Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Auto light and it's ninety eight thousand dealers bring you,
mister Fred McMurray in a story based on fact, Tonight's
presentation of suspence.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Tonight a story of courage the routine operational mission of
a B twenty nine bomber over Korea. Auto Light presents
the flight of the Bumblebee our star, Mister Fred McMurray.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Hey you Wilcox, Well call me out if it's not Stan,
the chipper and chirpy baseball manager.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Not so chipful, Wilcox. My car battery's out of water,
dead as a pop fly.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Well, Stan, you should have an auto LIGHTE stay full
battery the peppy pitcher quoting power that needs water only
three times a year in normal car.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Use a real good stutu will Cox.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Stand it's the best and that auto light stay Full
needs no relief either. It gives longer life as proved
by tests conducted according to accepted life cycle standards. My
money just can't buy a better battery than an Autolite
Stay Full.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Where do I pick up this prize package?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Will Cox from your neighborhood autolite battery dealer. He services
all makes of batteries and has an auto light stay
full for your car. If a replacement is needed. To
quickly learn his location, just call Western Union by number
and ask for operator twenty five.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
That's me, and I'll gladly tell you where you can
get an auto.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
LIGHTE stayfull the battery that needs water only three times
a year in normal car use. And remember, from bumper
to tail light, you're always right.
Speaker 6 (01:44):
With auto light.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
And now with the flight of the Bumblebee and the
performance of mister Fred McMurray, auto Light hopes once again
to keep you in cell spence.
Speaker 6 (02:08):
On any given day, in any given newspaper you can
find a squib about a B twenty nine group carrying
out a routine strategic bombing in Korea. This is the
story of one of those routine bombings and how it
affected me. Lieutenant Colonel Hutchinstone and the crew of the
Bumblebee leadship of the two hundred and thirty sixth Wing.
The mills of the Gods began to grind, I would say,
while we were completing our engine run up at the
(02:30):
head of the runway minute with a runoff Earth.
Speaker 7 (02:50):
This is a seventy five pm drop on the front
MAGS and number two but it shouldn't bother us.
Speaker 8 (02:54):
Any We'll get that in fact. Okay, let's go frank.
Speaker 9 (02:59):
Last twenty five degrees, sprint tabs sad, autopilot off, windows
and hatches were going, escape hatch, clothes, turbos.
Speaker 10 (03:09):
I'm all right for fellas high rpm powerful.
Speaker 6 (03:13):
Army three six zero five over over the U three
six zero five, ready to take off over.
Speaker 11 (03:20):
Clear on runway two six win twenty five miles forty five.
Speaker 6 (03:24):
Degrees OU prepair for takeoff a PA, but take.
Speaker 12 (03:28):
Off ninety one hundred.
Speaker 6 (03:50):
Hundred ten un at twenty air on I thirty five.
You're up.
Speaker 9 (04:14):
Hard condition too, n a fold pressure forty three and
a half prop pitch twenty four hundred climb in five
hundred feet per.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Minute, raised flaps, easy laps coming. I'm feasy, Aul's the
cylinder had temperature murph.
Speaker 8 (04:37):
Out unsteady at two hundred and thirty five degrees.
Speaker 6 (04:39):
Okay, try to keep it there. We're going to eighteen
thousand feet this time. I hope you can read that
cruise control chart.
Speaker 7 (04:46):
I don't worry. You'll fly this heap of cording to
my figures, and you have plenty a few left when
we get back how much is plenty five.
Speaker 8 (04:52):
Three hundred gallon?
Speaker 6 (04:53):
Oh a big deal, just a number one trip around
the pedant? Hey Max, Yeah, coming up set the view? Well,
not much damage I can do to water? Heah, what's
the matter with you? I don't know. Getting to me?
I guess relaxable to take it easy.
Speaker 13 (05:10):
How does an instrument of death take it easy by
thinking how lucky he is?
Speaker 6 (05:14):
Lucky me? Yeah? You you're clean shaven, you're well fit.
You don't have to groove for your life in some
filthy foxhole hoping some sniper doesn't blast you. Why you're
opening up a can of rations? Point? Point's this, in
addition to living well, we never come into contact, the
personal contact, that is, with the enemy. We do our
job and never see close at hand the damage we do.
(05:35):
It's one way of looking at it. One other way
than that is the more efficient we are now, the
sooner you can get back to doing what you were
doing before all this. But I don't want to be
a soda jake again. Go look at the scenery. Okay,
but you still haven't condensed me. Penel's don sir, What
is the tag? Big one tonight? Yeah? Pretty big? Weal
(05:58):
to ubsent it. How many groups just us expect any trouble?
