Through the remainder of 1946 and on into 1947 Jim was occupied with testing and delivering DC 3, 4 & 6 aircraft to American, United, Sabena, Pan Am and Arabian-American Airlines. Test flight notations included – "Lateral Stability; Pressurization 20000’; Prop Vibration; Auto Pilot Check; Skin Heat Check; ADF Calibration; Prop Feathering; Carb. Calib. & Smoke Test; Superchgr. Trouble." These entries were becoming increasingly more technical as the science of the aviation industry evolved and the advances found their way into the planes being produced and test flown by Jim.

Jim entered little in the way of interesting personal asides except for a couple of brief references, one associated with a 35 minute flight in a DC-3 out of Clover Field on March 24th – "Atwater Kent On Board."

Some facts - Atwater Kent was an early electronics mogul, especially in the area of radio. He was also quite the partier. During the later years of his life he relocated from the East to Southern California where he built a rather large mansion in Bel Air. While the home was offically called Capo Di Monte, it was nicknamed the ‘Party House’ and invitations to his frequent bashes were highly sought after and tightly controlled.

A bunch of speculation – Jim was a dapper and smooth character who was broadly known and liked. In a way, he was a celebrity in his own right. Jim looked the part for this adventuresome life he had lived and was living. With some resemblance to a Gable or Flynn, donning white kid gloves while flying on the job, smoking cigarettes only with a holder, a past barnstormer and a current top line test pilot, the ability to ‘sling the stuff’ with just about anyone, located in the area, and being (most likely) unattached – Jim could have been a good candidate suitable for the Kent, Bel Air affairs.

The only fact is– Jim once took Atwater Kent for a ride. The run amuck speculation is – Jim and Atwater were buddies.

Speculation is more fun. So here’s some more -

On April 19, 1947 Jim checked out DC-6 #NC90708 during a one hour flight out of Clover. Later that day a Col. Myers flew with Jim in that plane during an acceptance run. Colonel Henry Myers was the chief pilot for President Truman. Jim’s log entry says "Acceptance – Col. Myers – Pres. US. Pilot." Was this the DC-6 that was then modified to be the Presidential plane "Independence" and delivered to the government in July?

The remainder of 1947 was as before – tests and deliveries. There were some flights recorded to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in support of the "Niki Project" - which was most likely referring to the series of Nike missiles produced by Douglas. Jim also makes mention of Irene’s return to LA from Chicago on December 17th. She had been away since the first part of October.

And then, the log entry of October 27, 1947 records the first flight of Jim's in a DC-6 bound for the Philippine Airlines.

Little could he know of what awaited for him there.