the aeroplane speaks-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


m；　polished　metal；　and　every　part　so　perfectly　‘‘streamlined''　to　minimize　Drift；　which　is　the　resistance　of　the　air　to　the　passage　of　the　machine；　that　to　the　veriest　tyro　the　remark　of　the　Pilot　is　obviously　justified。

‘‘Clean　looking　'bus；　looks　almost　alive　and　impatient　to　be　off。　Ought　to　have　a　turn　for　speed　with　those　lines。''

‘‘Yes；''　replies　the　Flight…Commander；　‘‘it's　the　latest　of　its　type　and　looks　a　beauty。　Give　it　a　good　test。　A　special　report　is　required　on　this　machine。''

The　A。M。's＇＇8＇＇　have　now　placed　the　Aeroplane　in　position　facing　the　gentle　air　that　is　just　beginning　to　make　itself　evident；　the　engine　Fitter；　having　made　sure　of　a　sufficiency　of　oil　and　petrol　in　the　tanks；　is　standing　by　the　Propeller；　the　Rigger；　satisfied　with　a　job　well　done；　is　critically　‘‘vetting''　the　machine　by　eye；　four　A。M。's　are　at　their　posts；　ready　to　hold　the　Aeroplane　from　jumping　the　blocks　which　have　been　placed　in　front　of　the　wheels；　and　the　Flight…　Sergeant　is　awaiting　the　Pilot's　orders。


＇＇8＇＇　A。M。's：　Air　Mechanics。


As　the　Pilot　approaches　the　Aeroplane　the　Rigger　springs　to　attention　and　reports；　‘‘All　correct；　sir；''　but　the　Fitter　does　not　this　morning　report　the　condition　of　the　Engine；　for　well　he　knows　that　this　Pilot　always　personally　looks　after　the　preliminary　engine　test。　The　latter；　in　leathern　kit；　warm　flying　boots　and　goggled；　climbs　into　his　seat；　and　now；　even　more　than　before；　has　the　Aeroplane　an　almost　living　appearance；　as　if　straining　to　be　off　and　away。　First　he　moves　the　Controls　to　see　that　everything　is　clear；　for　sometimes　when　the　Aeroplane　is　on　the　ground　the　control　lever　or　‘‘joy…stick''　is　lashed　fast　to　prevent　the　wind　from　blowing　the　controlling　surfaces　about　and　possibly　damaging　them。

The　air　of　this　early　dawn　is　distinctly　chilly；　and　the　A。M。's　are　beginning　to　stamp　their　cold　feet　upon　the　dewy　grass；　but　very　careful　and　circumspect　is　the　Pilot；　as　he　mutters　to　himself；　‘‘Don't　worry　and　flurry；　or　you'll　die　in　a　hurry。''

At　last　he　fumbles　for　his　safety　belt；　but　with　a　start　remembers　the　Pilot　Air　Speed　Indicator；　and；　adjusting　it　to　zero；　smiles　as　he　hears　the　Pilot…head's　gruff　voice；　‘‘Well；　I　should　think　so；　twenty　miles　an　hour　I　was　registering。　That's　likely　to　cause　a　green　pilot　to　stall　the　Aeroplane。　Pancake；　they　call　it。''　And　the　Pilot；　who　is　an　old　hand　and　has　learned　a　lot　of　things　in　the　air　that　mere　earth…dwellers　know　nothing　about；　distinctly　heard　the　Pilot　Tube；　whose　mouth　is　open　to　the　air　to　receive　its　pressure；　stammer。　‘‘Oh　Lor！　I've　got　an　earwig　already　hope　to　goodness　the　Rigger　blows　me　out　when　I　come　downand　this　morning　air　simply　fills　me　with　moisture；　I'll　never　keep　the　Liquid　steady　in　the　Gauge。　I'm　not　sure　of　my　rubber　connections　either。''

‘‘Oh；　shut　up！''　cry　all　the　Wires　in　unison；　‘‘haven't　we　got　our　troubles　too？　We're　in　the　most　horrible　state　of　tension。　It's　simply　murdering　our　Factor　of　Safety；　and　how　we　can　possibly　stand　it　when　we　get　the　Lift　only　the　Designer　knows。''

‘‘That's　all　right；''　squeak　all　the　little　Wire　loops；　‘‘we're　that　accommodating；　we're　sure　to　elongate　a　bit　and　so　relieve　your　tension。''　For　the　whole　Aeroplane　is　braced　together　with　innumerable　wires；　many　of　which　are　at　their　ends　bent　over　in　the　form　of　loops　in　order　to　connect　with　the　metal　fittings　on　the　spars　and　elsewhere　cheap　and　easy　way　of　making　connection。

