On 1942-11-07, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, the Technical Officer in Charge of the servicing squadron at the RCAF No.4 B&G School Fingal Ontario, needed to test heat modifications on a new carburettor. The carburettor was fitted on Bolingbroke #9951 and, as he wrote to his mother on November 8,The idea was to go up and take a lot of instrument readings at every two thousand feet altitude. We kept going up higher and higher to get colder temperature readings.

Ross Dawson with Bolingbroke 1942

Of course, being a crew of guys in their young 20s, it did not end there. We decided that while we were up there we would see how high the plane would go. We broke the existing altitude record on this station by reaching 18,700 feet or over 3 1/2 miles straight up. There is a regulation in the Air Force which says that you are not to go higher than 15,000 feet without oxygen equipment but of course we did not have any so we could not stand to go up any further. We were getting pretty dopey as it was from lack of oxygen so I guess it was just as well.

It is a very peculiar feeling you get at that height. At about 15,000 feet it is sort of exhilarating & one starts to act as if he had a couple of drinks too many. Then as you go higher your head starts to reel, your ears sing & you can not focus your eyes on anything without great concentration. Finally you are breathing about twice as fast as normal and any movement you make takes real effort to get your muscles to work.

I kept on taking the readings I was supposed to right up to 18,000 feet but after that it gradually petered off until I finally just wrote down our final altitude & then had to quit. I must show you the sheet I had when I get home. At that height we were down near Detroit by this time we could see across Lake Erie as well as the Detroit & St. Clair Rivers, Lake St. Clair & well out into Lake Huron so it was quite a view. When we finally started to come down we were so intent on getting a good lung full of air that we came down too quickly & got our ears well plugged so we had to climb up from about 10,000 to 15,000 feet again to equalise the pressures for fear we would burst our eardrums. I thought the sides of my head were coming off & it was painful! However by hollering loudly & blowing etc. we finally got equalized & came on down. It was pretty cold -10 below zero but not really as bad as I expected since it was quite a warm day for this time of year. Another thing too your lips & fingernails turn a nice blue colour, why I do not know. However it gives quite a peculiar effect.

Notes taken by Ross Dawson during test flight at Fingal 1942-11-07

Courtesy Canadian War Museum 20160208 SqL A. Ross Dawson