"Mr. Moran." "Are we going to be on time in benghazi?" "I don't see why not, Gabriele." "I'll ask Captain Towns to make a special point of it." "1 3 50." "Radio out of service." "Voltage regulators inoperative." "Holding course for benghazi." " Thanks, Mike." "I'll let you have 'em back." " How's it going up there?" " Lousy." "Never yet taken off in one of Arabco's old tubs without something being wrong." "This time we've got faulty regulators and a duff radio." "Yeah, well, don't let that hold you up, mate." "I've got two months' leave coming, and it's not the company's time we're flyin' on." "Radios are not good anyway." "I got a radio." "Record players are nice though." "Reliable." " Heh!" " Thank you, Doctor." " Cigarette?" " No, thank you." "It's good of you oil people to give the army a lift." "Not at all." "That's not much good, is it, Sergeant?" "Stow it away with the cargo, hmm?" "Oh, I meant to tell you." "The number four control pulley..." " on the starboard side seems a bit noisy." " Oh?" "Perhaps binding a bit." "I don't know." "I couldn't see it properly." "I don't feel it up here." "I better have a look." "Hand me the flashlight." "Ah, you ready for another flying lesson?" "I haven't recovered from the last one yet." "Oh, now, I got her all trimmed up for ya." "Just hold her straight." "Straight and level, two-zero degrees." "Here, I'll take that." "All right, straight." "Now, don't overcontrol it." "Don't sway it." "Thank you very much." "Oh, I say, don't leave me holding this thing forever, will you?" " Hi, Skipper." " How are you?" "Hey, Mr. bill." "Here." "Try this." "It's real good for you." "One drink, the girl comes out of the picture and bites you." "Hey, Skipper." "You want some ouzo?" "Make you fly real good." "No, thanks, son." "I'm driving." "I reckon I deserve this." "Listening to that wog music is giving me a headache." "That pulley's all right." "Squeakin' a little, that's all." " How are you getting along with your work?" " Magnificently." "but I" " I think someone up there knows that I'm flying this thing." "That's quite a respectable sandstorm he's sending our way." "Yep." "I've seen it." "So much for your weather report." "Let's have a look at that chart." " If this thing closes in on us" " Yeah, and this old bird'll need a new coat of paint." " What alternate did you nominate?" " El Assa." "Three stinking mud huts and a poisoned well." "That's not a place." "That's a disease." "Oh, now, Lew." "Don't worry." "We're not about to start turning to alternates just yet." "We're bigger than a little local sandstorm." "Old Auntie at traffic management's gonna have kittens." "A pilot is supposed to use his own judgment." "Don't you think?" "Gee, if it weren't for that" "I don't know, Lew." "I suppose pilots are just as good now as they ever were... but they sure don't live the way we did." "I-I can tell you that there were times... when you took real pride in just getting there." "Flying used to be fun." "It really did, Lew." "It used to be fun." " Well, think perhaps we should, uh" " Head for the alternate?" "You better take a look out the window." "We're being followed." "There goes our alternate." "That stuff up ahead looks like it's rising." "We'd better find out just how high it does go." "I must say, without a radio..." "I would've expected them to turn for their alternate airport by now." " Wouldn't you?" " I don't know you, do I, boy?" "Are-Are you from the oil fields?" "My brother is there-- Dorfmann." "I went to visit him on my holiday." " You went to visit your brother in Jebel?" " Yes." "He's chief analytical geophysicist for the Arabco Oil Company." "That pilot" "I would have thought he was a little elderly... to be flying without a copilot." "Wouldn't you?" "That sand's a bastard, you know that?" "A real bastard." "Hey, Standish.!" "Not while the train's in the station, eh?" "It's not gonna let up, Frank." "There she goes." "Are we gonna put her down?" "That right engine didn't make it." "The other'n probably won't either." "We're just gonna have to put her down before this one quits too." "Can you get any lift out of her at all?" "Well, maybe enough to hop over a few sand dunes." "I'm gonna have to make it in the first try, if that's what you mean." "We're going in with our wheels down?" "I'd give anything not to, but we'll never get up again if I don't." "No." "I suppose not." " What's happening?" "What is it?" " The lights are shorting out." "It's gonna start a fire." "The bracket.!" "It's breaking apart.!" "Uuh!" " Waah!" "Aah!" "Lew?" "Lew?" "Come on, come on!" "Get a flashlight!" "Let me out of here!" "Come on!" "Run, run!" "It's gonna blow.!" "Get away from the plane.!" "Dio.!" "Padre dio.!" "Maria." "Maria." "Harris!" "Keep those guys together!" "She won't burn now." "Get 'em back there under the wing before we lose somebody." "Lew!" "See if you can get the emergency lighting system working." "There are three trapped in the back!" "Three trapped in the back!" "Doctor Renaud!" "Doctor Renaud.!" "Doctor Renaud!" "Come here!" "Come on.!" " Careful." " All together." "Here it comes." "Ohh!" "The leg is entirely crushed." "See if you can find my bag." " What about the other two back here?" " They've had it." "They've what?" "Frank." "Skipper!" "What are we gonna do now?" "Do you want to say something?" "Like what?" "Sorry?" "There." "Make it secure, will you?" "Captain, don't you think it's time we started getting things organized all around?" "Yes, I think you're right." "Well, I'll get Sergeant Watson to make up some containers for flares..." " but we'll need some of your fuel." " Leave that to Moran." "Maybe you'd better check on our water supply and figure up some kind of rationing." " Mm-hmm." "How much longer do you estimate, uh, we'll have to be here?" "I mean, uh..." "I take it there will be an air search before long." "Um... yes." "Well, uh... we're not due in benghazi till, uh, well, now." "He's a right little organizer, your captain, isn't he?" "Yeah, they're all the same-- toffee-nosed bunch of gits." "Heh heh heh!" "You shouldn't have joined, should you?" "I never did." "I was what they called a boy soldier." "Me dad joined me." "Did he?" "Attender in the public baths, he was." "November 21 , 1 934." "Me mum made a sponge cake for me birthday tea." "Next morning the old man walked me down our streets right into the barracks." """You'll be all right," he said." """You'll like it." "I know you will."" "Heh!" "1 934." " You didn't have to join for bleeding' life, did ya?" " I don't know." "One thing leads to another, doesn't it?" "Hey, Fritz!" "Give us a loan of your book when you're finished, will ya?" "I don't think you'll find it interesting." "Oh, incidentally... my name is Dorfmann..." "Heinrich Dorfmann." "Go on." "Is it really?" "Yes." "Hey, Sergeant, his name's Dorfmann, Heinrich Dorfmann." "Hey." " What's the matter, Doc?" " No." "Nothing, Mr. Cobb." "Nothing." " How are you feeling today?" " All right." "I" "What do you care?" "Anyway, why ask me?" "You got it all written down in that little black book, haven't ya?" "Haven't ya?" "No, no." "I have nothing written down, Mr. Cobb." "Nothing." "Yeah?" "Then why don't you show