Dear Dad,

Just got back from supper and spent the afternoon on the flt. line. I think I have just about got these AT’s figured out however, we can’t solo them till we have had 4 hrs. dual and I only have 2:45 now. They are really a sweet little plane and they handle alot like the Stearman especially on the landing that is they will ground loop plenty easy. Alot of them have guns in them, that is one 30 cal. firing through the prop arc and then one in each wing. Up until the P40 they were our first line combat planes and are still used by the South Americans. There is alot more proceedure on them and that is the main part to this part of the training, they have retractable wheels, a Hamilton constant speed prop and hydraulic operated flaps.

It is really a job to remember to do everything and also in order, but it has to be done because they say it is embarassing to land with your wheels up. They have had alot of cases where fellows after landing reach down to pull their flaps up and get the wrong control and pull their wheels up instead. An example of what we have to go through on a take off: as soon as the plane leaves the ground you throttle back to 30 in. of Hg. on your manifold pressure guage, pull your prop control back so that you have 2,000 RPM’s, push power button, then retract landing gear, keep air speed at 110 MPH, lean out mixture control and switch gas tanks. The landing procedure is even worse. However, I have a good instructor and I don’t think he would be surprised at anything we did. These things really wind up in a spin and we are not suppose to start a spin at below 10,000 ft. Yesterday we did a couple and when we pulled out we were going 240 MPH. and he just about blacked me out on the pulled out, it is quite a sensation.

Dad, I received the box of candy and also the card, they were both really swell and, oh yes, also thanks for the air mails. You have sent me so much stuff I can’t keep track of it all. I like your business card and am glad you sent me one. The card “To my son” was really swell and thanks alot.

I ordered my officers uniform through the PX the other day. They told us all to put the order in now so that we would be sure and get them for graduation. I ordered just the min. here so I can get the rest from the factory.^[1]DeMoulin Brothers factory engaged during the war in manufacturing military uniforms. Tom’s grandfather had been one of the DeMoulin Brothers, and Tom’s uncle, Leslie DeMoulin was the … Continue reading Here’s what I had to get:

We are given a clothing allowance of $250.00 when we graduate so this will leave me with alittle extra but from what I hear that goes fast. They say you can spend $1,000.00 on a wardrobe and still need more. I hope I am not counting my chickens before they are hatched but if you wash out it doesn’t cost you anything. I am hoping to get a 2nd Lt. but they are making alot more Flt. officers. The F.O. wears the same uniform with a different insignia, they have a blue bar with a gold stripe down the middle. The pay is just about the same but all the fellows want to be 2nd Lts. We will all know on April 13th because that is our graduation date unless some of us get held over a month on instrument flying or some other phase of flying.

Well Dad, I am going to get to be and tell Elaine that I am goin to try and write them tomorrow night. Tell them I received their letter today and also tell Elaine I’ll be thinking of her on the 16th and that my remembrance might be alittle late. You can give her my birthday kiss.

My letters will probably be alittle lacking for the next two or three weeks but the schedule is plenty tight from 5:00 AM till 7:00 PM and sometimes a lecture at night.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Put Box no. in my address from now on. We just got them.