What was the matter you worried? Oh no, not me,
not exactly. What do you mean not exactly? Well, well,
my kid brother is coming in with a replacement unit tomorrow.
I'd sort of like to be on the welcoming committee.
(06:18):
Oh hey, anybody want to play some cards on down here?
I don't have anything to do for a while, Yes, sir, Hey,
how about casino penny? You're right, yeah, I apply for
a while. I'm gonna grab some sack time, okay, and
don't forget to pressurize. How and half merve checked the
(06:39):
auxiliary electrical unit didn't look too great when we leave, and.
Speaker 10 (06:42):
I'm gonna need the putt put flax go see okay,
wait me in an hour?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
Good night. Before I fell asleep, I thought of my
ship and his crew, rill of being master of one
hundred and thirty five thousand pounds of airplanes, And I
thought of the words in the preface of my pilot's handbook.
(07:07):
You are the commander of a combat force, all your
owner said, a small but specialized army, and you, as
airplane commander, will be responsible for the welfare and morale
of that up morale. I thought briefly about Max and
the sarge. This momentary concern of theirs was perfectly normal
to a fighting man in the conscience. I decided that
my army was doing all right and dropped off to sleep.
(07:30):
When Frank woke me, I relieved him and he grabs
and shut on. So it went the hours vibrated by Hey, Hichie,
talk to me, William.
Speaker 14 (07:45):
My trustee computer tells me you'd better correct two degrees
left and increased your indicated ass speed five miles an
hour if you expect to lead these guys to the initial.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
Point on time we'll do. Where are We.
Speaker 14 (07:58):
Should hit the coastline and about three minutes guaranteed guarantee.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
What's the name of that town we're using for the
initial point for the run, Senyake.
Speaker 14 (08:07):
With the prevailing winds, it should give us a run
of about one hundred and seventy seconds.
Speaker 6 (08:12):
I think you can get synchronized in one seventy max.
Speaker 13 (08:14):
When I was in the dead I scored a shack
bull eye to you in twelve thousand with a run
of twenty five seconds. Answer your question, No, it means
you got lucky once i' your drift met to.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Settle down for assembling. Our group assembled sixty seven ton
birds of destruction, flying almost six hundred miles to lay
their lethal legs on the enemy. My job was almost over.
Control would soon pass from my hands to the two
synchronizing knobs of Max's bomb side. He would fly us
(08:48):
down the path to the target, the path from which
there was no turning. A man's got to be a
little frightened when he approaches something like this. I wouldn't
want a man in my crew. Said he wasn't, because
when a man doesn't scare in a situation like this,
he's a fool. That'll be twenty nine. It's no place
for a fool.
Speaker 14 (09:09):
Two minutes to the initial point, then you get you
one hundred and seventy seconds, Max.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Rocket, Do you pressurize?
Speaker 10 (09:15):
How about not doing it this time?
Speaker 6 (09:17):
Much?
Speaker 10 (09:17):
I hate to put my mask. Conferences a few seconds Hoch.
Speaker 13 (09:20):
They hadn't any flak rideceptors out here for at least
three weeks.
Speaker 8 (09:23):
Besides, we're only an eighteen pus can't hurt much eating
If we've.
Speaker 6 (09:27):
Got a hole too, well, okay, if we get clamber,
don't say I didn't warn you approaching point. What'll pilot engage?
All about the elevator controls. I can give you a
better altitude control doing it manually.
Speaker 13 (09:37):
Okay, but don't give me more than twenty five feet
plus or minus.
Speaker 6 (09:40):
What's the corrected altitude? Eighteen fifty bombay's open, mombbays open. Okay, Max,
you've got it. Frank. Check the gunners right, gunner.
Speaker 10 (10:00):
Laughter, gunner, hail, gunner, radar.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
Murph, Yeah, hit everything chack okay. I you know it's
too quiet here now, hope we got the right place. Thanks.
Speaker 15 (10:18):
Three o'clock high and closing fast. We'll start shooting. We
can't move now.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
There's a whole mess. I'm heading right for us. Hurry up, Max.
Speaker 9 (10:24):
H is a couple coming this way one o'clock moving, moving,
dropping Max, drop him.
Speaker 6 (10:28):
They need fifty more seconds.
Speaker 10 (10:34):
Got youre the.
Speaker 9 (10:34):
Com SG you get him, get him.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
I can't stop.
Speaker 8 (10:41):
Him out of the bombs.
Speaker 6 (10:53):
Bomb based roads. Let's get out. Frank. Report from the
after compartment, Murpher reading on the damage. I'm sorry, I
can stop him him. I hear him. Take it easy,
settle down. Emergency power on one and two, Come on,
not what's the score of Frank? Quick before they make
another pass out of his.
