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Tailspin Tommy 41-09-05 Murder In The Sky
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Tailspin Tommy 41-09-05 Murder In The Sky
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Tailspin Tommy
Tailspin Tommy. And so, from September 5, 1941, here is the very first episode of Tailspin Tommy, entitled Mine Ore Hail Spin Tommy is on the air. Yes, here he is, stepping out of the pages of the daily newspapers from coast to coast, that lovable, exciting, aviation hero, Tail Spin Tommy, with his flying friends, Skeeter and Betty Lou. Just as you've seen him on the screen, just as you followed him in his exploits in the daily papers, you'll hear him now on the air in this, his first radio appearance. So join us for an exciting half hour with one of the real heroes of aviation, Tail Sven Tommy. Hello, everybody. Gee, this is going to be swell, this flying in here every Friday to be with you for a half an hour because I know that Skeeter and Betty Lou and I have had some adventures that'll make pretty exciting radio listening. And if you don't mind, I'm going to drag up a chair and tell you about an experience we had only last month when the three of us were flying out to the coast from Three Point, Texas. We were cruising along at about 3,000ft over that stretch of desert southwest of Salt Lake when Skeets started complaining about the heat. Big cats. It's getting hot on the inside of Gene Cooper's bass drum. Oh, cheer up, Skeeter. You'll soon be cooling off in the good old Pacific Ocean. Oh, now you're talking, Betty. Just fly me over the beach at Santa Monica right now and I'll bail right out into the surf. You should complain about flying over the desert states. What if you had to cross it in a covered wagon? Oh, you're talking about two other guys, Mister, I ain't itching to be no pioneer. Look at that dry stuff down there. Well, I bet you can fly. Hey, Tommy. What? There's a ship down there. A ship? Well, at least I think it's a ship. Yeah. Why, sure it is. It's grounded. Hand me the binoculars, Benny. Here they are. Oh, I. I hope it isn't a crack up there. There, you see it, Tommy? The other side of that long gully there. Wait a minute. Yeah, Yeah, I see it. That's a crack up, all right. The right wings crumpled and the motor smashed. Maybe it just happened. Tommy, isn't there something we can do? Somebody's already there. I can see an automobile. And there's a man standing beside the wreck. Well, let's fly low and give it the once over, huh? We ought to do better than that, Skeets. Maybe we can be of some service. You don't mean you're going to try and sit down in a rough country like this. Oh, it isn't so rough. I see a clear space alongside that ship. Looks like hard surface down there. Hang on, pals. We're going down. By golly, Tommy, that's what I call putting it down on a dime. Taxi up a little closer to the wreck, Tommy. All right, that's it. Here comes the guy. Howdy there, folks. Hello there. Anybody hurt in the crack up? Hurt? I'll say the fellow was killed. Oh, I bet so. Yep, I had the boys take his body into town. I'm the sheriff of this district, headquarters in Emmetsville. How do you do, Sheriff? I'm Tommy Tompkins. This is Ms. Barnes and my pal, Ste. Milligan. I'm pleased to meet you, Ms. Barnes. You, too, Mr. Milligan. You know, funny thing about this case. When we found the fella, he was laying beside the plane with four or five bullet holes in his body. Yep. We figure somebody shot him while he was in the air. And when the plane fell, it threw him out onto the ground. Well, cut my switch. Say, what's going on here? Come on, Skeeter, let's get out and look things over. Hey, Sheriff, how do you know he was shot in the air? Maybe it was done after he fell. Oh, no. No, siri, it wasn't. Here, come here. Let me show you something. Yeah, right over here. Now, you see them bullet holes in the plane? I'll be darned. Hey, these holes were made by machine gun bullets. Of course they were. I say, Sheriff, who was this pilot? Did you identify it? No, ma'am. There was no identification toll on the body. Doesn't seem to be any on the ship, either. At least there's no wing markings. Yeah, well, you folks don't know the half of it yet. Here, come around here. Right around this side. I want to show you something