it to me?" "Huh?" "Huh?" "Yeah?" "Then why don't you show it to me?" "Huh?" "Huh?" "Anytime you wish." "Right now, though, I have to look at Gabriele." "What a crummy quack." "They're all alike, huh?" "Huh?" "Huh!" "1 600 hours, March 1 7." "What" " What about my wife, Doctor?" "No." "Don't think about it now." "She'll be all right." "You'll be fine." "Do you have any kind of liquor on board?" "Well, there's still some morphine left." "Wouldn't that be better?" "Umm..." "I would like to save it... for when the pain gets worse." "Doctor." "Cause of crash-- pilot error." "All right if we issue the water ration now, Mr. Towns?" " Sure." "Go ahead." "Did you work something out?" " I think so." "Ah, could I have your attention, please?" "We have something important to say concerning our water supply." "Now, there's just under a full measure for each of us here." "Dr. Renaud informs me that we shall require... as an absolute minimum, one pint of water per person per day." " Is that right, Doctor?" " Yes." "That's right." "Now, on the basis of the 1 5 gallons in the emergency tank... that gives us roughly 1 0 to 1 1 days." "That is, of course, if we just sit here... and don't exert ourselves in any way." "Hey, Lightning, do you hear that?" "You're not to wear yourself out, eh?" "As we are... somewhat off our original course... and unless we are certain of being picked up..." "I think we ought to make due with the absolute minimum." " Is that understood?" " Hear, hear." " Hear, hear." " Hear, hear." "Yeah." " All right, Mr. Towns?" " Sounds reasonable." "If we have enough water for all that time... couldn't we set aside just a little bit for washing?" " Washing?" " What a dumb thing.!" "Hey, Captain.!" "What are we supposed to do for grub?" "I reckon we ought to eat the monkey, don't you?" "As far as food is concerned... we seem to be singularly fortunate." "There happens to be an almost unlimited supply of pressed dates on board." " Pressed dates?" " All they're good for is regularity." " Yes, I quite agree." " They're sent back from Jebel because nobody'd eat them." "Yes." "I think that's about all." "That's about all?" "That's enough, isn't it?" "Thank you." "Excuse me, Mr. Towns, but shouldn't some kind of rescue plane have seen us by now?" "Now, don't worry." "Someone'll be along even before you have time to think about lunch." "You see, our accounts people will be waiting for my report on theJebel operation... before they can get started on the annual figures." "How big a hole will a busted-up Skytruck... make in your annual figures, Mr. Standish?" "Well, there'll be insurance... but insurance companies move in mysterious ways-- like God, of course, but not half as generous." " It's bound to be a setback." " I imagine it will be." "Anyway, you don't have to worry." "They'll be here." "Oh." "Thank you." "It'll work very well." "Mm-mm." "The captain says our chances are good." " A bit optimistic, aren't you?" " I don't think so." "Well, being 1 30 miles off course isn't exactly gonna help." "It's not gonna stop 'em either." "There's an empty island" "There's an empty island" "Music while you work, eh?" "Heh heh!" " It's mine!" "I bought it!" " Did it ever occur to you... we could use this thing to find out what's happening?" " Why, I had it here." "Nobody" " He did say something about it, Frank." "It's my fault." "I" " I should've" "Hey, hey, hey" "It's mine." "What's the matter with this thing?" "Hey.!" "Look at Heinrich, will you?" "Hey!" "Shut that damn thing off!" "." "What are you trying to prove?" "I'm trying to remain reasonably clean." "You think this is some kind of a picnic?" "That's just a local station... relaying a political broadcast." "I don't think you'll find any station we want until nightfall." "Doctor, what was that chap talking about anyway?" "Water conservation and a fabulous plan for irrigation." "A fat lot of use that is." "What this country needs..." "is a few more pubs." "Fold it up!" "Get this stuff furled!" "Tie it on so it won't blow away!" "Get that line!" "Give a hand!" "Pull tight!" "This damn wind's too much." "Hold it, hold it!" "Don't let it get away!" "Close it up!" "Come on!" "Close it up!" "Okay, now." "Get aboard!" "Push!" "Push!" " Get in there!" "Lock it up!" " Here it comes." "Inside!" "Come on!" "Let's get the door closed." "How are you feeling?" "better have some more of this." "Come on." "Up you come." "I think you like this better than I do." "That's all right." "As a matter of fact, I've given it up." "How is he doing?" "Oh, he's fine." "We'll have him back with his wife in no time." " Maybe too late." " No." "You can't tell." "Perhaps she'll be better by the time you get there." "No." "She would never send a cable." "My wife is a very modest person." "She'd send a cable only if it were something bad." "Now, don't you worry." "We'll get you out of here." "He's right, Gabriele." "The sandstorm'll make it more difficult, won't it?" "What?" "Finding us?" "Nah, it'll simplify things." "No end, old chap." "They'll just bloody well give up." "Oh, you're not frightened, are ya?" "You don't want to be despondent, old man, you know?" "Wait till the water runs out." "Then you can really start laughing." " Date?" " Hmm-mm." "They wouldn't really just..." "give up looking, would they?" "Never." "Don't you worry, me old duck." "They'll find us, all right." "Trouble is, we'll all be dead." "No end at all No sad good-byes" "No fears, no tears" "No love that dies" "It's senza fine" "Let it always be" "Senza fine Never ending" "The sunlit days" "The moonlit nights" "The sea, the sand" "The starry heights" "Are yours and mine" "Forever" "You give that to the boy for a little while." "To the boy." "Oh." "Thank you." "Thanks." "Thank you." "I told our friend Standish we wouldn't even have time to think about lunch." "That was three days ago." "This is our fifth day." "Most them still believe it's only a matter of time before we're picked up." "I wish I could be sure of that." " This heat is intolerable!" "You should come here in the summer." "That's lovely." "Hey, Sarge." "Look at this." "Hey, Abdul.!" "They went that way." "Abdul!" "Your mates, they went flashing through here on a herd of camels about an hour ago." "Can they see us?" " There it is!" " Where?" "Yeah!" "I see it!" "Up there!" "Hey.!" "Down here.!" " Down here!" " Hey!" " Come on!" " Hey.!" "Here we are, guys.!" "Right down here.!" " Hmm." