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AMSGATE, SPRING 1928. HIND’S FLYING CIRCUS WAS IN TOWN. THEY WERE THE BEST KNOWN AEROBATIC TEAM IN THE COUNTRY AND AN EXCITED CROWD HAD GATHERED. BUT THE OWNER, TERRY HIND, WAS A NERVOUS MAN.
THEY'D BETTER DO AS THEY'RE TOLD THIS TIME. STORY STEVE COOMBS ART CARLOS PINO COVER CARLOS PINO
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THE STARS OF THE SHOW WERE RON REGAN AND TEDDY MORGAN. THEY WERE A WING-WALKING ACT.
BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR IT, EH, RONNIE?
LETS GIVE THEM A SHOW TO REMEMBER.
THE SHOW BEGAN SAFELY ENOUGH. REGAN PERFORMED ACROBATIC STUNTS WHILST IN A SAFETY HARNESS. TIME TO SPICE THINGS UP A BIT…
BUT THEN HINDS SAW WHAT HE HAD FEARED.
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REGAN HAD DELIBERATELY SLIPPED OUT OF HIS SAFETY HARNESS, MUCH TO THE AMAZEMENT OF THE STUNNED ONLOOKERS.
THE DARING ATHLETE PERFORMED THE MOST DANGEROUS OF STUNTS, WEEK AFTER WEEK, AND CROWDS LOVED HIM.
I'M GOING TO KILL HIM IF HE DOESNT FALL OFF THAT PLANE!
BUT HE OWED HIS SUCCESS TO THE SKILL OF HIS PILOT – TEDDY.
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TEDDY WAS THE BEST STUNT PILOT IN THE BUSINESS. KEEPING THIS OLD CRATE STEADY NEVER GETS EASIER.
AS A FINALE, REGAN PERFORMED HIS PARTY PIECE…STEALING A CREAM BUN FROM A SPECTATOR.
HAZZAH!
OI!
THE POLICE HAD WARNED HINDS THAT THE STUNT WAS RECKLESS AND THAT HE COULD BE CLOSED DOWN IF HIS ACT PERSISTED WITH IT.
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THE FLYING CIRCUS OWNER WAS INCANDESCENT WITH RAGE – AND CONFRONTED HIS STAR ACT WHEN THEY WERE BACK ON THE GROUND. YOU TWO WANT ME TO BE CLOSED DOWN? YOU WANT TO BE OUT OF A JOB?
THAT’S SHOWBIZ, MR HIND. THE CROWD LOVED IT.
ONE MAN HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY THE SHOW, AND ASKED TO MEET THE PILOT.
HIND INTRODUCED THE PILOT AND HIS ADMIRER – BUT THEY'D MET BEFORE.
THAT PILOT OF YOURS IS QUITE A PERFORMER. FINCH? IS THAT YOU? YOU'VE GOT FAT.
YOU’RE NOT THE POLICE, ARE YOU?
HE WAS RETIRED R.A.F. WING COMMANDER WILLIAM FINCH.
GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO, TEDDY. IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THEY HAD LAST SEEN EACH OTHER.
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BACK IN 1914, THE TWO MEN HAD BEEN YOUNG PILOTS IN THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS AND HAD COME THROUGH FLYING SCHOOL TOGETHER.
LOOKING FORWARD TO FRANCE, OLD CHAP?
NOT HALF. IT'LL BE GOOD TO SHOW THE TOP BRASS WHAT THESE KITES CAN REALLY DO.
THE R.F.C. FLEW ONLY RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS AT THE START OF THE WAR. HOPE YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES YOUNG FELLOW. I'M NOT USED TO THIS FLYING LARK.
DON'T WORRY. YOU'LL ENJOY YOURSELF.
TEDDY WAS PAIRED WITH AN OBSERVER NAMED PHIL MARSH.
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AT FIRST THE ONLY THREAT CAME FROM THE GUNS OF THE TROOPS BELOW.
HIMMEL, I MISSED HIM!
KEEP TRYING, FRITZ.
THE FIRST TIME HE SPOTTED AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT – AN ETRICH TAUBE MONOPLANE – TEDDY WASN'T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT.
AH, OUR OPPOSITE NUMBERS. SUPPOSE I'D BETTER BE CAREFUL HERE.
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BUT THE GERMAN ONLY OFFERED A GENTLEMANLY SALUTE TO THE BRITISH FLIERS.
GOOD MORNING, MY FELLOW ADVENTURERS!
ON THAT SORTIE, MARSH HAD SPOTTED A GERMAN UNIT ATTEMPTING TO OUTFLANK THE BRITISH.
HELLO, WHAT ARE THEY UP TO DOWN THERE?
HE PASSED THE INFORMATION ON AS SOON AS THEY GOT BACK.
SEEMS LIKE A DECENT FELLOW.