Curly's Airships - CD1 - 7 - A Shrieking of Aluminium
The US Navy Sent over a crew for us to train. And we taught them all their stuff On the R.80, A topping little airship with beautiful lines Designed by a young man called Wallis. He hadn't copied Some old Zeppelin design; She was as modern as a flapper With an Eton Crop. A pretty piece of goods, And did as handsome as she was...
The Yankees were a jolly crowd Who pulled more than their weight. And it was the first time I'd ever met a black chap; Well, pretty soon We were all changing hats. If I had known, I could have warned th That their new ship Was a first-rate deathtrap...
The officer in charge of tests, Name of Pritchard, Guessed she was a bad'un. Ordered a sensible dozen test flights, Cautious and easy. The Royal Airship Works refused; They said four would be enough; The Americans were waiting. They worked her up too fast, Trying to get a record, And she flexed and bent And gave everyone the willies. Our General Maitland Didn't like what he saw And backed Pritchard up, But the Air Ministry overruled them; They wanted those dollars so badly You could almost hear them...
CHAIRMAN:- If you ask me, Some of our flying chaps Are getting to be real old women,
SENIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- Over cautious...
JUNIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- Safety mad...
CHAIRMAN:- Dare one say it: windy!
CURLY:- The last acceptance flight was packed: A double crew of British and Americans, A rich cargo of notables, And Pritchard and Maitland, But why the hell did they agree to fly? You may well ask...
OFFICER:- We were Service, d'you see? Follow orders; don't make waves; Keep your eyes on your duty. We survived the War And now we're hopelessly, helplessly, Hideously brave. Anything else Would be letting the side down; Anything else was never discussed; Anything else was the unspeakable thing, The final taboo... It's the silence that kills you. Don't break the silence. It's the silence that kills you. Don't break the silence. Don't break the silence. Don't break...
CURLY:- Flying over Hull, thousands watching, Some idiot decides to try Emergency turns. Hard Starboard rudder!.. Hard Port rudder!... A shrieking of aluminium... Her feeble ribs snap like twigs; She cracks in two like a blown egg, And tiny men spill out like a dust...
And two gigantic, glowing, Chinese paper lanterns Settle in the Humber mud. All dead but five; The Captain survived, just, But he was kept well away From the Enquiry. It was understood...
SENIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- Let sleeping dogs...
JUNIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- Least said soonest...
CHAIRMAN:- Laundry in public...
SENIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- Not in the National Interest...
JUNIOR COMMTTTEEMAN:- De Mortuis...
CHAIRMAN:- Spilt milk...
SENIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- No-one to blame...
JUNIOR COMMITTEEMAN:- One of those things...
ALL:- Kismet!
CHAIRMAN:- Just send the bill for the whole damn thing To the USA!