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey.!" " Come on!" " Come back, guys!" "Pretty high." "Probably about 30,000." " More like 3 5." " Hmm." "Couldn't be the airlines down in this area." "I don't think they could see us even if they were looking for us." "No, I suppose not." " You're wasting your time." "They didn't see us." " bloody pilot." "All them flares do is make a lousy stink!" "Might as well quit using' 'em." "Then there'd be nothing." "Nobody could find us." "That's right, Standish." "Nobody will." "It's time we tried to march out of here." " Oh?" " You heard the others." "You know what they're thinking." "It's five days." "We've had two sandstorms." "We're not sure if they're even looking for us anymore." " They're looking." " Nevertheless." "If we're a hundred miles off course" "Which way were you thinking of marching, Captain?" "What is our nearest water point?" "You said you could show me in your charts." "What is our nearest water point?" "You said you could show me in your charts." "Well, yes." "I can do that." "Tell me though-- How many were you thinking of taking with you?" "Apart from Sergeant Watson, I don't know yet." "Well, perhaps now's the time to find out." "Yes." "Perhaps it is." "He can't walk out of here." "No." "Of course he can't. but, well, I suppose he's entitled to try." " but he's not entitled to kill himself." " Oh, don't worry, Frank." "I don't think he's anything like aware of the problems involved." "I'll get the maps." "Gentlemen, I've made a decision, and I'd like you all to hear about it." "Uh, I intend marching out of here." "The plan is to, uh, travel at night when it's cool... and then rest as best we can during the day." "We leave at sundown this evening." "Sergeant Watson, will you come here, please?" "I'll take Sergeant Watson and anybody else who wants to come with me." "If there's any volunteers, give me your names... and we'll start making the necessary preparations." " Uh" " Captain Harris." "You, uh, wanted to know our position." "If you'd like to come over here, I'll show you." "Now, gentlemen, we're in the middle of this circle... which runs through the three nearest water points." "That's Marada in the north..." "Tazerbo in the east, and Namous in the south." "Uh, Marada is, uh, 1 06-- say, uh, London to birmingham." "Except that Marada's not a city." "It's just a flea-bitten water hole... with some borax quarries, an oil well... and a few lousy palm trees." "Well, that's our objective, then:" "Marada." "Say, uh, Captain..." "You've done much marching in desert terrain?" " On exercises, that sort of thing, yes." " How far?" "Ten or 1 5 miles, full equipment, of course." " And plenty of water, I suppose." " Sufficient." "Look, I don't know what your practical navigation's like." "Mine's not bad." "but I wouldn't march 1 0 paces from here." "In the daytime, it's hitting 1 20 in the shade." "And out there, there-- there is no shade." "If you could take as much as four pints a day with you... you'd still be sweating 1 0." "We intend marching by night." "Fine." "Well... precisely in what direction?" "There are compasses, you know." "That's fine." "That's just fine." "Someday I'll have you tell me just what your compass was reading... as you passed theJebel Haroudj Mountains." "They're mostly magnetic rock, and that sort of makes nonsense out of the compass." "I can navigate by the stars." "But if you marched 1 06 miles by the stars... and your calculations were just one percent out... you could pass the Eiffel Tower in daylight and never even see it." "Now, look where Marada is." "Just look." "There's absolutely n-n-n" " Nothing." " nothing." "Nothing, nothing." "If you miss this glorious little bunch of trees... there's nothing between you and the coast." "Well, that's 500 miles." "Well, nobody's suggesting that it was easy, Mr. Moran." "Tell me this, Captain-- Uh, are you right-handed?" "Yes, as a matter of fact." "Why?" "Well, that means your right leg is more developed than the other one and takes a longer step." "So if you have an unreliable compass,you'd go around in a left-handed circle like that." " And there's nothing you can do about it." "Nothing." " You're right, Mr. Towns." "but you're talking about right-handed civilians." "You must know that in an officer's training corps... we military men are taught to march with absolute precision." "I can send Sergeant Watson on, here, ahead." "As it happens, he's left-handed." "Now, if you'll excuse me." "Come along, Sergeant." "There's nothing you can do, Frank." "He" " He goes by the book, and you can't rewrite it for him." " No." "Gentlemen." " I've been examining this airplane." " You have?" "Yes." "We have everything here that we need to build a new one and fly it out." "Now, if you would like to have a look at my calculations" " I don't know whether you can read my handwriting" " Are you trying to be funny?" " What did you say?" " I said, ""Are you trying to be funny?"" "That is precisely the reaction I would have expected from a man of your obvious limitations." "What's happening to everybody?" "Here, here." "You can have this." "And here you are, Ratbags." "I won't be needing this anymore." "Heh heh!" "I won't be needing this either." "Hey." "You don't have a coat, do ya?" "Here, take mine." "I won't be needing it anymore." " Oh, I don't think I should." " Why?" "What's wrong with it?" "That's a good coat." "Cost me 50 bucks in Marseilles." "Why, it'd cost you more than a hundred in the States." " Well, if you really want me to" " Oh, sure!" "I gave the radio to the boy." "I won't be needing it anymore." "I'm going with Captain Harris." "Hey, I got somethin' for you fellas too." "I got a lot of work shirts I picked up cheap in Genoa." "They're good work shirts." "I only washed 'em once or twice." "Harris." "Don't you know better than to tell Cobb he could go with you?" "How far do you think-- The man's crazy." "He wouldn't last a day out there." "Cobb?" "I haven't even spoken to him." "Well, he seems to think he's going with you." "Does he?" "Well, I'll have to disillusion him, won't I?" "No." "Wait a minute." "Just let it alone for a while." "Incidentally, I appreciate your concern about me going... but I want you to know I'm doing it off my own bat." "May be a bit of a gamble, but it can only increase your chances of being picked up." "Come along, Sergeant." " What's happened, Sergeant?" " Must've twisted it, sir." "All right." "Let's get him over here." "Ow!" "Uuh!" "Just tripped in the doorway, sir." "Must've caught it on something." "Oh, it seems there is nothing broken." "Perhaps you just sprained it." "Sorry we have no ice." "Ah, looks as if you're for the sick parade, Sergeant." "Just my luck, eh, sir?" "I suppose, sir, I'd only be a burden to you." "Well, can't be helped now." "Perhaps if, uh, if I could rest it tonight, uh, I'll be all right tomorrow." "but we haven't time." "Don't you worry about it, Sergeant." "Yes, sir." "What do you mean, don't worry?" "You don't think you're going out there on your own?" "Oh, no." "No, he's not." "He's not gonna go alone." "I'm goin' with him." "Huh!" "Isn't that right, Captain?" "I'm afraid not, old chap." "but I just told you." "I just told you I was going." "You're in no condition to come with me." "Sorry, but it's better that you stay here." "Well, I told you I was going!" "Hold him!" "Take it easy, Cobb." " Come on!" " I told you!" "I told you!" " Let me go!" " Easy." " The man's a bull." " Easy, Cobb, easy." "Easy.!" " We don't wanna hurt ya." "Eh, we'll all end up like him, I'm thinking." "Leave him now, Captain." "I'll talk to him later." "Here." "Thank you." " That an oil journal you're reading?" " No." "You're not in this line?" "Line?" "Well, yes." "I mean drilling." "Oil." "No, I'm a designer." "Oh, really?" "What?" "Furniture?" "That sort of thing?" "No, Mr. Moran." "Airplanes." "I'm an aircraft designer." "Are you?" "Then you really meant what you said