A BT-9
Story
by
Fred Carl Gardner
Fred Carl Gardner at Randolph Field - Fall
of 1942
"The picture of the airplanes on the ramp at Randolph Field are BT-9s. I
flew them a few times at Randolph in the Spring of 1943 when I was going
through instructor training there. However, most of my training there was
in BT-13s. The BT-9 was a forerunner of the AT-6. It had a 450 HP engine
And a fixed landing gear. By 1943, it was an obsolete trainer and was soon
superceded by the BT-13. The AT-6 had a 650 HP Engine and a retractable
landing gear. I flew the "6" at Malden AFB every working day for five years."
Fred C. Gardner
THIS IS A STORY ABOUT FLYING THE NORTH AMERICAN BT-9, CIRCA MAY 1,
1943 AT RANDOLPH FIELD, TEXAS. ANOTHER STUDENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS IN THE
BACK SEAT. HE WAS THE "ACTING INSTRUCTOR"; I WAS THE "ACTING STUDENT." THE
SIMULATED INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL WE GOT ON THE 45 DEGREE
ENTRY LEG. AT THAT TIME, WHITE SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE EXHAUST STACK.
THEREUPON, MISTER "ACTING INSTRUCTOR" YELLED TO MISTER "ACTING STUDENT,"
"YOU GOT IT!!!"
WE WERE APPROACHING THE POINT OF ENTRY ONTO THE "DOWNWIND LEG," WHEN I SUDDENLY
BECAME "PILOT-IN-COMMAND" FOR "REAL." I QUICKLY EVALUATED THE OPTIONS:
(1) CONTINUE ON AND ENTER THE DOWNWIND AND FLY THE NORMAL PATTERN WITH WHITE
SMOKE TRAILING SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BEHIND;
(2) BAIL-OUT AND LEAVE THE ACTING INSTRUCTOR TO HANDLE THE SITUATION AS BEST
HE COULD,
(3) MAKE A QUICK 180 DEGREE TURN AWAY FROM RANDOLPH AND LAND ON A FARMER'S
FIELD, OR
(4) MAKE A QUICK TURN ONTO A BASE LEG AND LAND DOWNWIND AGAINST TRAFFIC.
I EXERCISED MY ASTUTE JUDGMENT ACQUIRED IN MY TOTAL 250 HOURS OF ARMY AIR
CORPS FLIGHT TRAINING, AND SELECTED OPTION NO. 4. I MADE QUICK TURNS ONTO
BASE AND FINAL AND SUDDENLY REALIZED I HAD "A HELL UF A TAILWIND."
(IT WAS NOON HOUR AT RANDOLPH AND ALL THE BT-9S WERE COMING IN. IN 1942,
RANDOLPH HAD NO RUNWAYS. WE LANDED ON LARGE GRASS-COVERED FIELDS, WEST AND
EAST OF THE BUILDING AREA. WE JUST LANDED ANYWHERE IT WAS "CLEAR,"
ON THE GRASS.)
RETURNING TO THE "ACTING STUDENT'S" SITUATION: HERE I WAS ON A FINAL APPROACH,
DOWNWIND, AGAINST THE TRAFFIC OF LITERALLY "A FLOCK" OF BT-9S AND COMING
IN "HEAD-ON" TO ME, FOR THEIR FINAL LANDINGS AT THE NOON-HOUR. I MANAGED
TO "THREAD" MY WAY THROUGH THAT MASS OF ANTIQUE "FLYING JUNK" AND
TOUCHED-DOWN AT ABOUT 120 MPH. THE SMOKE WAS STILL POURING OUT THE
EXHAUST. I NEVER DID CALL THE TOWER (DIDN'T HAVE TIME) AND I NEVER "HEARD
A PEEP" OUT OF THEM. SO, I JUST TAXIED UP ON THE HARD-SURFACED RAMP, SHUT-DOWN
THE ENGINE, AND SET THE PARKING BRAKES. THE "ACTING INSTRUCTOR" AND I CLIMBED
OUT, WALKED TO THE PLUSH RANDOLPH DINING HALL, AND HAD LUNCH. BEFORE WE PARTED,
HE SAID, FACEICOUSLY, THANKS FOR SAVING MY LIFE, FRED." FOR SOME REASON,
I NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN. ALSO, I NEVER DID KNOW WHAT CAUSED ALL THAT WHITE
SMOKE TO POUR OUT THE EXAUST STACK OF THAT BT-9.
END OF STORY, "OLDE FRED KROWE"
© 1998, Fred Carl Gardner, All rights reserved.
Other stories by Fred Carl Gardner:
A SHAVE-TAIL PILOT'S FIRST FORCED LANDING
A FORCED LANDING IN THE
ALLEGHENIES
A YEAR IN THE B-29
SUPERFORTRESS
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