John's memory - The memory took place while John worked in Republic Aviation
John worked in Republic Aviation in the post-ww2 era. He was born in New York City where he was marveled by planes. When WW2 broke out, he served as an engineer who got special training on radars. After serving extended time in an airbase in Panama, John received a Fulbright scholarship to M.I.T. There he studied aeronautical engineering and with that knowledge he worked in various aircraft manufacturing companies, including Republic Aviation.
The P-35 fighter plane was created in limited amounts right before WW2. Between 1938-1939 the U.S Army Air Corps ordered 76 of these planes. A lot of other countries including Japan ordered these planes. They were equipped with .50cal, .30cal guns and 320 lbs of bombs. In Republic Aviation, John helped fix and maintain these planes. Because P-35s were obsolete when John worked on them, they had many problems. One major problem was fluttering. If the plane went fast the wings would sometimes twist.
These older planes were maintained in the post-ww2 era because the U.S had to be ready for any conflict, especially with the rising tension between the Soviet Union.
https://www.airplaneboneyards.com/post-wwii-long-term-aircraft-storage-sites.htm