about, uh, getting this thing out of here." "Do you think I was joking, perhaps?" "No, Mr. Dorfmann." "That I didn't think." "You always have to spoil things for me, don't you?" "Why did you have to tell the captain I couldn't go along for, huh?" " I didn't tell the captain anything." " Yeah." "You're the one that had me fired in Jebel, though, wasn't it?" "Hm." "Chief rigger in charge of seven guys." "You think I couldn't handle a crummy job like that?" "All I had to do was hold on to this lousyjob for another six months." "I could have gone back to the States as a chief." "but no!" "Oh, no." "You had to spoil it for me." "Well, you still could go back." "Yeah?" "To what?" "They ain't gonna let no headcase run a drilling operation." "Nobody's describing you as a headcase, Mr. Cobb." "That's what I came to tell you." "Now, you really must try to understand... that fatigue mentale" "I mean, mental exhaustion-- can happen to anyone." "but it doesn't last." "I don't understand all those fancy words." "I don't think those guys who do the hiring do either." "Well, possibly not, but..." "it will pass." "It will pass, I assure you." "I tell you now, mate." "We're better off right here than traipsing off on that bloody desert." "You think you can look after Chucho for a few days?" "I'm gonna go along with Captain Harris." "Well, yeah, but, uh" "What's the matter here?" "I thought you were saving'him for some snotty-nosed Mexican kid." "Sure. but don't be jealous, Ratbags." "Maybe one day I find a present for you too." "Jealous, huh, huh." "Can't you learn to speak English?" "Hey." "Why would you want to go walkin' off into that?" " Didn't you see enough of that in Jebel?" " Who knows, Mike?" "Maybe after a few days' walking... we'll be better off than you are." " It's all right, Chucho." "It's all right, Chucho." "It's all right, Chucho." "I will be back." " Easy, easy, easy." " I will be back." "It's all right, Chucho." " Easy." " Adios, Chucho." "Portate bien." "Mm,you must be bloody daft, mate." "Anyway, maybe Capitan Harris can teaching me... to speak-ee real good English... like you, my little Ratbags." "Yeesh." "Stupid sod!" "Thank you, mate." " Good." "You all set?" " Yes, sir." "Welcome aboard." "Well, I'm not as confident that we won't make it as you seem to be... but I would be grateful if you'd send up some smoke at midday for the next three days." " It might help us to keep our bearings." " Three days?" "Yes." "We won't need it after that." "Ah." "Well, Captain, we all wish you every" " Well,you know how all of us feel, so" " Yes." "Well, come along." "It'll be getting dark soon." "We might get lost." "Hey, babozo!" "Slow down!" "Remember, you got flat feet." "Adios, little Ratbags." "He's gone!" "He's gone!" "He's gone." "Cobb's gone." "I don't understand." "Can they see him from up there or can't they?" "Of course not." "They're just lookin' at the view." "Haven't you been up there?" "It's lovely." "There's a great big lake on the other side." "They got speedboats, everything." "Hmm?" "Frankie, he's got six hours'start on you." "How far could he get without water?" "He didn't even stop to take a canteen." "And it's my fault." "I should've watched him." "Even if you find him, what can you do?" "What can we do?" "You'll be just as badly off as Harris would be." "I'm gonna bring him back, Lew." "You will see we have all we need-- welding torches, steel cable, all the tools we will need." "For example" " This here, it all looks quite adequate." " Why were they being returned?" " Well, you know what engineers are like." "They just love shiny new tools, especially if someone else is paying for them." "Uuhh." "The prototype I have in mind would have to fly at the first attempt." "To achieve that, Mr. Moran, requires a pilot of quite outstanding capabilities." "Granted, this may not be the best possible advertisement... but Frank Towns is probably one of the few really great pilots... left in this push-button world of yours." " Oh, really?" " Yes, "Oh, really'"!" "He was flying by the seat of his pants in planes that were nothing more... than bits and pieces before you even went to school!" "That is precisely what is wrong." "He has remembered everything and learned nothing." "However, since he-- since he apparently finds it necessary... to run off into the desert in pursuit of a lunatic... who could be of no practical value to this project... the question is entirely academic." "Don't you think so, Mr. Moran?" "I agree." "Entirely academic." " Get away!" "Get out of here!" "Get outta here!" "Go on!" "Get out!" "Get out!" "What is it?" "What's the matter?" "It's three minutes after 1 2:00." "Don't you want to start the signals for Captain Harris?" "And your Captain Towns?" "Ah, get out of it, stinker." "It's Frank!" "Hey, Skipper!" "Someone get some water." " I'll get it." "Frank." "What happened to Cobb?" "You all right?" "We're stuck here, Lew." "You know that, don't you?" "Uh, Frank, I talked to Dorfmann again." "I" " I-- I realize that he-- that he,you know, irritates you... but I do think he knows more than we give him credit for." "What's he dreamed up now?" "Well, maybe he hasn't a leg to stand on." "I don't k-know." "but you're the only person who's even remotely qualified to tell him so." "All I'm asking you to do is to-- is to talk to him." "Well,just talk to him." "All right." "I'll talk to him, Lew." "If it makes you happy, I'll talk to him." "There's no component problem." "The port boom is undamaged and so, of course, are all the port-side components." "If we remove the starboard wing and attach it to the port boom... and perform a similar operation on the tailplane... you'll see that we'll have the basis of, uh... an entirely new and aerodynamically sound structure." " Is that understood?" " Oh, absolutely." "We need only to, uh, clear the port engine... of the sand that choked it in flight." "The Coffman starter is serviceable... and we should have no difficulty starting up the engine." "And if we don't waste too much fuel on signals to Captain Harris... who is unlikely to be in any condition to benefit from them... we shall have enough of that as well." "Most of the hydraulic fluid has leaked away... but I have worked out direct rod and cable controls... so that is no problem." "All right, now, what are you going to use for an undercarriage?" "Our last landing rendered the undercarriage unserviceable." "However, there's enough H-section in the cargo monorail and hull longerons... to make up a skid cradle for takeoff." "Skid cradle?" "Well, uh, skis, Mr. Moran." "Skis." "In order to take off, we shall have to move the final structure... to the valley beyond that far dune." "The surface there should be adequate." "Now, as to whether it will fly... as far as the general design factors are concerned... there are no special problems." "The center of gravity will allow us to distribute the payload-- that means ourselves-  on both wings." " Now, wait a minute." "Are you suggesting we string people along the top of that wing... like sacks of potatoes?" "They'll be behind fairings, of course." "Never mind about the fairings." "We got an injured man." "The doctor says he can't even