Too old to fly by Ivan March
QR code
Too old to fly by Ivan March is a pulp war aviation short story written in the late 1920s. It centers on an aging Marine machine gunner who yearns to fly and ultimately proves himself in World War I aerial combat. Sergeant Horatio “Dad” Galladay, a battle-worn Marine and master machine gunner, is sidelined to teach recruits but longs to get airborne. He persuades ace pilot Buck Weaver to take him on
a brief hop over the lines, despite the worries of Buck’s sweetheart, Ruth Childers. Over Nieuport they are ambushed by Fokkers; Galladay freezes at first, then rallies as Weaver is badly wounded, cutting down three enemy planes with the rear Lewis guns. When Weaver passes out and the De Havilland falls into a spin, Galladay snaps in the rear controls, steadies the shredded aircraft, and brings it back over Allied lines. In the hospital afterward, Weaver survives and he and Ruth become fully engaged, while Galladay—himself wounded—faces acclaim for his valor. The tale closes with the old sergeant’s fierce, boyish joy at finally flying and his eagerness to return to the fight. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | March, Ivan |
|---|---|
| Title | Too old to fly |
| Original Publication | New York, NY: Street & Smith Corporation, 1929. |
| Series Title | Produced from The Popular Magazine, November 7, 1929. |
| Credits | Roger Frank and Sue Clark |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 83.6 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations, American -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 76617 |
| Release Date | Aug 2, 2025 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 238 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!