Speaker 9 (11:13):
Rain four engine directed. Have the right flaps gone? No
fire that the scanners can.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
Notice, Willie, we're losing one hundred and twenty feet a
minute with full power indicated. Air speed is one eighty.
I have to keep that right wing up and I
can't drop my air speed too much chance of stalling.
How far can we get before we hit the Brianing?
I have it for you in a minute. What have
you got for me?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Murph?
Speaker 7 (11:31):
So when they had temperature around one and two, running
a little high start a fuel transfer from number four
tank to number one three to two got a run
engines in order rich to keep cool nfold pressure thirty
six hard form.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Twenty one hundred. Can we further the bad ones bost
prop ups smashed planes? Man, no chance anything yet, Willy,
I'm just getting it now. I think this is about right.
Speaker 14 (11:53):
Assuming we maintain a present speed and rate of descent,
don't run into any wind trouble, we should hit the
Briany about two hundred and forty miles this side of home.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
I guess that doesn't I hate to do this to
you guys, but I think we better break.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
Out middle Stone from Curley and the tail over.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
Go ahead, Curly, they're back. Meigs five o'clock, four of them,
stand by. They're back. They know we're crippled. How do
you want to fight or take your chances on bailing out?
We bail out. We're good target practice. Let's fight. I
want another chance that I'm colonel. What do you say, Murph, Willie?
Speaker 8 (12:25):
I shoot the guns. I'll keep my running me too.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Okay, then let's fight, Curly, Yes sir, you're getting operating
back then, yes, sir, then use it. We're going to
see if the bumblebee still has her steam.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Auto light is bringing you, mister Fred McMurray in the
flight of the Bumblebee. The night's production in radios outs
standing theater of thrills suspense.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Well, Stan, have you won that pennant already?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I feel that way, will Cox. It's that new auto
light stafle battery of mine. It's quick as a short stop,
eager as a rookie, and powerful.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
As a slug.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
And best of all, the auto light stay full needs
water only three times a year in normal car use.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
And you understand that auto.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Light stainfule has more protection than a whole league of catchers.
Why It has fiberglass retaining mats around each positive plate
to reduce shedding and flaking and give the auto light
stay Full longer life. Has proved by tests conducted according
to accepted life cycle standards.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
That auto Light Stayful has made a hit with me,
will Cox.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Why money just can't buy a better battery than the
auto light stay Full. So friends, to quickly locate you're
a near a auto LTE battery dealer whose services all
makes it batteries. Just call Western Union by number and
ask for me.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Operator twenty five. I'll gladly tell you the location of
your nearest autolight battery dealer where you can get an auto.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Light Stayful, the battery that needs water only three times
a year in normal car use. And remember, from bumper
to tail light, you're always right with autolite.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage,
mister Fred McMurray in Elliott Lewis's production of the Flight
of the Bumblebee, a dramatic report well calculated to keep
you in cell spend.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
It wasn't much of a decision to make. We all
knew that the bail out meant we'd be target practice
so we prepared for the fight. With number three and
four engines knocked out, we were short three generators, which
meant there wasn't enough electrical power to drive the gun
turrets and the computers. I ordered the Putt putt, the
auxiliary electrical unit on the line, and dropped a ten
thousand feet. Then, without pressurization, the three remaining generators plus
(15:11):
the power generated by the putt putt might be enough
to do the job. This, of course, assumed the auxiliary
unit was working properly. Also, diving down to ten thousand
gave us enough excess speed to eliminate, for all practical purposes,
the possibility of more than one tail passed by the enemy.
The men took up their positions and waited, but not
for long. Here they come. More of them now. Listen,
(15:35):
I don't want the gunners to start the turrets moving
until it's absolutely necessary. We haven't gotten enough power. Wait
till they're right on us. Before you pour the juice
to them. Case, give and keep the cross talk to
a minimum. Right gunner to pilot over, go ahead, many
can you drop your right wing a little makes an
awful blind spot for me. I can't do it. You
got to keep these dead engines high. Sorry, but if
(15:58):
you really need it, they yell, and I'll drop it
for you. They'll probably come in that way at least once.
Maybe we can plap them right, Sir, macutole coming at you.
Speaker 16 (16:09):
I see him, you got him now charge Let those
are the right, sir, Number two coming in.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
Three o'clock long, coming in coming around to my range.
Speaker 7 (16:46):
Some of the head temperats around one or two over
the red line over the car.