be moved." "Now, y-you're suggesting we tack him on to this thing... and bounce him around like a wrangler in a rodeo?" "That is not what I had in mind, Mr. Towns." "With the material and personnel available... this project would require at least 1 2 days." "How long did you say Mr. Scarnati might be expected to live?" " Six days?" "Perhaps less." "See?" "The problem does not even arise." "Mr. Scarnati will remain here." "Why, you really are a miserable" "Even with the men on them, the wing loading is going to be half that of the Skytruck... because we shall leave the hull, starboard boom, undercarriage... chanson and so on on the ground." " Now, any more questions?" " Yeah." "I have a few." "Now let's see if I've got this straight." "You're just gonna unzip that starboard wing... lift it up all the way over from the other side and tack it on to this port boom." " Is that correct?" " Well, yes." "The tapers will be, of course, the wrong way, but" "Forget about the tapers." "You know what that wing weighs?" "I estimated it as something just over a ton." "Sounds just about right." "There are eight of us." "Do you think you can lift 250 pounds, Mr. Dorfmann?" "We use wedges and levers, Mr. Towns." "There is also a winch, and we can construct an A-frame." "We'll have levers and wedges, and we'll throw in a winch." "This bunch is living on pressed dates with a sip of water once in a while." "In a couple of days, nobody's gonna have the strength to do anything." "That is a very good point." "The heavy work will need to be done first." "The wing will have to be moved tonight." " Tonight?" " Yes." "I have worked out a simple winding gear for use with the starboard generator... which will keep the batteries charged and provide adequate lighting." "I see no other immediate problems." "Unless you have more questions, I still have some calculations to make." "I thought it was all cut and dried." "You have a few things you haven't figured out yet, huh?" "Well... naturally I discontinued my work... when you decided to embark on your romantic search for Mr. Cobb." "We do need a pilot on this project... and, frankly, I considered your chances of survival quite remote." "However, now that you are with us again, I can complete my calculations." " I see no insoluble problems." " Well, I'll give you one." "Now,you say building this thing of yours will take 1 2 days." "Well, that's just fine." "If we're real lucky, we just have enough water to last another 1 0." "We also have several gallons of antifreeze." "We can distill enough of that to provide for another four or five days." "but certainly I agree, water will be a critical factor." "So maybe we'll all be dead before you finish this thing, or maybe we won't... but that's what you call a critical factor." "Let me tell you something that makes nonsense out of this whole thing." " Please do." " I'm not gonna give you the old veteran flyer routine." "I just want you to know that I've been flying for quite some time now... and it hasn't always been for crummy outfits like this one." "I'm sure you've had a very colorful career, Mr. Towns... but that's not quite the point." "All right." "You know a whole lot more than I do about aerodynamics... and drag coefficients and stress factors." "Okay." "Your theory's fine." "but you get this, mister." "That engine's rated at 2,000 horsepower... and if I was ever fool enough to let it get started... it'd shake your patched-up pile ofjunk into a thousand pieces... and cut us up into mincemeat with the propeller." "I told you there would be no difficulty building this airplane." "I also told you it would require an outstanding pilot to fly it." "The only thing outstanding about you, Mr. Towns... is your stupidity!" " Look, what did you expect?" " Easy, easy." "What did you" " You want me to throw a conniption fit with those drawings of his... say he's some kind of a genius or something?" "What good would that do when I know the damn thing could never fly?" "Excuse me, Captain, but perhaps" "Perhaps there is one other thing." "The way it is now, some of these men may not last as long as the water." "but they need to believe that there is hope for them." "I don't know, Mr. Towns, but maybe to build a thing like this... could be a lot of help." "So we prove it can't fly and get killed in the process?" "What are you giving us?" "This is hard work." "These men can't stand hard work." "Watching each other die could be even harder." "I" " I've lost five men, Lew." "Gabriele in there, he's on the way." "That'll be six." "Are you" " Are you asking me to kill the rest of them... trying to get a death trap off the ground?" "I don't know." "I don't know, Lew." "It wouldn't work." "Itjust can't work." "All right." "Maybe it can't." "Maybe it can't, and we'll all be killed." "but if there's just one chance in a thousand that he has got something... boy, I'd rather take it than just sit around here waiting to die." "You there, Mr. Crow." "We shall need those panels again." "You must be more careful." "All right, Heinrich." "I'll watch it." "He's a lovely little fella, A little ray of sunshine." "A slow, steady turn is quite sufficient." "You'll be relieved in about half an hour." "Don't let that needle drop below 80." "That one there." " Eighty, huh?" " That's right." "Now, we pull on three." "One... two... three!" "Shift, you wee mother!" "Ah!" "Hey, bellamy!" "You big horse." "Come up here and give me a hand, will you?" "Hang on, little Ratbags." "I'm comin'." "My hand's droppin' off." "You want me to leave this in place, Frank?" "Ask Mr. Dorfmann." "Leave both of the bolts in place until the trestle is ready to take the weight." "As soon as you've finished that" "Mr. Moran." "Once you have finished that, would you please come to the tail end?" "I'll mark out the assembly for you." "Hey." "Hey." "Hey, what are you building?" "Sand castle, hey?" "A-buh-buh, bubbly by, bubbly, bubbly aye." "Hashish, huh?" "bubbly, bubbly." "Bubbly, bubbly." "What's it for?" "Come on." "Hey?" "I'm constructing a still." "The sand will prevent the tube from fracturing... when I bend it." "That's very cunning." "Sometimes I wonder how you chaps never won the war." " War?" " You know" " I wasn't involved." "That's it then." "That's why they never won." "They didn't have old Heinrich." "Oh, no, no, no, no." "We won't need that second winch now." "Uh, go around and get that cable over the apron." "Have you got enough rope?" "Go on then." "Don't keep Uncle Heinrich waiting." "Double up, lad." "Double, double, double." "Mr. Watson?" "Don't forget-- save those bolts." "Don't forget-- save those bolts." " Very good." "No, we need a spanner." "Um... have you got a three-eighth spanner, darling?" "Thank you, dear." "Give us a big wet kiss." "Look, knock it off, mate." "All right." "Everything's set." "Easy now." "That's it." "Come on." "That's it." "Watch your step." "Are we ready, Mr. Towns?" " Yeah, I guess so." " All right." "Let's commence." "Now!" "Keep the pressure up." "That's it." " Come on, come on." "Come on now." "All right." "A little slower." "Easy now." "Don't let her loosen up." "Easy." "Come on." "Pull harder." "Come on." "Hold it." "Hold it