else. Right here where I'm standing. Yes, sir. Well, this is where the body was. But the fellow wasn't dead when he hit the ground because he had time to write some words on the side of the plane with chalk. Dad, see here. Yes, sir. Tommy, he left a message. Urgent rescue. My brother with Gus Miller. Hi. He's starting to write a word beginning with hi. Yeah, I know that, son, but what's the word? Where am I gonna find this Gus Miller? Hey, wait a minute. Wait now. I got it. I got it. Now, listen. He started to write the word hiking. Gus Miller and the pilot's brother lost somewhere. You see, Sheriff? Oh, that doesn't tie up with the shooting, though, Steve. No, but if it wasn't for that. Wait a minute. Now, wait a minute. Plain to be seen. The ship was headed east at the time of the crack. Up east. Let's check the fuel supply, Skates, they wouldn't learn something else. Okay, Charlie. Tell me some more about this flyer, Sheriff, that. How old was he? Well, he was just a young fella. Oh, I'd say around 19, maybe 20. Had he been dead long when you found him? Well, I can't really say about that. Prospector stumbled onto the wreck this forenoon and he notified my office. We figure it must have happened either last night or early this morning. Maybe I wasn't so wrong in that hiking idea. Come on, you tell it, Johnny. Huh? If this ship had a full gas load when it started, it flew, I should say about 45 minutes before it crashed. Well, that means it traveled around 75 miles. And 75 miles west of here would be right in the middle of the high Sierras, wouldn't it, Sheriff? Say, that's it. That's it. He started to ride. High Sierras. Well, sure. That's what we've been trying to tell you. Yeah, but where in sunder did the plane take off from? It's all wild country back in those mountains. No habitation of any kind. All the more reason why it'd make a good hideout for somebody. Maybe this Gus Miller. Hey, look, Sheriff, that pilot made a dying request that somebody rescue his brother. And as fellow aviators, we ought to do our level best to grant that request. You said it, Tommy. Any objections if Skeeter and I do a little scouting over that territory to see what we can find? Why? Why, no, no, go right ahead. Thanks. You mean you and Peter and Betty Lou, Mr. Tommy. No, honey, I'd rather you wouldn't go. Why, Tommy. Oh, now, Betty Lou, this is no trip for a girl. It'll be a long, tiresome flight and no telling what they'll run into. Oh, what's the difference? I've been in tough spots with you and scoots before. Feel a lot better if you'd go on to the coast by train. I'm sure the sheriff wouldn't mind letting you ride back to Emmett. Still with him? Why, not in the least. No, siri, not in the least. She can get a train for the coast at 4:20. But I don't want to go on by train. Tommy Tompkins, I've a good mind to remind me never to speak to you again. Be careful. You Know I will, honey. What do you say, Skeeter? Let's get going. Okay, Tailspin. Now. Let's go. Here. Okay, say when. All right. Contact. Yeah, this is sure some plane, you boys of God. Yes, sir. I'll say, Sheriff, this ship is known as the Silver Streak. And, boy, let me tell you, she'll do everything but give you a haircut, I guess. There. She sure is a pretty thing. Hey, what's that long pipe underneath there? The exhaust. I know that. That's a smoke writing attachment. Say, is there a landing field at Ameth, Sheriff? Why, sure, sure, And a good one, too. Okay, then. We'll let you know how we come out. All right, Steel, let's get underway. Bye, Betty Lou. See you in Santa Monica. I'm not speaking to you, mister. Oh, all right, then. Here we go. Oh, I didn't mean that, Tommy. I didn't mean that. Goodbye, Tommy. Bye, Peter. Bye, Betty Lou. Good luck. Happy landing. Yeah, who is it? It's okay. Me, Jeff. All right, come on in. Well, Miller, you said you wanted to talk to Vern, so here he is. Come on in here, you. What's a big idea? Yeah, you tried to make a getaway with your brother last night, didn't you? Who said so? You were seen running toward that plane just as Harry took off. But he couldn't wait for you because my boys were closing in on him. All right, so I was trying to get away. Sure, and I'm glad Harry made it. See, we've known for a long time what's going on in your mind. You've been planning to kill us like