Speaker 6 (16:53):
The car flaps another two degrees. Cool them off. He'll
slow us down and can't help it. These engines have
got to get us back. There's number four. Hold the
right down. Colonel is making a pass. Hand on maas
(17:18):
his head. Take care of him, Willie.
Speaker 15 (17:20):
I got him so, I got him, no power my turret.
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Colonel number one is coming back. We haven't gotten much juice.
The generators are overloaded, curly and mighty layout. I'm going
to give you the shot al a little more than left, sir.
I think I.
Speaker 15 (17:39):
Can al al take care of him.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
Somebody. They're heading for my blind spot.
Speaker 15 (17:47):
Tell me when you want that right wing down, Mandy, Yes, sir,
I got miss money. We want to get a hold
hold the cross talk here it comes, Jan I did
now colonel trumpit tropit now.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
Here you are by? I hit him, I hit him,
make a flavor there I go. Come on back and fight.
I never did get a good shot. Come on back.
Speaker 10 (18:16):
There they go, Hudge, we made it.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
Take over, Frank. I want to take a look at Max.
Shot it? How was he willing? I've got to call
out Bandageohn on the bleeding stuff. I think he may
be going into shot. You'd used the Saints, yes, but
I didn't know what to do with the ritz.
Speaker 16 (18:39):
Just a minute, Max, Max, hi much?
Speaker 6 (18:46):
How do you feel? Not too bad? I'm afraid to
give you morphine? Your respiration is kind of slow, so
can I can make it about it? Let me know.
If it gets too tough with you, I will it's
very bad. No, not nothing bad. Get me back. I
(19:07):
don't want to die out here. Please get me back.
You're not going to die mass Just try to like
ciet Willie right here. Put his oxygen mask on. Want
to mix off, Get a couple of shots and put
him under his legs. Do you know how to get plasma?
Speaker 9 (19:22):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (19:23):
I'll do it.
Speaker 17 (19:23):
Put a couple of blankets over and keep more on Roger. Yeah,
remember what I said before being an instrument of death.
Forget it, don't worry, don't wait.
Speaker 13 (19:37):
I what I want to say is I don't care anymore.
Speaker 6 (19:45):
I wouldn't even care. I could see all the damage
I can do. Just like quiet, I've got to go.
Speaker 15 (19:51):
Now, what what are you going to do?
Speaker 6 (19:55):
I'm going to get you home. When I said that,
I didn't have the slightest idea of how I was
going to do it. I went up and talked to
Murf and found that nothing we could possibly do to
the engine was going to keep us from losing about
one hundred feet a minute. We looked at each other
like a couple of stupid fools for a while, and
(20:16):
then Murph made a suggestion that gave me an idea.
He said that if we were anywhere near basic weight,
we could maintain altitude. First, we tried to figure out
how we could dump some fuel, but that would have
been defeating ourselves. Then I got the idea, why not
drop everything over the side. There wasn't absolutely essential to
keep the bumble bee in the air. That might get
us down to near basic weight and work. And what
if we lost? If it doesn't nothing what are we waiting, Paul? Okay,
(20:40):
you apply for a while. I've got work to do, Sarge. Yes, sir,
I want you to start dismantling Max's gear. Forward the
bomb side in a kilometer, tracked down all the electrical
cables and rip them out. Cables were all color coded, frank,
now it is. You have a set of technical orders aboard,
got them right here. We'll check through and give side
the letter Hodding in the color coating of the bomb equipment.
(21:02):
I want everything pitched out. I get started practically out now.
Oh sure, dear.
Speaker 14 (21:08):
Willie, all I can get rid of everything sept my computer,
my dripped meat to got clobet so I can't use
it anyway.
Speaker 6 (21:14):
The cabinet, my tables to go to Bye, keep one pencil, thanks,
Colonel Stole to Marty hover guesd this is money. Oh's
all doing pretty good, sir. I'm gonna be running around
for a while, but he'll be in shape. Okay, good,
I'll be back there pretty soon. Expect any more shooting.
Speaker 15 (21:35):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (21:35):
Why the armor.
Speaker 10 (21:36):
Plate comes off real easy, just poles and wing nuts.
So does the bullet resistant glass behind the instrument panel.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
All right, dump that out too. How are you doing, Sorry, Dandy,
Colonel Dandy Murph, toss the hot food unit out, save
some extra water. It hurts, but I'll do it, Willie.
As soon as you finished through your stuff, you and
Worph tear down the army armor. I'm going aft. It's
(22:08):
a pretty good first aid job, Marty. Thank you, sir.
What happened to Al's toura?
Speaker 1 (22:11):
No power?
Speaker 18 (22:12):
I'll come I only auxiliary never did get started. We
didn't get one fole of power out of that putt putt?