there." "Enough!" " Stop." "Oh, Lord!" "I'm tired." "Harris.!" "Harris.!" "Well, Sergeant." "been holding... the fort, hey?" "Yes, sir." "This is full of sand." "Clean it up for me..." "like a good chap." "Yes, sir." "We've worked at it two nights now... but Dorfmann's brainchild looks less like an airplane than it did when we started." "And it's almost midday, and he's still working." "He's right about one thing though." "The little men with the slide rules and computers... are going to inherit the earth." "And it's kind of sad that Dorfmann won't be there to see it." "But then I guess he doesn't need to see it." "He already knows it." "Here." "Here." "Is that any better?" "I'll try it." "Mr. Standish." "You can continue with the cutting of the tail surfaces." "The tools are still in the hull." "Hey, Standish." "Watch your diet." "You don't have to eat all those dates." "Save some for the scum up here." "Your wife's a lovely girl." "She died." "but you can't know that." "You there." "We need help with the welding." "All right." "We're coming, men." "It's getting cold up here anyway." "Sisters of mercy." "Our brother will play the violin again." "Did you, um" "Did you say something to Captain Harris?" "Now, what would I have said to Captain Harris?" "Oh, I don't know, um-- He's acting very funny." "Yeah." "Yeah." "In here!" "In here!" "Here." "We're ready to proceed." "Come along." "It's quite essential to maintain our schedule." "Ah, I reckon we've been floggin' a dead horse long enough." " We have work to do" " Of course you're right, but..." " couldn't we just rest for another hour and" " Absolutely not." "Come on." "Let's get going." "before we start talking about who's gonna work and when... let me tell you something." "Somebody's been stealing water out of this tank." "Stealing the water?" "Who in the hell would do a thing like that?" "Skipper, are you sure?" "Damn!" "How much is gone?" "I started checking on it yesterday." "How do you like that?" "Now, I don't even want to know who it is, but I'm telling you this" "If it happens again and I see who's doing it, I'll kill him." "It was me." " You Nazi pig.!" " It was you?" " Shut up." "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "You" " You bloody fool." "In any case, I didn't steal it." "I took it." "You took it?" "The people here could die for lack of water, and you took it?" "Yes." "Yes, because whilst you people have been sleeping... or pursuing your own ridiculous little interests, I have been working." "And since I was working harder than you were..." "I also needed more water than you did." "However, it won't happen again... because from now on we shall all work equally hard." " Is that clear now?" " No, it isn't." " Is that clear now?" " No, it isn't." "but maybe I'm an idiot." "Maybe you'll have to explain it to me." "If you think being some kind of a boy wonder entitles you to other people's water... you've got another thing coming." "Why did you have to steal it?" "Why didn't you just come and ask me for it?" "because you wouldn't have given me any." "You're damn right I wouldn't!" "If you're coming to tell me I shouldn't be unkind to that miserable Kraut... you're wasting your breath." "Don't tell me you don't think he's crazy." "Well, suppose we agree he's as mad as a hatter." "Do you think the rest of us aren't?" "Do you think you've been behaving rationally?" "Do you really think anyone would?" "All right." "Maybe not." "but he isn't even concerned about getting out of here." "All he wants to do is see that thing fly... and he doesn't care who gets killed in the process." "Well, now" """Well" nothing!" "I've done my share of killing." "My score's five now." "What does he want to do, improve on that?" " So we're back to that, are we?" " Yes." "You know I don't believe you're really all that concerned about those five men." " I'm laughing myself silly." " No, you're not laughing either." "What really gets you is the idea that maybe you're wrong." "Or maybe that little, uh-- little, uh, dried-up calculating machine... really does know the answers." "And maybe Frank Towns who's flown every crate they've ever built... and who could fly in and out of a tennis court if he had to-- maybe that great hell-for-leather trailblazer's nothing more than a back number." "Or maybe men like Dorfmann can build machines... that can do Frank Towns's job for him... and do it better." "You're getting to be quite a little philosopher, aren't you?" "All right." "Let's suppose you have killed five men." "And if it gives you any satisfaction... to sit up here feeling sorry for yourself, well, that's your-- th-that's fine." "but if you really mean that it is all your fault... then it's up to you to bloody well get us out of here, isn't it?" "And if you're not too proud to talk to Dorfmann... and you're half the pilot you think you are, well, maybe you will." "If!" "." "All right." "If you hadn't made a career out of being a drunk... you might not have been a second-rate navigator in a fifth-rate outfit." "And if you hadn't stayed in your bunk to kill that last bottle... you might have checked that engineer's report on the radio... and we might not be here!" "Oh, Lew, I" " I" "Oh, Lew." " Why the hell isn't anyone on the generator?" " What's the point?" "Come on, you drunken bum." "Let's get back to work." "Don't worry." "It'll be cut in time." "Do you think the Wright brothers would approve?" "Can't see why not." "It's all free and clear up here, Heinrich." "What's the drill, Mr. Dorfmann?" "You're not yet ready for heavy work." "I'd like to do something." "We could use Dr. Renaud down here." "Perhaps you could relieve him at the generator." "Now, how 'bout that?" "Huh." "Heinrich Schweitzer." "It's all set." "I think we are read" "I think we are ready to proceed." "All right?" "Go!" "We did it.!" "That's it.!" "Are we all ready?" "Let's go!" "Stop!" " All right." " Well done, Watson." " All right." "Everybody pull together." "Keep on.!" "Keep on.!" "And pull it tight!" "That's fine now." "Keep going." "Keep going." "That's it." "Don't let up the slack." "That's coming fine." "Just fine." " Hold it!" " Hold it.!" "Take it easy now." "It's nearly there." "Nearly!" "Hold it!" "I got a story for the Daily Mirror when I get back." """How I Stopped Smoking in Three Days."" "All right." "Here." "You hold this." "Aye, you've done a wonderful job, Heinrich." "but will it fly, huh?" "Oh, come on." "Let's finish it." " It's all set up there." "Now it's really beginning to look like something." "Don't worry, Mr. Towns." "Helicopters don't look very elegant either... but they fly reasonably well." "Really looks pretty good." "Say, you suppose if we get outta here, we're gonna have some extra leave comin'?" "From Arabco Oil?" "We'll be lucky if they don't take this off our two months." "Tell you what though." "If ever we do get out of here alive and I get my leave..." "I'm gonna stay put in benghazi... and fix meself up with one of them Arab bints." "That's not all you'll fix yourself up with in benghazi." " I've been there, mate." " No, straight up." "This place I was at last year, there's this bint." "Farida or something." "She did a sort of a