her with you. Ah, you're just getting old. Let me buy you some chow anyhow, huh? Some other time, Paul. I'm beat. Well, okay, then. These guys must be slipping around here. What do you mean? Allowing the most charming girl who's hit this place in a long time to sit around alone in the reading room? What are our junior officers thinking of? Well, I must admit I've had some offers, but I thought I'd just read a while and then go back to my quarters. We've got another long day tomorrow. Oh, now you can do better than that. Listen, how about coming around to the movie with me? I don't know what it is, and maybe we've both seen it, but those are the best kind to hold hands in anyhow. I'm flattered, Major Sedgwick. Well, cut out this Major Sedgwick stuff, too. That's an order. The name's Paul. Well, I don't accept orders from just anyone, Paul. That's a good girl. Come on, then. We've got just three minutes to get there, and I hate to miss the cartoons. Now, which one of these charming barracks have they got you housed in? Well, they all look alike to me after that movie. Wait, the number's on the way. Let's see. Building 102. Well, I must be over there. Shall I get my cards about four blocks? Oh, that's all right. We can walk. Well, I was hoping you'd say that. It takes longer that way. You take this career stuff pretty seriously, don't you? Well, I guess so. I mean, is it that apparent? I hate to think I was a sort of a poor man's Roslyn Russell. You know, those parts she plays. No, no, not that precisely. Tell me about you. You take it seriously yourself. Oh, sure. I guess it's because I always want to do this sort of thing. Be a test pilot? Yeah, yeah. Now, I remember once when I was a kid, I went out with a friend of my dad's. He was gonna test a plane. Those guys were really characters. They used to put him in a dive to see if the wings would come off. And if they didn't, they built them. That's right. Now, heck, we're all engineers around here. They have a test pilot school for officers from the grade of lieutenant through major with a minimum flying time requirement of 1,500 hours. Boy, you really catch up on your math there. Now, I never knew I'd forgotten so much until I went through that deal. Sounds rough. Oh, oh, oh, oh. I forgot you're a brain. But I'm just an old man. I'll be 32 next month. I was really burning the midnight oil. But test piloting's come a long way from the days when all you needed was flying ability and a who cares attitude. I know. My father was a test pilot. I guess that's where I got my interest in airplanes. That explains a lot of things. This looked like 102 to me. Well, so soon, we've just gotten started. I was going to tell you about my childhood. You know, like how I broke my arm jumping off the garage roof in umbrella for a parachute? Some other time, maybe. Oh, not maybe. Good night, Pa. And? Some other time, Pa. You are listening to the proudly we hail production that telltale spin. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. Are you interested in a career with a promising future? There are hundreds of jobs ranging from administration and accounting to electronics and construction open to you in the United States Air Force. A handy new 84 page booklet entitled Pocket Guide to Air Force Opportunities gives you the complete story. Everything pertinent to an Air Force enlistment is covered from basic training to promotion and travel information. And there's a special section where more than 100 technical training courses are described and illustrated. These and many other interesting facts on what the Air Force can mean to you pick up your absolutely free copy of Pocket Guide to Air Force Opportunities from your nearest Air Force Recruiting Station. You are listening to Proudly We Hail and now we present the second act of the telltale spin. Oh, seven, fourteen hours. Has everything at home, Ma? We'll read you Pipe Square. Roger. I'll read you speak to me. Tell Pipe Charlie as I live and breathe. I got all about you. Well, where are you going? Up. Let's go. I don't know why you want all this altitude, George, it's a beastly bore. We're level at 40. Roger. You're with it, Chase? Right. Okay, let's have some rolls for breakfast. How'd you like them? I like them the way you do them. Oh, I'm in a spin. You still with me, my little friend? I'm here. I just wish you were here. You just passed 35. Pull it out, boy. I have other things on my mind. The wicked one doesn't want to come out. Off your nose. I have a personal investment in this operation. Happens to have something to do with an old bridge partner. Well, that's a long story. Some other time. 25. Paul, this is Larry, Paul. Go away, boy. You bother me. Paul, don't take any chances. Do you hear me? 20,000. Listen to me, Paul. What's the matter with you guys? You think I can't bring her out or something? Anytime. Anytime. Paul, listen. You're at 15, Paul. But this one's so nice, I've gotten quite attached to it. Paul, listen to the man. Things are so difficult. Can't you stop this chatter? My desk is piled high with work. I can't go out now and be against regulations. Come on. Come on, please be quiet a moment. I'm about to make an important announcement. That did the trick. How do you feel? You guys can buy me a steak on this one. Anyhow, better late than never to coin a praise. It's all a tablet, anyone? That's it. You've got all the notes and squiggles, such as they are. You started to spin from the roll. That's all I can tell you. There was no warning at all. None. Just all of a sudden, I was out of control. It was certainly a perfectly normal maneuver. That's right. I hate to say this. A major design defect? Very possibly. Well, I know there's an explanation. I hope so. Anyhow, we'll have to compile all the data, run through the film and everything. We won't know anything definite at all for several days. We'll give it the eagle eye, Larry. You can bet on that. I know. Oh, listen, Larry, don't take it so hard. There's something in the films or somewhere that'll show up. The whole thing can probably be ironed out in a couple of minutes. And when we find it, that'll be all there is to it. Yeah, sure, sure. You guys stick around a few days? I'd like to pull, but I'm stuck. The office is screaming. I really shouldn't be here now. Okay, do what you have to, but relax. The plane's in good hands. George, here's the best. I know that. I understand you've got a machine in here that can solve any problems. Oh, hi, Paul. I'm glad you dropped by. I was going to give you a call. Well, my telepathy set has had you