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Toss it out, yes, sir, Hey, wait a minute before
you do that. You know how to remove the lower tour.
Speaker 18 (22:22):
It guns and all guns and all, Yes, sir, we can,
but it's quite a job.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
I don't care how big a job it is. Can
we do it? Yes, sir, but I'll need some help.
Speaker 18 (22:29):
You'll get it. I'm going up front, oh, colonel ya Marty,
and we toss out the putt putt first.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
Yeah, kick open the rear door and toss it out,
drop the lower to it, and then anything else you
can think of it. You've got to get down to
basic weight. There's anything else you're in data? Why you
called me in the intercom? And I'll take you.
Speaker 9 (22:57):
Oh there, it is prettiest runway in the world, old man,
Am I glad.
Speaker 6 (23:01):
To see it? Yeah, they're standing by and runway two
six to fight crew prepare for landing. We'll dispense with
the rest of the checklist. Gear down here, coming down.
The gear lights didn't go on.
Speaker 9 (23:18):
Check with Marty, rank them righty over, there's the gear
all the way down. H check again it is okay. Yeah, No,
one right wheel isn't fully down and locked.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
Might be a bent warm gear. Yeah. Three six zero
five to tower over we had three six zero five, right
gear not fully down and locked. Tell the meat wagons
and the fire boys to stand by. Can you go
around once we'll check your gear for the tower. I've
got two wounded men and two engines. I know my
gear isn't all the way down. I come in now
when you pick us up and rubber sacks, come on,
get with it, Roger.
Speaker 11 (23:52):
Three six zero five, all air crafted pattern, leave it once.
Repeat all that crafting pattern, leave it once. Three six
zero five. You are clear from Mercylantic.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Within a few seconds, I could see the ambulance racing
to where they figured the planets stopped, and I saw
the full night boys turn down the taxi strip that
parallel the runway. I knew what the procedureud be. They'd
start down the runway and start throwing the stuff at
the engines a minute we touched the ground. They sure
took chances. Those fire boys a good positions for a
(24:29):
crash landing. Somebody take care of Max.
Speaker 19 (24:31):
I've got him full flaps, flaps coming down, don't forget
about the ride flaps half gone.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Time, trimp forard the nose wheld holes together. We'll be okay.
Speaker 8 (24:59):
All for the idol out off when you're ready, right,
give me the.
Speaker 9 (25:02):
Car break should be one thirty eight, one thirty one,
twenty one ten, one hundred.
Speaker 15 (25:21):
Ninety brought the switches bird right on that ground.
Speaker 6 (26:02):
We didn't catch fire, we didn't turn over, were just
ground loops and that was the end of our routine
operational flight. Max now made it okay. The rest of
us had ourselves at the weekend in Tokyo. The l
bumblebee they had the junker wasn't enough left to make
repairs worthwhile. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have
to go to a briefing. Another routine operational flight.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Suspense presented by auto Light to Night Star Mister Fred McMurray.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Miss Harlow Wilcox, speaking for Autolite, world's largest independent manufacturer
of automotive electrical equipment. Auto Light is proud to serve
the greatest names in the industry. They are members of
the Autolite Family, as well as are the ninety eight
thousand Autolite distributors and dealers in the United States and
thousands more in Canada and throughout the world. Our family
(27:10):
also includes the nearly thirty thousand men and women in
twenty eight great Autolite plants from coast to coast and
instill other Autolite plants in many foreign countries, as well
as the eighteen thousand people who have invested a portion
of their savings in Autolite. Every Autolite product is backed
by constant research and precision, built to the highest standards
(27:31):
of quality and performance. So remember, from bumper to tail light,
you're always right with Autolite.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Next week, a story about fear and a man's difficult decision,
Find Yourself or Die The Death of Me, starring mister
George Murphy.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
The program will be presented on su Suspence.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis, with music
composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by lud Bluskin. The
Flight of the Bumblebee was written for suspense by Ross Murray.
Featured in tonight's cast were Joseph Kerns, Byron Kine, Glenn Vernon,
Edgar Barrier, Billy Hallop, Jack Prusian, Charles Calvert, and Lee Malar.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Fred McMurray may currently be seen in the Metro Bolwin
Mayor production of Callaway, Went.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
That Away.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
And Remember Next Week on Suspense, Mister George Murphy in
the Death of Me.
Speaker 5 (29:08):
For the location of your nearest auto light battery or
Autolite Sparkplark Dealer or your nearest authorized auto light service
station Phonne, Western Union by number, and as for Operator
twenty five switched to Autolite.
Speaker 6 (29:22):
Goodnight.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
This is the CBS Radio Network.