National Defense: Sidewalk Talk

When Army airmen from Chanute Field say “Airplane” on the streets of neighboring Champaign, Rantoul or Urbana, Ill., they mean a girl is in sight.

Further specifications, plain to airmen, Greek to civilians: P-40 (Curtiss pursuit), a girl who is neat, streamlined, trim; P-38 (Lockheed’s swift, highflying, two-engined interceptor that climbs so fast pilots are apt to get the bends), similar but dangerous for the inexperienced; P39 (Bell’s Airacobra pursuit which has several rare features, engine behind the pilot), strange, swift, mysterious; the prefix Z (for obsolete), over age 28; O-47 (North American observation plane), a girl from Dorothy Parker’s couplet—wears glasses; B-19 (Douglas’ huge bomber), stylish stout.