you did our dad now that you've learned how to operate a tungsten mine. Yeah, but you don't dare kill me now, because Harry will bring the law in here. Joe, tell him what happened to Harry. I'm very much afraid that your brother ain't gonna tell no law about nothing, kid. On account of the very simple fact that he's dead. That's a lie. Oh, no, it ain't. As soon as he left here, one of our men followed him in a plane and shot him down over the desert. That's a lie. You just say that to scare me. A dirty rat. That's enough out of you. Get out of here. Go on back to your work. I'll take care of you later. If you fellas did come out. Get out. That Price punk. He said a mouthful when he said his number was up. Look, Mother, I want to talk to you. I got a little story for you. I'm afraid it's going to be a little story that you don't like. If there's any more killing to be done around here, you'll have to do it yourself, that's how. Spilling that I am. I took care of his brother. Since when are you giving orders? You do what I tell you to do in your life. Come on out here. That's Max. Yeah, what's the trouble, Max? There's a plane overhead. It ain't one of ours I'm getting. Yeah, See it up there? I've been watching it for five minutes. Flying low over the camp. So you lied about getting Harry Osborne, did you, Briggs? What are you talking about? He did not lie. He didn't send that ship here. He's dead, I tell you. All right, we'll argue about that later. You and Mac take up a plane and get that ship. Oh, more rough stuff, eh? Yeah, and hurry up about it. Don't let it get away, you hear? It's seen too much already. Hey, Tommy. There is a landing field down there, sure enough. Sure enough. But they got a camouflage. Yeah, thought so. Hey, look. That ain't no ordinary valley, neither. It's kind of a pocket or something. High cliffs on three sides and the only opening is a narrow gorge. Wow, what a job getting a plane in and out of there, huh? Hey. Hey, there's a ship coming up here to meet us. Yeah, yeah, yeah. See it down there? Where? Oh, she's a fast one, too. Look at her climb. Yeah, I guess they're coming up to pay their respects. Sure, like they paid their respect to that flyer over the desert. Hey, we better get out of here, Tommy. Not yet, Skeets. Wanna hang around and see what they're up to? Oh, there's your answer, Tommy. Now let's get going. That's a rat trick. Oh, boy, that was close. Hey, they're shooting holes in the right wing. Hang on, Skeets, we're into a roll. Ah, that's it, that's it. Tommy, you like now level rolling and kind of pour the soup to her, will you? We can outrun them easy. No, no, we can't make it yet. I'll dive under them and come up on the all that swell flying, Tommy, that's leaving him behind. Now, if we can only get clear of this valley. We'll get clear of the valley all right. Then I'm going to let those fellows catch up with us. Yeah, and when they what? Let them catch up with us. Yeah, I want them to start shooting again. Say, are you gone nuts and the second they open fire, you'll pull open the smoke writing attachment. What's the big idea? Here they come. Get ready. Okay, she's open. All right. Hang on. We're diving down through this cloud bank. I'll flip my ailerans. Now, what was the idea of that? See, they think they shot us down in flames. Who slapped my tail? Skin? That's pretty smart figuring tailspin. What else could they think with all that black smoke trailing out behind us? And now they can't see us because we're below the ceiling. Crazy. All right, Tommy. Just like a fox. I expect they're headed back to their base by now. Yeah, and we'd better head for our base, the town of Emmetsville. No, not yet, Stevenson. Remember what that dead pilot wrote on the ship? Urgent rescue, my brother? Yeah, sure, but I want to see a clearing down below. And it's not far from the edge of one of those cliffs. I think I can make a landing. A landing? What for? So we can climb down the cliff into the valley. Something tells me we ought to get down there in a hurry, too. Are you with me, Skeets, I never bailed out on you yet, have I? Go ahead, pal. Nose are down. Oh. Oh, brother, what a climb. Homework. Now. Finally. Oh, that must have taken us a couple of hours. Oh, I'll say it's plum, Doc. Already? Yeah. Good thing the moon's out so we can see