The Sail Sled aka Full Sails: Ranger Bill (April 5, 1961)

Ranger Bill, old-time radio on Stupid Potato

“The Sail Sled aka Full Sails” is an episode of Ranger Bill, the old-time radio show, first broadcast April 5, 1961. Listen free on Stupid Potato: no sign-up, no app.

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What happens

Ranger Bill is flying to San Francisco with heart surgeon Dr. Emmanuel Croft, racer Toby Crane, and others, and they discuss faith and God's creation. When the plane suffers engine trouble and makes a forced landing in snow, Bill's crew stamps a large word into the snow to signal passing aircraft. Waiting in the cold, the passengers grow anxious, and Toby begins to reflect on his ambitions. Their situation is not yet resolved at the point this guide describes.

A passenger airliner flying toward San Francisco, then a snowy landing site far from town.

Characters: Ranger Bill Jefferson, Dr. Emmanuel Croft, Toby Crane, Captain, Stumpy, Hank

Listen for: The forced landing and the crew's plan to signal for help in the snow.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.