Royal Air Force Station
Aboukir Egypt

July 9, 1939

Dear Mother:

I see by the date that Jean should be out of school now and enjoying her holidays.

The squadron is here at Aboukir for a couple of weeks supervising the packing of our old aeroplanes which are being sent home to England.

F/O Schwab, a Canadian from Niagara Falls and great friend of Overall's in 41 Squadron, is stationed here and tests Blenheim bombers. These are the fastest twin-engined bombers in the world.

He took me up yesterday and what he put that machine through was a mystery! His main stunt was to fly about 300 m.p.h. straight and level in cloud and then pull the wheel back so that we would emerge out of a cloud vertically, both engines thrashing the air. He also loops and rolls them. For a bomber, they have remarkable powers of manoeuvre.

What I wouldn't give for a couple of months holiday.