zeroed in all morning, but rather than work it too hard, I thought I'd drop in in person. What's the word? Well, the preliminary date is all in on the X-28. I've just finished going over it. Okay, let's have it. Paul, I've looked at the films until my eyes are crossed. No, you don't have to explain, George. I know. Just give it to me straight. I'm virtually certain it's what I was afraid of. Something to do with the center of gravity. Now, look here. See this? That's what the tabular is. Oh, and it's wrong. That's one of the sweetest aircraft I've ever flown. I can tell. I can feel it. Now, George, believe me, I'm not arguing with you, but every once in a while something comes up like this in which the figures are, well, they're not wrong. They just don't tell the story. I figure that's why they still have test pilots. I can't disagree with you there, Paul. I'm not a pilot. Also, I know you're enough of an engineer to understand what you're up against here. Well, let's lay it on the line then. Seriously, what would your recommendation be? Paul, I would recommend that further tests in this aircraft be discontinued by the Air Force and the ship be sent back to the designer for extensive modification. Well, I don't agree, and you know it's not a personal matter. I know, Paul. We've worked together before, and I have a lot of respect for your judgment. I wouldn't send any recommendation in without your concurrence. But that ship isn't going to be flown until we've worked this all out. Well, it might take weeks to discover that effect. Possibly. And what it'll take weeks to find out on paper will take me about 15 minutes in the air. I can't buy that. I don't like it. Well, I don't like it much myself, but it's got to be done. I can duplicate the maneuver exactly as I did the other day, but this time I'll be watching and I'll nail the trouble. Or it'll nail you. Oh, Paul, I can't go along with that. Well, okay, but I should like to do it. However, no preliminary report file. I mean, we'll just hold everything back until we get a final analysis. Right. What are you doing up here? I thought you'd gone back to L.A. with Larry. I did. You fly up? Well, hey, what's the matter? I did not fly up. I drove. I'm not on company time, and I'm not on Air Force time. I'm on my own time. And I came up to tell you what a prize heel I think you are. What are you talking about? You know what I'm talking about. Well, suppose you tell me anyhow. The X-28. That's what I'm talking about. Well, what about it? You refused to fly it. I did, huh? Yes, after that spin the other day. That happens to be a wonderful aircraft. It just happens that I agree with you. Well, if you agree, why don't you do something about it? All you have to do is take it up and repeat the role and find out what caused it. But you won't. You're going to wait for results. Weeks, maybe. Larry Farley's career may be finished because of the delays. I heard that in the plant just the other day. I suppose it would be considered somewhat irrelevant to point out that my neck might depend on the course I take. You're dodging the issue. The X-28 is a good aircraft. Well, it's nice that you can keep returning to the one point on which we can agree. I knew I wouldn't get anywhere with you. But I had to come up anyway, just so I could tell you what I thought of you. And to think... to think I was kidding myself the other night. About what, Annie? Nothing. And my name from now on is Miss Roberts. Well, it sure had me fooled, all right. And it was the center of gravity. But you can see here that it's not as serious as I thought at first. And I believe if we relocated some of that pressurizing equipment it would solve the whole deal. I sort of had the same idea. Well, how long will it take, Larry? Well, we have our company mechanics here. Two days, maybe. Doesn't look like a big job to me. Wonderful. Then we can schedule a test for the end of the week again, huh? Yeah. Say, Paul, to change the subject, have you seen Anne Roberts lately? Uh... Well, she heard we canceled the flights on the X-28, and I guess she thought my reactions fell short of what Papa would have done back in 1936 or something. But George told me you wanted to fly it. Ah, gee, I'm a hero. Well, we both know better. But you should have told her. I guess I would have, but she was moving off rapidly the last I saw of it. Oh, well, let's get back to business. Now, on this next flight... This is Rockpile calling Caravan 1. Rockpile to Caravan 1. Brady's not on yet. Rockpile to Custod 7. Rockpile to Custod 7. Custod 7 here. Hey, Ridge, tell Paul to pick up our frequency. Roger. Fast words? No. No, nothing. Come on, will this thing fly? You tell us. I believe it will. I believe it will. I'll give you all a scoop. Yes, ma'am. Oh, I'm sorry, but this says you must be accompanied by an authorized officer. I've got to go out there. I'm trying to find Major Sedgwick. Well, I'll have him paged for you, ma'am. Now, if he could come down here and identify you... You don't understand. I've been to his office. They said he's flying. He's flying the X-28. Oh, I don't know what to do. Well, ma'am, I don't have any information about that. And if you did, you wouldn't be allowed to tell me. Oh, my fault. It's safe. Yes, ma'am. He was just as sweet as the first time. Oh, boy. You don't know what a load-off my mind it is. Mine, too. Boy, I had a few moments there myself. But everything went off, but great. No sweat. Hey, Paul, look. Over there by the barrier. And what? Well, look. Hey, it's Annie. Paul. Annie. To say I was sorry. You should be. You were interfering with my sleep. I guess you know that, though, don't you? Paul. When I went to your office and they said you were flying, then I finally got it out of them. It was the X-28. You could have been killed, Paul. I don't know what's the matter with me. No, no, no. The testing is different now since Daddy's day. Yeah. But I sent you up there and... Oh, Paul, I love you. And I might... Say that again. I love you. Object matrimony. Yes, Paul. That's a promise. Promise. Looks like we better get out of here, huh? I guess we are sort of excess baggage. You know, George, I was just thinking. Yeah? I was thinking that if it happened that Annie didn't find out those changes were made before Paul flew the X-28, it might be a lot simpler for him. You must have read my mind. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented and transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Air Force Recruiting Service, and this is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.