Podcast Summary: Uncle Ned's Squadron – “Ned Talks About De-Icer Boots”

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: February 21, 2026
Host: Uncle Ned (with Co-Pilot Hugh Downs)
Episode Airdate (Original): November 11, 1950 (Armistice Day)

Main Theme

This episode transports listeners back to the golden age of radio, gathering Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts in the WMAQ “ready room” for a spirited aviation club meeting with Uncle Ned and Co-Pilot Hugh Downs. The central focus is on introducing young cadet pilots to aviation knowledge, emphasizing the importance of loyalty, and explaining technical details—most notably, the purpose and operation of airplane de-icer boots. The show blends education, interactive Q&A, a historical aviation story, and nostalgic youth club camaraderie.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome and Roll Call (00:31–02:02)

• Audience Participation: Uncle Ned welcomes Den 4 of Pack 228 (Morton Grove), Buffalo Patrol of Troop 871 (Chicago), and Pack 62, Den 9 (Wheaton). He invites children to share about their airplane experiences.
• Cub Scouts’ Stories:
  • Paul Emmert describes a flight on a four-engine DC4/DC6 to Portland, Oregon.
  • Elaine Erickson recounts a ride in her uncle’s small airplane over North Dakota farmland.
• Quote:
  • Uncle Ned (02:42): "Well, I'll bet you were up about 20,000ft. And I'll bet it had a pressurized cabin in it and everything else."

2. Weekly Mission: Loyalty (04:45–05:55)

• Lesson for Young Pilots: Emphasizes loyalty as a foundational value—toward country, family, friends, and self.
  • Uncle Ned (04:45): "Loyalty should start in the home. ...Loyalty is priceless. You can't buy it anywhere. It must come from your heart."
• Memorable Line:
  • "Your pockets may be empty, but if your heart is filled with loyalty, then you're indeed rich."

3. Hangar Flying: De-Icer Boots Explained (06:02–08:49)

• Primary Topic: Uncle Ned explains the function and critical importance of de-icer boots on large airplanes.
  • Made of rubber with elastic tubes, located on leading wing and tail edges.
  • Operate by inflating with air pressure to break off accumulated ice.
• Memorable Line:
  • Uncle Ned (07:30): "You simply push a button that forces air pressure into the tubes... The air pressure makes the thin sheet of rubber go up and down. ...The ice... breaks and blows right off the wing and tail surfaces."
• Key Points Recap: De-icer boots keep planes safe in icing conditions; they are usually black and found on leading edges.

4. Scout Q&A—Aviation Knowledge in Action (08:49–12:44; 13:43–16:16)

• Interactive Quizzing: Scouts in attendance answer questions about de-icer boots’ material, location, operation, and purpose.
  • Sample Exchanges:
    • Uncle Ned (09:12): "What are de icer boots made of?"
      Scout: "Rubber and elastic?" Uncle Ned: "Well, that's right. ...Will you take this Comet Taylor craft home, build it...?"
    • Uncle Ned (10:16): "What color do you ask me, I listen."
      Scout: "Black."
    • Uncle Ned (11:00): "What purpose do de icer boots serve?" Scout: "They take the ice off the wings and tail surfaces."
    • Uncle Ned (12:12): "Where are the de icer boots located?"
      Scout: "Wing and tail surfaces."
• Rewards: Each correct answer earns the scout a model airplane kit.
• Phone-in Segment: Remote cadets also participate in Q&A by phone, showcasing the inclusive, club-like atmosphere.

5. Joining Uncle Ned’s Squadron (16:20–17:01)

• Membership Call: Instructions for becoming a cadet pilot, with promises of prizes, camaraderie, and wholesome youth fun.

6. Armistice Day Explanation (17:01–17:57)

• History Moment: Uncle Ned notes the episode’s airdate—November 11, Armistice Day—explaining its historical significance commemorating the end of World War I.
  • Uncle Ned (17:01): “November 11th commemorates the end of World War I. And at 11 o’clock ...1918, the armistice was signed... If you were born on November 11, Armistice Day, you were born on a day the world will never forget.”

7. Story Time: The Adventure of Jimmy Mattern (18:02–23:09)

• Dramatic Aviation Tale: Uncle Ned narrates pilot Jimmy Mattern’s harrowing 1933 transatlantic flight, highlighting the dangers of icing before de-icer boots existed:
  • Encounters severe icing; must dive thousands of feet to melt the ice.
  • Plane’s wing cracks but holds; engine fails due to a blocked fuel line; survives by freeing the blockage.
  • Memorable Line:
    • Uncle Ned (18:45): "He was going so fast that he felt the plane would pull apart... As he pulled back on the wheel, he heard a crack that sounded like a cannon going off..."

8. Knowledge Check—Story Comprehension (23:09–27:37)

• Scouts Recall: More scouts answer questions about the story’s drama and lessons:
  • “What happened to one of the wings?” (It cracked)
  • “Why wouldn’t Jimmy Mattern’s plane stay up?” (Ice had made it too heavy)
  • “What did Jimmy do when his engine quit?” (Pushed and pulled the throttle)
  • “What caused the engine to fail?” (A piece of cloth in the fuel line)
• Correct answers continue to earn model planes.
• Armistice Day Quiz: Two scouts falter on the year (1918), but Uncle Ned teaches the answer.

9. Squadron Membership Qualifications Recitation (28:39–29:21)

• Scout Jerry Cohen recites the five qualifications for membership:

  • Obey established authority
  • Observe rules of health
  • Promote safety in the air and on the ground
  • Keep self clean and alert
  • Accomplish every mission well

• Uncle Ned (29:09): "Say you're just 100% right. Yes siree. And you, take this comet model Piper Cub home."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Uncle Ned on Loyalty (04:45): “Your pockets may be empty, but if your heart is filled with loyalty, then you’re indeed rich. Pilots, remember this mission all your life.”
• On de-icer boots (07:30): "You simply push a button that forces air pressure into the tubes... the ice... breaks and blows right off the wing and tail surfaces.”
• Aviation Story Suspense (18:45): “He was going so fast that he felt the plane would pull apart…he heard a crack that sounded like a cannon going off, and he knew that the strain had caused a wing to crack.”
• Scout Participation: The children's responses, addresses, and excitement foster a warm, educational atmosphere reminiscent of midcentury youth radio.

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------|------------| | Welcome, Audience Stories | 00:31–04:02| | Weekly Mission: Loyalty | 04:45–05:55| | “Hangar Flying” (De-Icer Boots) | 06:02–08:49| | Scouts’ Q&A on De-Icer Boots | 08:49–12:44| | Remote Q&A (Phone-In) | 13:43–16:16| | Armistice Day Tribute | 17:01–17:57| | Story of Jimmy Mattern | 18:02–23:09| | Story Q&A with Scouts | 23:09–27:37| | Qualifications for Squadron Membership| 28:39–29:21|

Tone & Style

The episode embodies vintage warmth and direct address—the host is friendly, paternal, and encouraging. The pace is brisk, filled with participation, affirmations, and generous praise for young aviators.

Closing Thoughts

Listeners get a slice of Americana: technical learning made accessible and inspiring, historical anecdotes for context, and the joyful structure of a community club. The de-icer boots lesson, woven through Q&As and the real-life Mattern story, leaves listeners with both practical aviation knowledge and an impression of the camaraderie and optimism that defined early radio days.