Douglas Bader, the brilliant pilot and rugby footballer who lost both
legs when he crashed his Bristol Bulldog fighter in December 1931, is back in the cockpit,
flying fighters again with the RAF. He left the RAF because he was no longer allowed to
fly despite his mastery of his "tin legs". But immediately the war was declared
he started to pull strings until he was given a test on a trainer. All his old skill came
flooding back - flying was still "a piece of cake". No he can be seen stumping
towards his Hurricane, as aggressive as ever, to fly patrols over Channel convoys, and
when he takes of he flies like all the other pilots - only better than most.
This is one take on Bader, a somewhat controversial figure. Cris
Wetton views from another angle.
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Parliament passes General Smuts' War Measures Bill.
GERMANY: Hitler fixes the date of Operation Weserubung [Exercise Weser], the invasion of Norway and Denmark, at 9 April and orders preparations to start.
U.S.A.: “Broadcasting” magazine reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has suspended its order for "limited commercial" operation of TV, censures the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) for their sales efforts which are seen as an attempt to freeze TV standards at the present level and calls a new hearing. Critics call the move "usurpation of power."
CANADA:
Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA) begins transcontinental airline service today
with a flight from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. TCA
operates 10-passenger Lockheed Model 14-H2 Super Electras and 14-passenger
Lockheed Model 18-10 Lodestars.