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MILLING, T. DEWITT, BRIG. GEN. USAF. - BIOG. FILE - FOLDER NO. 2 ITEM NO. 5A

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM

DRAFT

   The single seater with I was using on my flights was also giving trouble. We tore the motor down after the morning flights and worked on it all day and finally got [[strikethrough]] the [[strikethrough]] it reassembled late in the afternoon. I wanted to use the plane next morning and was very anxious to test it. There was no wind at the time but the clouds indicated that there would be [[strikethrough]] l [[strikethrough]]shortly. I thought I would get a 10 minute flight in before it struck. I had started out and had gone a couple of miles from the field when the storm hit. There was a wind of about 40 to 60 miles an hour blowing directly to the field so I had to fight against it to get back. I hardly moved accross the ground faster than a person could walk.. It took more than 40 min. to regain the field from the position from where I had started. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing directly accross the runway and when I got in I had to make a cross-wind landing....but I got down safely.
   Lieuts Arnold and Kirtland had gone to Marblehead just previous to the maneuvers to accept delivery of the first tractor airplane that we had received. This, of course, was made by Bufgess-Curtiss but we had bought a 70 h.p. Renault motor from France and this motor was installed, having geared down the propeller. As soon as they had finished the tests they were to fly the machine to Bridgeport and join us in the maneuvers. After leaving Marblehead, they hit a 24 mile head wind and decided to stop at South Dukesbury (30 miles out). The plane was equipped with pontoons and with heavy load of gasoline, they had trouble in getting up from the Dukesbury anchorage, caught one wing and damaged the plane. The plane was returned to the factory and the opportunity to use in under field conditions was lost.
   Lieut. Rockwell, a student who had joined us upon our return to College [[strikethrough]]Point[[/strikethrough]] Park, was assigned to me for his [[strikethrough]] Instructor[[strikethrough]]instructions. He learned very rapidly and obtained his FAI - No. 165 - on September 25. He kept up his flying was considered a very skillful pilot for the short time he had flown. Shortly after - on the

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