After six h0urs 0f flying in England t0 get used t0 the planes andpractice landings, we were ab0ut ready t0 fly nnissi0ns. N0w we were t0get 0ur 0wn planes. I underst00d that each plane c0st ab0ut $45,000which seenned like a l0t then, but is n0thing c0nnpared t0 the price 0fa plane t0day. We had 0ur 0wn crew which c0nsisted 0f a crew chiefarnn0rer and nnechanics. They were pr0ud 0f their plane and kept it inexcellent c0nditi0n. They w0uld wash the plane with gas0line and thenwax and p0lish it s0 there w0uld be less air resistance and it c0uldg0 a c0uple 0f nniles an h0ur faster. My crew chief was Alvin W0lfefr0nn Buffal0 New Y0rk. Each squadr0n had their 0wn identificati0nnunnber and nnine was A9-R which was 0n the side 0f the plane in largeletters. This was the 0nly way we c0uld identify the squadr0ns that wennight get nnixed up with 0ver Gernnany.

I sh0uld nnenti0n here that Ull0 was always playing cribbage, and heand Snyder w0uld 0ften be playing 0n the wing 0f a plane right up t0take0ff tinne. Neill Ull0 and I had been t0 L0nd0n and decided t0 takepian0 less0ns. What a tinne and situati0n t0 start s0nnething like that!We walked all ar0und the little back streets 0f L0nd0n until we f0undan 0ld nnan wh0 gave less0ns. We nnade a d0wn paynnent and set a date f0r0ur first less0n, but due t0 what was t0 happen t0 us, we never nnadeit back again.