her way around. Now, look, Skeet, the first thing we better do is to. What? Take it easy, Tommy. What's the matter? Some guy just dug behind that rock over there. You sure? Of course I'm sure. I seen him. Well, we can't afford to get caught at this stage of the game. Now, I wish there wasn't no moon. Buckskeep. Let's walk over past the rock like we don't know he's there, See? All of a sudden, we'll jump him. Yeah, yeah, I'm in one. Well, we can tie him up and gag him. Tie him up with what? You can use your shirt. It's already torn into strings from climbing down those rocks. Come on, let's go. We're just kind of talking along runcha life like between ourselves, huh? Yeah, that's right. Boy, I'm sure anxious to see this country in daylight, huh? Yeah, yeah, me. Me too. Boy, I bet you that's swell hunting here. Yeah. There he is. All right, I got. Oh, no, boy, not look. Get off of me. Hey, wait a minute. Skate, Skeets, huh? Look, he's just a Kid, huh? Well, sure enough. Stand up here, kid. Let's take a look at you. Say, what's the idea? I wasn't bothering you, fellas. Who are you, anyway? You don't work in this camp. Do you work here? I'm not saying a word. What are you doing in that pack on your back? You about to start up the cliff? I tell you, I'm not saying a word. I'm gonna hunt. You're the very person we're looking for. You got a brother who flies a plane? Why, yes, I have. Did Harry send you here? No. No, he didn't send his kid. I'm sorry to have to tell you your brother was killed. Oh, then it is true. Harry's dead. Now, look, we haven't got time for a lot of explanations. We're here to get you out of this valley. We have to work fast. What's your name? Vern Osborne. I'm Tommy Tompkins and this is Keith Milligan. Now tell us what sort of a place this is. It's a mining camp at Tungsten Mine. Who runs it? Man by the name of Gus Miller and his partner, Joe Briggs. But it isn't their mine by rights. No. They murdered my dad to get it. What's this? They murdered your papping? Yes, they did. My father discovered this vein of ore and filed a claim on it. Then these men came along and tortured him until he signed the claim over to them. And after that, Miller shot Dad. Harry and I saw him do it. Why, the dirty skunks. They'd have killed Harry and me too. Only they needed us here to show them how to get out the Oregon. They don't know anything about mining. They're gangsters. I thought so. They certainly use gangster methods, all right. That machine gunning of your brother, for instance. Say, fellas, here comes somebody. You better get down behind this rock. What for? We're not scared of them. Lawrence Gates. Do what he says. This is no time to take foolish chances. Well, we waited too long, that's all. We should have. Should have rugged him out this afternoon. It's too late to cry about that. He's gone now. And the point is, how are we going to catch him? He gets out of the mountains and spills the beans, we're sunk. Mountains nothing. He can't even get out of this valley. You know that. I'll get the boys to come to the valley. From one end to the other. We'll find that guy. And I don't mean maybe. I hope they do. You hear what Miller said? Fellas, he's going to start the men out looking for me. We'd better get going up this cliff. Oh, no, we can't get up the cliff. Didn't you fellas come down? Yeah, but. But we had to drop from ledge to ledge. Boy, there ain't no chance of getting back up. Well, good night. What are we gonna do then? We can't get out through the gorge. It's blocked by a high wall that Miller and Briggs built to keep anyone out. Let's worry about that later. Vern. Tell us some more about this setup. How do they get this tungsten ore to the railroad? Well, they fly it out in a big transport plane. It's over in the hangar right now. And that meadow's in big demand now. I'll bet they're cleaning up, too. I'll say they are. You ought to see the big stack of currency in there safe. And, boy, are they suspicious of each other. They're each afraid the other one's gonna grab the money and make a getaway. They're no different from other crooks in that respect. What about this hangar? Who's there right now? Well, there's a hangar guard and Carl Green's around there someplace. He's a mechanic they brought in a few days ago. And say, he looks a lot like you, Tommy. Like