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recognition were decided upon. Sergeant Leicht testified that just before their flight on October 23 Lieutenant Wilson: told him that he knew the co-pilot on the Airliner and that he "would like to thumb his nose at him." There no evidence to indicate that Captain Pedley, in command of the Airliner, had any knowledge of the tentative arrangements between Wilson and Reppert.
History of the Flights
The Airliner was properly cleared and took off from the Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank, California, on regular schedule at about 4:36 p.m., October 23, 1942 on an approved flight plan calling for a cruising altitude of 9000 feet to Indio. All of the proper reports, such weather forecast, amount, and distribution of fuel, airplane load computation, passenger manifest, and dispatch message were in order and delivered to Captain Pedley prior to the take off.
The radio log at Burbank records a radio ramp check at 4.33 p.m., five minutes previous to the take-off. At 5:02 p.m. the pilot of the Airliner gave his position by radio to Burbank as over Riverside, California, at 9000 feet, and estimated his arrival over Indio, California, intersection at 5:22 p.m. at 9000 feet.
Meanwhile the Bomber was cleared under Contact Flight Rules[1] from Long Beach to Palm Springs. Lieutenant Wilson, the pilot, took off at about 4:26 p.m. and proceeded to a point north and west of March Field near Riverside, California, at an altitude of about 4000 feet. Here he made two wide circles and instructed his copilot to be on the lookout for the Airliner.
- ↑ See Page 12 of this report for discussion of Contact Flight Rules.
