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Posted by Tom Kwiatkowski Sr. - 309C
on 10/24/2009, 1:12 pm
74.44.85.96
Returned by "popular demand" 
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We did the Before Take Off checklist while taxiing and then proceeded to turn into take off position with the other ship following closely behind. Throttles ahead and we were rolling! I lifted off and called for gear up and climb power, intending to climb to 1,500 feet. However, the ceiling had lowered now to a point where we would be in the clouds before then. I didn't like this at all, knowing that we would need at least 2,000 feet in order to clear that peak at the coast. Furthermore, it was beginning to rain and visibility was dropping. The B-24 did not have windshield wipers, presumably because when it was raining you should be flying on instruments, anyway. Now the adrenaline began to flow. Decision time is here, Mr. Aircraft Commander. Not too many options were available. I had to climb to at least 2,000 feet to safely clear that peak ahead, but I had no way to determine the altimeter setting. But Wait! Deteriorating weather meant a low pressure area was moving in. The axiom we learned was "From high to low, look out below!" This meant the altimeter would read higher than you actually were. I would have to estimate that the pressure would drop about five tenths of a point, and adjust the altimeter setting accordingly. This I did, and continued to climb to 2,500 feet to be safe. I had to continue to the west because I had no way of knowing if the other B-24 was still coming behind me. But even so, I wanted to go west anyway and carefully watch the timing to make sure I knew when I was over the Tasmanian Sea. At that time I could safely let down over the open sea. Very rarely did the ceiling come all the way down to the water. This would be my plan, so I got out my chart and began to study it closely. Chances were that since this weather moved in behind us from the south, I needed to know if, in fact, I could continue to the south at all. But I would not know this until I let down and broke into the clear, hopefully.
TO BE CONTINUED
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SOURCE: MEMORIES OF WAR AND PEACE BY ROBERT J. "BOB" GILLMAN. USED WITH PERMISSION.
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