dance." "You should have seen it." "I've woken up a few nights in a cold sweat thinkin' about it..." "I can tell you." "Probably some poxed-up old bag from Manchester." "Is this right?" "What's the point of that?" "Oh, I don't know." "I just thought I'd give it a name." "What sort of a name is that supposed to be?" "It's a bird." "The phoenix was a mythical bird... that burned itself to ashes and rose" "I'm not bloody stupid, you know." "What's the matter, Captain?" "Smell the sea?" "He's staggerin' around benghazi, you know... with this ugly, ugly broad... boxed out ofhis mind... on KickapooJoyJuice or hashish or something." " KickapooJoyJuice!" " Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Shh!" "Shh!" "Shh!" "What's wrong with him?" "Get Mr. Towns." "Eleven." "I count twelve." "They are way off any route." "Yes." "Probably a razzia raiding party." "better go and tell the men." "We don't want to rush into anything." "Tell Mr. Towns to come up here." "I already have." "There!" "Up there!" "Arabs." "I'm sorry." "That's all I know." "but I don't get it." "They got camels." "They could take us outta here." "If they are a raiding party... they're outcasts from their own tribe and so far beyond the law... that... killing a few people like us wouldn't mean a thing." "They are, in all probability, lost... and just as short of water as we are." "They can only cause difficulties." "If we leave them alone, they'll move on and... we can get back to work." "but why don't we just talk to them?" "We can do that, can't we?" "They sound friendly enough." " I wouldn't count on it." " No." "but we have to find out." "This time I'll go with you." "They're staying put." "Now..." "I'll take Sergeant Watson with me, and we'll go" "Now, wait a minute." "I've already told you that I'd be going." "What's the sense of building this contraption if you're not here to drive it?" "He's right, Frank." " Nobody's gonna drive this fool thing!" " What?" "Now, don't let's have an argument." "It's unimportant to me who goes out, but the sergeant and I have the best chance." "Now, at first we'll tell them there's only two of us." "We'll approach them in a circle so that if they do prove to be unfriendly... they won't double back and find you." "I think the uniform might do the trick." " Where's the sergeant?" " He went in the hull." "Right." "Makes sense, Frank." "There you are, Sergeant." "Ready?" " What's the trouble?" " Nothing." "No trouble, sir." "Come along then." "I'm not going." " What was that?" " I'm not going!" "Sergeant, I don't think you quite understood." "I'm giving you an order." "You are to come with me." "Look here, old chap." "There's only water for three more days." "This thing they're building won't work." "It's up to you and I to go out to those Arabs and get them to help us." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "I'm not afraid..." "Mr. Harris." "Sergeant, I'm going to repeat my order." "If you refuse it..." "I shall have to assume that you're willfully disobeying a superior officer." "Is that understood?" "Don't let yourself down, Watson." "Report for duty." "Come with me." "You leave me no alternative but to place you under open arrest." " Give me that revolver." " No." "You refuse?" "Very well, Sergeant." "Mr. Towns, I'm going out on my own." "Now, I suggest that you don't light any fires... and maintain absolute silence until I report back." "I'll keep them quiet, Captain, and there won't be any lights." " Right." " I" " I believe I'll go along with you." "Thank you, but that won't be necessary." "Perhaps not, but I do speak a little Arabic." "Do you?" "Not enough... but these fellows will understand." "Well, maybe not as much as you might suppose." "Anyway, I'd like to go with you." "Merci." "Allons-y." "I'm gonna wait another halfhour, then I'm going down and have a look." " We can't just sit here." " Look, Frank." "Harris is no fool." "He" " He may be very excessively british... but he's no fool." "If those people can be induced to help us..." "Harris will do it." "but I mean, if the situation is a bit tricky down there... and he's told them there's just the two of them... he can't suddenly announce there are seven more of us." "If you and I go barging in, that'll really put the lid on it." "Yeah, maybe you're right." "Down there all that time." " Hey!" "Captain Towns!" "Captain Towns!" "They've gone." "They've taken our fellows with them, but they left a camel or something." "I can't see properly up there." "Frank, there's no" "Come on, Lew." "We'd better have a look." "Camel's lame." "That's why they left it." "It's lame." "Give me" "He's dead, isn't he?" "Mr. Towns and I will be in the fuselage itself." "The heaviest men will need to be inboard... the lighter men outside." "They'll, uh-- They'll lie flat... holding on to the ribs of the windscreen." "We testing this engine today?" "Mr. Dorfmann, it's time we tested this engine." "I think you can leave things to me, Mr. Towns." "No, wait." "Wait a minute." "I'm not forgetting you're the designer." "but if you want me to fly this thing" """This thing." This thing has a name." "It's called an airplane." "All right, all right." "It's an airplane." "I'd have a lot more respect for it if I knew the engine worked." "The engine was running perfectly... until the sand blocked the carburetor jets in flight." "There's no reason why it shouldn't run as it did before." "Unless you haven't cleaned the jets properly... in which case I'd advise you to do it again." "Now, listen." "Those sand screens are clear." "And I've checked everything under that cowling pretty thoroughly." "And if I'm to fly this machine, I'm gonna test-run that engine today." "If" " If we start this engine now... the vibration will put unnecessary strain... on the whole structure." "Furthermore, there are only seven cartridges in the Coffman starter." "It could take four or five to start the engine... leaving us only with two or three... when we are ready to depart." "I imagine even you will understand... that once we have used all seven cartridges... we have no further means of starting this engine." "Any doubt about starting this engine... now's the time to find out." "Mr. Towns... you behave as if stupidity were a virtue." "Why is that?" "Lew, I'm gonna run up this engine." "Couple of you guys come up here and pull this prop through." "And that's an order." "No, you are not!" "There's no point in going over it all again." "Look, I've got them working on the fairings... but we need you for the control groupings." "There's nothing down on paper." "It's all-- It's all in your head." "Well, I'd hate to spoil the job after all the work you've put in." "I" " I know it's difficult for you... to get on with Frank Towns... but you've got to understand." "He" " He" "He" "He needs to feel he's doing something." "You don't leave him anything." " You want yours now?" " Uh-huh." "You ought to come in." "It's freezing out here." "Yeah." "Well, I've really bailed things up, haven't I?" "Hmm." "Dorfmann?" "Yeah, I've been thinking about this thing." "And I guess old Frank Towns... just never could stand being told what to do." "That's all there is to it." "You know, funny