The Spindrift of the U. S. Navy Pre-Flight School ~ Volume 2, Number 1 (April 30, 1943). The Spindrift was not a typical military unit publication in that it also had many similarities with a college newspaper. This seems hardly surprising given that the pre-flight school was located on the campus of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Collectors seek out these issues for two reasons: Iowa Seahawks football reports and the cartoons of Ted Drake. See my eBay store for a book about Ted Drake's comic art. See my scans and judge the condition for yourself. All of my Spindrift issues have either been folded twice for mailing or hole-punched for binder storage. I have a near complete set of these in my collection but I am missing just a few. If you have any to sell or trade please contact me!

After the debacle at Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy found itself desperately short of pilots and, in 1942, commissioned pre-flight schools for the V-5 (aviation cadet) program at the University of Georgia in Athens, the University of Iowa, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Saint Mary's College in Morega, California, and, in 1943, at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Although the pre-flight schools lasted only for the duration of the war, in football the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks were a powerhouse. Coached by former Minnesota coach Bernie Bierman in 1942, former Missouri coach Don Faurot in 1943, and former Auburn coach Jack Meagher in 1944, the Seahawks never lost more than three games in a season. In 1942, they humiliated both Kansas and Nebraska on their way to a 7-3 season. In 1943, the Seahawks finished 9-1, second in the national Associated Press poll, and were named the service academy national champion. In 1944 they went 10-1 and finished sixth in the final AP poll.

The Spindrift of the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School commenced publication with a six page mimeographed issue dated April 29th, 1942. Literally, spindrift is spray blown up by the wind from the surface of the sea. Early issues saw a print run of just 200 copies each. Eventually, production values increased and for most of its run The Spindrift was a saddle-stitched eight page offset newsletter with a circulation of up to 2,000 copies.

Staff initially included:

• Morry Cohen, Petty Officer Third Class, editor
• Ted Drake, Petty Officer Third Class, art editor
• C. H. "Hinky" Eklund, Petty Officer Third Class, assistant editor
• Ray Doud, Petty Officer Third Class, features
• Gay Deubler, Petty Officer Third Class, features
• Len Ebel, Petty Officer Third Class, technician
• Jerry Heye, Petty Officer Third Class, technician

The newsletter was not officially sponsored by the navy, a fact that the staff took great pains to emphasize in virtually every issue. There is no reason to believe that The Spindrift did not continue during the entire existence of the pre-flight school although all original copies are exceedingly scarce.

Petty Officer Third Class Theodore W. Drake was the one-man art department for The Spindrift. He provided both cartoons and spot illustrations for every issue while he was stationed at the Iowa City Pre-Flight School. While material by a few other cartoonists sometimes appeared, the bulk of the work was by Drake.

Ted Drake (September 2, 1907 - May 25, 2000) is probably best remembered for his sports art. As the creator, in 1964, of the iconic Notre Dame Leprechaun and, in 1966, the logo for the Chicago Bulls Basketball team, Drake's place in the history of graphic design is assured. He had long working relationships with the Wilson Sporting Goods company, Notre Dame University, and the Professional Golf Association.

Drake was born in Goshen, Indiana, and spent most of his life in the Elkhart area. Although Drake had no artistic training, his friend Jack Mabley got him assigned to a Navy public relations office during World War II. Drake's natural ability to cartoon soon had him noticed and drawing for his county.

In about 1947, Mabley, now a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, introduced Drake to puppeteer Burr Tillstrom, creator of the Junior Jamboree which became the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie television program (local 1947-48, NBC 1948-1954, ABC 1954-1957). On the program hostess Fran Allison interacted with Tillstrom's puppets Kukla (doll in Russian), Oliver J. Dragon, and a number of other characters.

Kukla, Fran, and Ollie also served as hosts for the CBS Children's Film Festival (1967-1977). Tillstrom was impressed with Drake's ability to render his characters on paper. As a result, Ted Drake became the primary artist for the Kuklapolitans. This relationship lasted for the entire run of the original television series.

Condition (Comic/Magazine: VG)