‘‘Elongate；　you　little　devils；　would　you？''　fairly　shout　the　Angles　of　Incidence；　Dihedral　and　Stagger；　amid　a　chorus　of　groans　from　all　parts　of　the　Aeroplane。　‘‘What's　going　to　happen　to　us　then？　How　are　we　going　to　keep　our　adjustments　upon　which　good　flying　depends？''

‘‘Butt　us　and　screw　us；''＇＇9＇＇　wail　the　Wires。　‘‘Butt　us　and　screw　us；　and　death　to　the　Loops。　That's　what　we　sang　to　the　Designer；　but　he　only　looked　sad　and　scowled　at　the　Directors。''


＇＇9＇＇　Butt　means　to　thicken　at　the　end。　Screw　means　to　machine　a　thread　on　the　butt…end　of　the　wire；　and　in　this　way　the　wire　can　make　connection　with　the　desired　place　by　being　screwed　into　a　metal　fitting；　thus　eliminating　the　disadvantage　of　the　unsatisfactory　loop。


‘‘And　who　on　earth　are　they？''　asked　the　Loops；　trembling　for　their　troublesome　little　lives。

‘‘Oh　earth　indeed；''　sniffed　Efficiency；　who　had　not　spoken　before；　having　been　rendered　rather　shy　by　being　badly　compromised　in　the　Drawing　Office。　‘‘I'd　like　to　get　some　of　them　up　between　Heaven　and　Earth；　I　would。　I'd　give　'em　something　to　think　of　besides　their　Debits　and　Creditsbut　all　the　same　the　Designer　will　get　his　way　in　the　end。　I'm　his　Best　Girl；　you　know；　and　if　we　could　only　get　rid　of　the　Directors；　the　little　Tin　god；　and　the　Man…who…takes…the…credit；　we　should　be　quite　happy。''　Then　she　abruptly　subsides；　feeling　that　perhaps　the　less　said　the　better　until　she　has　made　a　reputation　in　the　Air。　The　matter　of　that　Compromise　still　rankled；　and　indeed　it　does　seem　hardly　fit　that　a　bold　bad　Tin　god　should　flirt　with　Efficiency。　You　see　there　was　a　little　Tin　god；　and　he　said　‘‘Boom；　Boom　BOOM！　Nonsense！　It　MUST　be　done；''　and　things　like　that　in　a　very　loud　voice；　and　the　Designer　tore　his　hair　and　was　furious；　but　the　Directors；　who　were　thinking　of　nothing　but　Orders　and　Dividends；　had　the　whip…hand　of　HIM；　and　so　there　you　are；　and　so　poor　beautiful　Miss　Efficiency　was　compromised。

All　this　time　the　Pilot　is　carefully　buckling　his　belt　and　making　himself　perfectly　easy　and　comfortable；　as　all　good　pilots　do。　As　he　straightens　himself　up　from　a　careful　inspection　of　the　Deviation　Curve＇＇10＇＇　of　the　Compass　and　takes　command　of　the　Controls；　the　Throttle　and　the　Ignition；　the　voices　grow　fainter　and　fainter　until　there　is　nothing　but　a　trembling　of　the　Lift　and　Drift　wires　to　indicate　to　his　understanding　eye　their　state　of　tension　in　expectancy　of　the　Great　Test。


＇＇10＇＇　Deviation　curve：　A　curved　line　indicating　any　errors　in　the　compass。


‘‘Petrol　on？''　shouts　the　Fitter　to　the　Pilot。

‘‘Petrol　on；''　replies　the　Pilot。

‘‘Ignition　off？''

‘‘Ignition　off。''

Round　goes　the　Propeller；　the　Engine　sucking　in　the　Petrol　Vapour　with　satisfied　gulps。　And　then

‘‘Contact？''　from　the　Fitter。

‘‘Contact；''　says　the　Pilot。

Now　one　swing　of　the　Propeller　by　the　Fitter；　and　the　Engine　is　awake　and　working。　Slowly　at　first　though；　and　in　a　weak　voice　demanding；　‘‘Not　too　much　Throttle；　please。　I'm　very　cold　and　mustn't　run　fast　until　my　Oil　has　thinned　and　is　circulating　freely。　Three　minutes　slowly；　as　you　love　me；　Pilot。''

