(Photo - Nick-D - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40257708)

THE KOMET - A STRETCH TOO FAR

We have seen some strange contraptions

Throughout the history of flight

As the pioneers, with this concept

Grappled day and night.

Though having once established

That their principles were sound

They succeeded with most anything

To get it off the ground.

Of course there are always others

Who think that they know best

But it takes a certain gumption

To first put it to the test

And so the ‘Dodgee Brothers’

Brought the Komet out to trial

Confident that their efforts

Would make it all worthwhile.

There are those who went before them

Whose flights were rather short

The Wright Brothers first of all

Long ago at Kitty Hawk

And we’ve all seen what happens

When super ego’s are let loose

The spectacular debacle

Of old Hughes'ies huge 'Spruce Goose'.

To give those people credit

And their names be not maligned

It probably should be noted

That their craft were self designed

Now the Komet pre-existed

And was not altogether flawed

When the ‘Dodgee Brothers’ bartered

one—To simply be restored.

The Komet’s two wheel ’Dolly’

Was designed quite like a baby’s pram

But in the restoration, more like

A ‘bogie’ off any sad old tram.

Not until the takeoff

Was it supposed to fall away

But halfway down the runway

It somehow went astray.

The Komet shot off ahead

Nosed into the grassy pitch

Both Brothers were just relieved

It hadn’t hit the ditch.

Nor did they see the shadow

That was skulking in the pits

Where Old Wile E Coyote spied

As always, matching wits.

Revisiting the Airfield

Next time the Komet made a pass

He watched it from the sidelines

He noticed how the ‘Dolly’ now

Was somehow more refined

Probably this was something

Brother Neville had designed.

As it zoomed on by him

The ‘Dolly’ failed to detach -

‘Hum!’ old While E wondered

‘Something’s wrong with that there latch’

Another flight aborted

As the Komet tumbled round

Before it finally settled

Upside down upon the ground

No one was suggesting

This performance was a disgrace

But it soon became apparent

The Brothers lost some face

Was it false ‘bravado’ then?

That Brother Billy ran a ‘Book’

Challenging all that it would fly

Next flight, they undertook.

The Komet lined up along the runway

When the ‘Dolly parted with a zing

Both hoping no one noticed

It was restrained, by a real long string.

The flight that only lasted down the runway strip

Was really ‘something else’ to see

Sort of like a blow fly

They’d first sprayed with DDT

I suppose he had the aerial up

Because I say without a lie

That poor old Komet ended just as dead

As any stricken fat old fly.

Down the lonely runway

Sulked the Brothers Grimm

To pick up all the pieces

And take them home again.

Meanwhile in the Clubhouse

The punter’s mumbling had begun

Expecting to collect a quid

They all thought that they had won.

Confronted, ‘Dodgee Bookie’ Bill

Said ‘The point was rather moot -

On the question - Did it really fly?

Clearly, open to dispute’.

From among the discontented

A comparison had been found

Hey! even the Acme Special

Stayed aloft - (the third time round).

Still skulking in ‘The bleachers’

Wile E Coyote meantime had it planned

To merge the Dodgee Brothers

With the now famous Acme Brand.

        Rodd Sherwin