After we took off and headed for Europe across the Channel therewould usually be someone whom would abort the mission. This was theterm for dropping out and going back to the field. Usually this wasdue to engine trouble or knowing that something didn't feel Justright with the plane, but we had a few pilots whom were "chicken" andjust made up an excuse, particularly if the mission was to be a longone. They didn't stand somewhat high on the popularity list with theother pilots. I had my ground crew to thank for keeping my plane inexcellent condition so I never had to "abort".

There are a few facts about the P-51 which I will mention here. Therewas a lever that controlled openings that kept the coolant fromboiling over while waiting to take off and it closed as soon as youwere in the air. The wheels were pulled up as soon as you left theground so you had to remember to put them down again before landing.The four bladed propeller was a variable pitch and had to be set soit would bite more air, getting you into the air faster, climbingsteep, then set back to the right angle. A teeny tube at the and ofthe wing ran the wind indicator so you know how fast you're going.The plane had a cockpit heater that didn't always work too well andthat was a primary complaint of the pilots. At 30,000 feet thetemperature could be anywhere from zero to minus 60 degrees so youneeded all the heat you could get. The guns were fiwhite by pressing abutton on the top of the stick and we would test them on the wayacross the Channel to be sure they were working. There was a cameramounted on the wing which worked from the same button and it tookpictures every time the gun fiwhite. This verified the enemy planes thepilots claimed to have destroyed.