Faster　and　faster　turn　the　Engine　and　Propeller；　and　the　Aeroplane；　trembling　in　all　its　parts；　strains　to　jump　the　blocks　and　be　off。　Carefully　the　Pilot　listens　to　what　the　Engine　Revolution　Indicator　says。　At　last；　‘‘Steady　at　1；500　revs。　and　I'll　pick　up　the　rest　in　the　Air。''　Then　does　he　throttle　down　the　Engine；　carefully　putting　the　lever　back　to　the　last　notch　to　make　sure　that　in　such　position　the　Throttle　is　still　sufficiently　open　for　the　Engine　to　continue　working；　as　otherwise　it　might　lead　to　him　‘‘losing''　his　Engine　in　the　air　when　throttling　down　the　power　for　descent。　Then；　giving　the　official　signal；　he　sees　the　blocks　removed　from　the　wheels；　and　the　Flight…Sergeant　saluting　he　knows　that　all　is　clear　to　ascend。　One　more　signal；　and　all　the　A。M。's　run　clear　of　the　Aeroplane。

Then　gently；　gently　mind　you；　with　none　of　the　‘‘crashing　on''　bad　Pilots　think　so　fine；　he　opens　the　Throttle　and；　the　Propeller　Thrust　overcoming　its　enemy　the　Drift；　the　Aeroplane　moves　forward。

‘‘Ah！''　says　the　Wind…screen；　‘‘that's　Discipline；　that　is。　Through　my　little　window　I　see　most　things；　and　don't　I　just　know　that　poor　discipline　always　results　in　poor　work　in　the　air；　and　don't　you　forget　it。''

‘‘Discipline　is　it？''　complains　the　Under…carriage；　as　its　wheels　roll　swiftly　over　the　rather　rough　ground。　‘‘I'm　bump　getting　it；　and　bump；　bump；　all　I　want；　bang；　bump；　rattle；　too！''　But；　as　the　Lift　increases　with　the　Speed；　the　complaints　of　the　Under…carriage　are　stilled；　and　then；　the　friendly　Lift　becoming　greater　than　the　Weight；　the　Aeroplane　swiftly　and　easily　takes　to　the　air。

Below　is　left　the　Earth　with　all　its　bumps　and　troubles。　Up　into　the　clean　clear　Air　moves　with　incredible　speed　and　steadiness　this　triumph　of　the　Designer；　the　result　of　how　much　mental　effort；　imagination；　trials　and　errors；　failures　and　successes；　and　many　a　life　lost　in　high　endeavour。

Now　is　the　mighty　voice　of　the　Engine　heard　as　he　turns　the　Propeller　nine　hundred　times　a　minute。　Now　does　the　Thrust　fight　the　Drift　for　all　it's　worth；　and　the　Air　Speed　Indicator　gasps　with　delight；　‘‘One　hundred　miles　an　hour！''

And　now　does　the　burden　of　work　fall　upon　the　Lift　and　Drift　Wires；　and　they　scream　to　the　Turnbuckles　whose　business　it　is　to　hold　them　in　tension；　‘‘This　is　the　limit！　the　Limit！　THE　LIMIT！　Release　us；　if　only　a　quarter　turn。''　But　the　Turnbuckles　are　locked　too　fast　to　turn　their　eyes　or　utter　a　word。　Only　the　Locking　Wires　thus：　‘‘Ha！　ha！　the　Rigger　knew　his　job。　He　knew　the　trick；　and　there's　no　release　here。''　For　an　expert　rigger　will　always　use　the　locking　wire　in　such　a　way　as　to　oppose　the　slightest　tendency　of　the　turnbuckle　to　unscrew。　The　other　kind　of　rigger　will　often　use　the　wire　in　such　a　way　as　to　allow　the　turnbuckle；　to　the　‘‘eyes''　of　which　the　wires　are　attached；　to　unscrew　a　quarter　of　a　turn　or　more；　with　the　result　that　the　correct　adjustment　of　the　wires　may　be　lost；　and　upon　their　fine　adjustment　much　depends。

And　the　Struts　and　the　Spars　groan　in　compression　and　pray　to　keep　straight；　for　once　‘‘out　of　truth''　there　is；　in　addition　to　possible　collapse；　the　certainty　that　in　bending　they　will　throw　many　wires　out　of　adjustment。

And　the　Fabric's　quite　mixed　in　its　mind；　and　ejaculates；　‘‘Now；　who　would　have　thought　I　got　more　Lift　from　the　top　of　the　Surface　than　its　bottom？''　And　then　truculently　to　the　Distance　Pieces；　which　run　from　rib　to　rib；　‘‘Just　keep　the　Ribs　from　rolling；　will　you？　or　you'll　see　me　strip。　I'm　an　Irishman；　I　am；　and　if　my　coat　comes　off　Yes；　Irish；　I　said。　I　used　to　come　from　Egypt；　but　I've　got　naturalized　since　the　War　began。''

Then　the　Air　Speed　Indicator　catches　the　eye　of　the