Lowell D Scales - telephone visit Saturday October 12, 2013

During the weekend of October 12th and 13th, 2013, Jeff and I attended the World Aerobatic Championships at North Texas Regional Airport in Sherman, Texas (formerly, a U.S. Air Force Base called Perrin Field). While there, Arden told me that Lowell D Scales, my mom's cousin and a World War II fighter/pursuit plane pilot--was once stationed at Perrin AFB. So, on Saturday morning, I called Lowell D at his home in Columbus, Mississippi and told him who I was and where I was. It took him a few moments to understand what was happening, but, within a few more moments, we began a 38 minute conversation that was quite a thrill for me.

I had not spoken with Lowell D since the year 2000 when we visited at Homer's funeral in Corpus Christi. We were at Jewell's house with crowds of family and friends, and, during our conversation, Lowell D asked me if I knew how he was getting back home to Columbus. I guessed Southwest Airlines. He said, no, and speaking softly and turning so nobody could hear him, told me with a smile that Barry's jet was taking him home. Aha! We talked about his upcoming trip home and I could tell that he was excited.

On that Saturday at the former Perrin Field, Lowell D and I on the phone worked up from clarifying who I was to talking about about World War II, flying, jets and Perrin Field. These are my notes, not necessary correct and not necessarily in any specific order--just what I remember from the conversation.

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Lowell D served at Perrin Field and flew F-86Ds.

These are 1950s era F-86Ds. Lowell D. mentioned the retractable rocket tray that fired rockets from the bottom of the plane. (from Wikipedia)

In 1951 he went to Korea and flew 100 missions in F-80 Shooting Stars. He said the Shooting Star was a single seat T-33.

World War II was the best time in his life--he had a powerful P-47 airplane with 8 50-caliber machine guns and he could shoot down enemy planes, trains, trucks--whatever. I told Lowell D. that I had this photo (below) and he said that he was 20 years old in this photo.

Lowell D Scales (P-47 pilot), Morris Barker (B-24 tail gunner) and Homer Andrews (B-17 pilot)

His family was like nomads--he would fly for awhile then everyone would pack up and move to another air force base where he'd fly for awhile and they'd pack up and do it again.

Lowell D is now 89, and, every morning, he eats his corn flakes, goes to see Shirley, makes sure she eats lunch, goes to some restaurant for lunch and then goes back home. That's his day. Shirley can't communicate--she mostly babbles.

For two years, he's been having having dizziness problems. It's a real pain for him.

He said that he learned to fly and got his wings flying the T-6 at Williams Field in Arizona.

He built a Lancair 320, flew it about 60 hours and sold it in 1998 because it was too physically painful for him to get into and out of the plane. The new owner, who lives in south Alabama, has flown the plane for about 1,000 hours and periodically brings it to Columbus and visits with Lowell D. Lowell D built his plane--it was complex but it came in molded parts and pieces and he did it all.

Photos from Arden Warner. Click to enlarge.

Lowell D. never lived in La Jolla but Monkey did. Lowell D. enjoyed hearing my stories about Don and I changing clothes in Aunt Sister's (Nannie Bell's and Ira's garage) and walking to the Pacific beach to go swimming.

He said that Homer flew only B-17s and that he did not remember that Homer had to finish his overseas tour of duty by flying as a courier around England for a few months.

He got shot down on December 26, 1944 while flying "Dody's Baby" (He confirmed for me the spelling of that name--DODY'S BABY). Within minutes after his bailout and the plane's crash, he was able to examine the wreckage. He said it landed pretty good for a plane without a pilot. He got another plane but it was not as good as the "mother plane" as he called it. He said, your second plane is never as good as the one you flew first. (He said that he got the name Dody because his cousins couldn't say the name Lowell D.)

He's writing his history and and has written about 40 pages. Hasn't written for awhile but said he would try to restart after our phone conversation ended.

I asked him if he had ever flown over Electra in an F-89 Scorpion (that I thought that I saw fly over Electra one day), but, he said that he had never flown and F-89. He did, however, fly over in Electra in an F-86. (Maybe that's what I saw fly low over Electra the early 1960s.)

He lived with Homer and Trixie in No Man's Land north of Electra and that is how he met Shirley who lived across the street. He and Shirley walked to town to buy ice cream and then back out to No Man's Land. I told him that my mom and dad did the same thing.

He said that he would like for the Warner brothers to come see him.

So glad I got to speak with him. I would love to visit with him for a few hours and see his photos.