Chapter 11

‘As Delivered.’ No guns. The government furnished the armament, they weren’t included in the purchase price.

“Can I get one each?” He asked.

“An F8F and an SNJ?”

“Yes.”

“Hundred grand and I get first right of refusal,” I said. Then I said... “at your purchase price. No taking advantage of my good graces.”

“I can do that,” he said.

Then it was inspection ... and testing.

“These things are in really good shape.”

“Stored in the Atacama Desert for 40 years.”

The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth. No moisture means no corrosion ... the aircraft weren’t flown to storage ... they were shipped dry. And the shipment from Chile to Australia was a ‘Military Readiness’ exercise to ‘See how it Goes.’ When the officers are being evaluated by the competence of their men? Yeah.

40 oversize containers were included. I sold three to a woman who needed a home after a messy divorce. She stuck them together in assorted ways until she had a shape she liked, welded ‘em together and lived in ‘em.

I sent several containers out to the mine and stored tools in ‘em ... theft stopped. Five SNJ’s went to the RANR (Royal Australian Naval Reserve.) And five to the Royal New Zealand Navy Reserves ... much cheaper for training. They loved me ... until they found out AB Austin is a girl.