me? Well, don't hold that again. Him, Vern. The poor guy can't help. Oh, no smart facts, Keith. Look, Vern, you say this mechanic was brought here a few days ago? Yeah, a fella by the name of Matt flew a man in their plane. Well, in that case, Miller and Briggs might not be thoroughly familiar with his face, do you think? No, I guess not. Look, do you think this Car Green would cooperate with us? Yeah, he might. He's a pretty good fella. Fine. Now, listen, you go over and talk to him. Tell him the whole story. Tell him we need his help. And get him to lend you a pair of overalls like the ones he wears, okay? And get back as fast you can, Vern. We'll wait right here. You bet I will, Tommy. All right, Houdini. Now, will you kindly inform a poor dumbbell like me just what kind of a goofy stunt you're cooking up? Skeeter, my friend, I've got a hunch that when we leave this valley, we'll take the two worthy bosses of this outfit with us. What, you mean Nil and Briggs? Another chum. And with your good help, it ought to be a cinch. Now, here's the way we'll Work it. Hold it. Somebody's coming again. Where? See him? Over there. A couple of guys with flashlights. Must be looking for a guy. Hey, they're coming. Right this way. Skeet. We better get out of here. Come on. Hurry up. Don't stop. We gotta keep going. Did they see you? I don't. I don't know, but we can't take any chances. I wish we knew where the hangar is. Ain't that it right over there, Tommy? Yes, it looks like it. All right. Let's get over near it. State's. We can watch for Burn. This is good right here. Skates, you think. You think them gorilla seen us heading for these bushes? No, I don't think so. I think we're all right. Holy Spitfire. What? Look, that tail spin. There's about a dozen of them buzzing around with flashlights now. And they all got guns. Yeah, they're putting on a real search, all right. Keep my eye on that hangar door. And when Burn comes out, we're war. I tell you, Tommy, we missed the guy. Or else he got caught. We've been here for an hour. Keep your shirt on. Skeet. I think he's still around the hangar. Well, if he's ever going to come out, now's his chance. There ain't no searches around. Wait a minute. Here he comes now. Vern. Hey, Vern. Here we are. Pete's sake, what are you fellas doing here? We almost got caught over by the cliff. We had a swam. I was afraid of that. I stayed behind the hangar till it was safe to come out. What about Carl Green? Everything's fine. Here's the overall. Oh, good. He says he'll play ball a hundred percent. Great. Now, look, Vernon, I want you to go with Skeeter back to the hangar. I'm depending on you two to knock over the hangar guard and get his rifle. Think you can do it, my brother? Hurry. Knocked him over. That's how he got away. Well, then it's a cinch. Now we gotta get that transport plate out in the field, too, kid. Maybe a friend can help us, huh? Say, what's this all about, fellas? What's your plan? Peter knows the whole thing. He'll explain. Explain it to you? So get going now. No, no, wait. Wait a minute. Where I find Miller and Briggs? Well, they should be in their cabins. You'll see two cabins on the other side of the field. Miller's is a bigot. All right, you fellas go ahead while I slip into these overalls. Amen. Amen. Oh, thought it was somebody else. Sorry to bother you, Mr. Briggs, but I want to get straighten out on a certain matter. Yeah? Who are you? I'm Carl Green, mechanic over at the hangar. Oh, yeah? What's on your mind? Well, is it all right if I go with Mr. Miller on his trip? He says it's all right, but when I was hired I was told not to leave the valley. What trip are you talking about? Well, he didn't say where he was going. He's taking the transport plane. He wants me to go along to help handle his baggage when he lands. See, he's got four heavy suitcases. Four suitcases? Uhhuh. I thought maybe I. Is Miller in the hanger now? Well, he was when I left. All right, you go on back then. Forget about any trip. Leave this to me. I'll handle it. You say you work at the hangar, huh? Yeah. Mr. Miller. I'm the fellow Mac brought in the other day. Carl Green. Yeah. You sure have changed a lot, huh? How'd you get the sunburned all of a sudden? Oh, well, how do you say, Mr. Moon? I. I've been working out in the open quite a bit. Oh, yeah? What