Reading "Down In The Forest" in Biggles Flies Again, there's that one moment when Biggles comes across as really kind of cool. And when Soppy says that, you know she's saying something, as most of the time she skips all the Biggles parts and other people parts and only reads the Algy parts...
The scene in question is one where the Vandal's petrol outlet has been clogged. The plane, naturally, is going down, and Biggles is doing his trying-to-get-the-plane-under-control thing, without much luck.
So the Vandal is losing height, and Biggles has his eyes on the altimeter:
"...waited for the inevitable crash; 7000--6000--4000--2000--the needle crept back inexorably on the dial, and still the cold grey mist enveloped them. The silence was uncanny."So far so good (or bad). And then Biggles says:
"Tell Smyth not to jump," said the pilot coolly, and Algy, with set face, turned his head and passed the instructions to their mechanic, who, with a wisdom born of experience, had already drawn his knees up to his chin and folded his arms over his face in anticipation of the coming shock...Can't believe how cool Biggles is under pressure! Losing height, everything going to pieces, and he's all, "Tell Smyth not to jump", and he's saying it coolly. Like it's no big deal that they're going to crash in the middle of nowhere and maybe die doing it.
Also, how good is he that he has eyes in the back of his head to see what Smyth is doing? Or maybe he just knew from instinct?
I find it strange, though, that someone as experienced as Smyth (experienced enough to adopt the crash position in a crisis, at any rate) wouldn't know of his own accord not to jump? Algy clearly has no intention of jumping, for example. In fact, Algy doesn't even seem to have adopted the crash position or done anything to prepare himself for the crash, other than having a "set face". (That's our boy!)
Biggles was always at his coolest when at the point of greatest peril.He might grumble beforehand or glare at people afterwards but at the moment of crisis he was always as cool as ice... He also always thought of the safety of others before himself, like when he tries to hold the plane steady so the others can jump safely into the sea during the hurricane in flies west.
ReplyDeleteHe may have thought Smythe might jump in order to avoid the terrible risk of fire should the plane crash as was the fear of most airmen,as W.E.J tells us.
I think he told him not to jump as he still had hope in his heart that he might somehow, against all the odds, bring the aircraft down safely.
Algy of course would never think of leaving Biggles' side unless ordered to do so by Biggles himself...
Smyth would wait for instructions, I imagine. And let's face it, if you travel with Biggles and Algy often enough adopting the crash position would probably be second nature.
ReplyDeleteI think JJ has said it all and said it very well :)
ReplyDeleteLove the changing comments, Soppy. I have been refreshing my screen over and over to read a different one each time *happy smiles*
ReplyDeleteI thought that in moments of stress he is either tight-lipped or smiling his famous fighting smile. I don't see him casually throwing a comment over his shoulder as if he's in a shopping center or something!
ReplyDeleteI'm adding more quotes to the quote box, SA, so watch this space. Some of them should have gone up already.
ReplyDelete