thing" "He was right about the engine too." "I guess I just wanted to make a point." "That's what really gets you about him." "He always has to be right." "Coming in?" "Yeah, in a few minutes." "What else do you want me to say?" "Nothing." "Leave me alone." "Tomorrow's the last day." "Then there'll only be what we get from the still... and that's not enough to keep us all going." "Do you want them to fight over the water?" "Is that what you want?" "If we don't go back to work, we're gonna die." " All of us." " Yes." "Well, for God's sake, man." "You're not a child, are you?" " Go away." " You told Towns... he was behaving as if stupidity was a virtue." "If he's making it into a virtue, you're making it into a bloody science!" "Uh" "Lord" " Lord-- Lord Muck's woke up." "I want to talk to you." "No, I" " I want to talk to all of you." "Mr. Towns, who is in authority here?" "You are." "Very well, then." "Since I am in authority..." "I have decided to finish this plane... and make it fly." "We shall now go back to work." "Hallelujah." "The fairings are about ready... but you'll need to look at the control linkages." "I'll be with you right after this here." "What, is this the outfit you work for?" "Hmm. becker Flugzeuge, yeah." "Oh, I think I've heard of them." "build all kinds of models." " Don't they build model planes?" " The best." "I didn't know they produced the big stuff too." "Oh, the-- the biggest we make is the Adler." "I think you'll find it on page 23." "The Adler has a two-meter wingspan." "but it's not one of my designs, because it's a glider... and I work only on the power models." "Page 23?" "Yes, I think it's 23." "Come on." "What about the big stuff?" "." "Is it a different department?" "The biggest I've personally designed... is theJaeger 250." "Uh, could I have this a moment, please?" "All right." "Let's" " Here." "There it is.Jaeger 250." "It won the prize for extended flight at Frankfurt last year." "Ex" " Extended flight?" "Yes." "The radio control also is my design." "And then on the opposite page... there's another rather fine model." "It's called Die Schwalbe." "It's there." "Yes, but I think what Mr. Towns meant was the-- the real thing." "How much designing have you done on the, uh, real thing?" "The real thing?" "Well, yes." "You know, like this." "Oh, no, no, no." "You misunderstand." "We make nothing but model airplanes." "You mean you've... never designed a full-sized airplane?" "Full-sized?" "No." "No, but then, of course, the principles are the same." "Well, yes, they would be, wouldn't they?" "One encounters different problems... but basically the principles are the same." "Well, I think I'd better check on the control linkages." "He's crazy, Lew." "He" " He builds toy airplanes." "He... didn't even keep anything from us." "He really doesn't think there is... any difference." "What are we gonna tell those guys out there?" "They've been" "What are we going to tell them, Lew?" "Nothing." "We haven't enough water left... to stay alive." "We can die here... or we-- or we can die in that thing." "What's the matter?" "Haven't you any curiosity left?" "Wouldn't you like to know how it feels... to fly a toy airplane?" "Now what's he up to?" "I don't know." "Maybe we'd better have a word with him... about not saying anything to the others, hmm?" "Mm-hmm." "I don't know why you keep humoring him like this." "If the thing can't fly, it can't fly." "That's all there is to it." "Anything... missing?" "No, I don't think so." "I'm arranging the harness attachments." "You'll be lucky if these guys can walk tomorrow... let alone pull this thing." "Nevertheless, it will have to be done." "The propeller itself will provide... the basic impetus." "The men will mainly be to give it direction." "Well, why not now?" "It's too dangerous in the dark." "I think maybe you're right." "It's too risky." "Go on!" "One-One other thing." "It, uh" "It might be better not to mention to the others... about, uh, being a toy plane designer." "Toy plane designer?" "Lew and I feel it might upset them." "Mr. Towns" "Mr. Towns... a toy plane is something you wind up... and it rolls along the floor." "A model airplane is something totally different." "Model airplanes have been flying successfully... more than 50 years before the Wright brothers... ever got off the ground." "They were not toy planes." " All right." " I didn't know that, Frank." "Did you?" "Nevertheless, it is a fact." "And there's something else you should remember, Mr. Towns." "A model plane has to fly itself." "There's no pilot to correct the trim." "Therefore, if anything, a model plane has to be designed... for greater stability than what you have pleased to call the real thing." "In 1 851 ..." "Henson and Stringfellow built a rubber-powered model... that flew 600 meters before encountering an obstruction." "Airfoil surfaces, lift and drag coefficients... weight/thrust equations and the whole pattern... of modern aviation originate from right there." "of modern aviation originate from right there." "Well?" "Where is he?" "I'll go and get him." "Here he is." "Our friend Dorfmann's a bit impatient." "Hey." "In-In-In 1 851 ..." "Henson and Stringfellow... built a rubber-powered model aircraft... that flew 600 m-meters before encountering an obstruction." "Did you know that, M-Mr." "Towns?" "That's great." "No, not great, but significant." "You understand those are the only cartridges we have." "If you fail with them, my work has been wasted." "The moment the engine fires... throttle back." "Too much unnecessary vibration... could shake the structure to pieces." "Vibration must be kept to a minimum." " Clear?" " Clear." "That's number one." "Two." "What's wrong?" "There ain't nothin' wrong with that engine." "Maybe he ain't giving' it enough juice." " Three." " but he should know, shouldn't he?" "He does know." "Wait." "Wait!" "You are wasting the cartridges." "We have only three left." "I know that." " What are you doing?" " I'm gonna use one cartridge... ignition off, clean out the cylinders." "No!" "What are you doing?" "Stop!" "I forbid you!" "I forbid you.!" "Do you hear me?" "I forbid you!" "Come on, mate." "Come on, mate!" "You bastard!" "You did it!" "You bastard!" "Stop!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "Throttle back!" "I told you, stop it!" "All right, Mr. Dorfmann, start pulling!" "All aboard." "Heave!" "Come on, here." "I can't." "I can't." "You did good, Skipper." "Give it some slack." "Come on." "Move!" "That's it." "That's it." "Watch your step." "Now!" "Go!" "What the hell is that?" "Hey, they ain't gonna try to land that thing here, are they?" "Well, it sure as hell looks that way." "Look at it!" "Look at it!" "Just look at it!" "I've never seen anything so beautiful.!" "Seventeen days without a drink." "boy, I wouldn't believe just plain water... could look so good." "You never know, Frank." "I might-- I might become an addict." " Where did they come from?" "These guys are either drunk or crazy!" "How far did you say that..." "Henson and Stringfellow flew that rubber-powered model... in 1 851 , Mr. Dorfmann?" "Six hundred meters, Mr. Towns." "Is that meters or yards?" "Meters, Mr. Towns." "Meters."