are you doing coming here at this time of night? Oh, well, it's about Mr. Briggs. He wants me to go with him in a transport to handle his baggage. He's got four heavy suitcases. Hey, Briggs, what are you doing getting on that plane? I'm looking for you, that's what I'm doing. So you're trying to sneak out with a dough, eh? So that's your cover up, huh? Unload them suitcases, you yellow rats. What are you talking about? I'll get them out of there mighty quick. You double crosser. You're not getting away with my money. Get back there. Oh, yeah? Get him up. You heard me, get him up. Reach. Who are you? Never mind that searching for it and see if they got guns. Sir. What is this? Come on. Shut up or I'll conk your motor. Here's an automatic on Miller. Fine, you keep it. All right, you monkeys, get in that ship. And don't just stumble over none of them imaginary suitcases. Well, you're going to get in there all right, all right. Yeah, yeah, I'll get in. Hey, hey, fellas, here comes a mob of those searchers. We've got to take off in a hurry. Well, what are we waiting for? Our passengers are loaded. All right, hop in, Burn. Come on, Skeeter. Here we. Well, that's that, Tommy. We sure got away just in time. I'll say we did. Hey, where you guys taking us? We're delivering you and your pal to a certain Sheriff Miller. He wants to ask you some questions about a couple of murders. We don't know nothing about no murders. Now, ain't that just too bad. You're getting me sore, mister. Go on, get back in there and shut up or I'll file your flipper wires down. Oh, so you think you're tough, huh? I'm tough enough to handle a dirty mug like you. Yeah, you forget, punk, that we're both of us flyers and we could very easily take over this plane. I got the dropping them, Skeeter. That gun ain't going to do you much good, kid. It ain't loaded. You mean jumping guys. Oh, no, you don't, mister. So you want to play, huh? Keep in them. You're all right, Skater? Yeah, I'm okay. Now. Level her off and I think we can tie these burners up. How was that for a climb? How's Burns? He all right? Yeah, I'm all right as soon as I get these big gorillas off my leg. All right, now, kid, take this bell of mine and go to work in that Miller guy. I'll take this tough boy here with these shoot ropes. Guess they won't be moving for a while. This ought to hold this guy after he comes to. Well, now, this sure to hold our friend here good and plenty. I want to be in on a necktie party for these two birds. Come on up here, you two, and get a look ahead. Okay, Tailspin, we're coming. Go on, move. Yeah. Isn't that a pretty sight down there? What do you mean pretty? Well, doesn't it look good to you now that you're out of it? It sure does to me. Anyhow, I guess you'll be back there for a long, Vern running that tungsten mine yourself. Well, I certainly hope so. Thanks to you, Tommy and Skeeter. Now here again is the man of our story himself, Tailspin Tommy. Young Vern Osmond was one happy kid at the prospects of running the mine. And for a moment, he almost forgot the murder of his father and the killing of his brother by the two gangsters Miller and Briggs, who we turned over to the sheriff at Emmettsville. Skeets and I were pretty tired after that job. Just one of the many we're always sticking our necks into. But we didn't lose any time in hopping out to Santa Monica to join Betty Lou. Well, we never got around to following through on that little mystery because A few days later, Paul Smith, our boss, sent us a hurry up wire to get back to Three Point and make a test flight of a new ship he'd just turned out. And that conversation Betty Lou overheard on the beach helped us solve the mystery of a really vicious crime that took place right there at headquarters. I'll be with you again next week with Skeets and Betty Lou to tell you the whole thrilling story. And for now, good night all. We invite you to be with us again next week at this time when Tailspin will be heard in the exciting story of the missing comet. Another in the adventures of Tailspin Tommy. Tune in every week at this time for that daring hero of the skies with his pal Skeeter and Betty Lou, straight from motion pictures and newspapers, created by Hal Forrest. Tail spin, Tommy. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Well, that'll just.