Part 20 (1/2)
”Sir, I always thought you had to volunteer for something like this.”
”If you always thought that, Captain, you were always wrong,” McCoy said.
There were chuckles from most of them.
Another hand went up.
”Sir, can I ask what we'll be doing?”
”Aside from flying those helicopters, no.”
More chuckles.
A voice from somewhere called, jokingly, ”How do we get out of this chickens.h.i.+t outfit?”
”In handcuffs, a coffin, or when you retire,” McCoy said, smiling. Now there was laughter. ”I'll tell you what I can when I can. But for the time being, that's it.”
”I'd like to see you alone, please, Major,” McCoy said to Donald, and started walking toward the rear of the hangar. Dunston, Zimmerman, and Jennings followed him, and in a moment, so did Donald and Dunwood.
”Major,” Donald said when they were out of earshot of the others, ”if I'm . . . You can't tell me what we'll be doing, either?”
”Because that hasn't been decided,” McCoy said. ”We didn't know we were getting you and these aircraft until seventeen thirty yesterday. I don't think you should share that information.”
”I understand.”
”We have some ideas, but we won't know if they're any good until we know what these machines can and can't do. I never saw one of them until I walked into the hangar. Can we start with that?”
”Yes, sir. What would you like to know?”
”Everything,” McCoy said.
Donald looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then began what McCoy quickly decided was a recitation he had given before.
”These are Sikorsky H-19A helicopters,” Donald recited. ”They are powered by a Wright R 1340-57 550-horsepower engine, which gives them a maximum speed of 98 mph, a cruising speed of 80 mph, and a range of about 410 miles. The helicopter itself is 42 feet long and has a wingspan of 53 feet. The empty weight is 5,250 pounds and the maximum takeoff weight 7,500 pounds. There is a three-man crew, pilot, copilot, and crew chief. It can carry ten men, in addition to the crew.”
McCoy smiled.
”I think you and Mr. Zimmerman will get along, Major. He, too, is a walking encyclopedia of technical information. ” He paused and then went on. ”On the other hand, I have to have things explained to me.”
”Ask away.”
”You said the empty weight was . . .”
”Fifty-two hundred and fifty pounds,” Donald furnished.
”And the maximum takeoff weight 7,500 pounds. Does that mean these things will carry-what is that?-2,250 pounds?”
”You have to deduct the weight of the fuel,” Donald explained. ”AvGas weighs about seven pounds a gallon.”
”Okay. You said it will carry ten men. Riflemen? With their weapons? Ammo? Rations?”
”That figure is based on an average weight, man and equipment, of 180 pounds.”
”But these things will carry 1,800 pounds of whatever 180 miles someplace, and then be able to return?”
”That would be pus.h.i.+ng the envelope a little,” Donald said.
”The what?” Zimmerman asked.
”They call the capabilities of aircraft 'the envelope,' ” Donald explained. ”Just about everything affects everything else. The more you exceed the cruising speed, for example, the more fuel you burn and the less range you get.”
”What about carrying 1,500 pounds 150 miles and back?” McCoy asked.
”That could usually be done,” Donald said.
”Do you need the crew chief?” McCoy asked. ”If he weighs 180, that's twenty-five gallons of gas.”
”Crew chiefs are handy if the bird breaks,” Donald said. ”And they have other in-flight duties.”
”Essential, yes or no?” McCoy pressed.
”Desirable, not absolutely essential.”
”And the second pilot? That's another twenty-five gallons of gas.”
”Same answer. There is also the possibility that pilots take hits, and a spare pilot is a nice thing to have.”
”Desirable, but not absolutely essential?” McCoy pressed again.
”Right.”
”You can fly one of these?” McCoy asked.
”Yes. I was the a.s.sistant project officer on this aircraft.”
”Can you fly it without help?”
”If necessary. Why do you ask? If I can ask that.”
”I'd like to see what you can see from the pilot's seat. I don't think anybody can see very much looking out the side door.”
Donald nodded but didn't say anything.
”Do you have another pilot who can fly one of these things by himself?”
”They all can.”
”Are these things fueled up and ready to go?”
”I had them topped off yesterday afternoon.”