Young Wing Leaders

[Mark Nine]

The April 2008 copy of Flypast carries a world war 2 article entitled, 'Wing Leaders - How did they rate?' It details such things as the wing that they led and their aerial victories. The thing that struck me the most however, was the age of them. In 1941, the average age was in the late 20's but, by 1942 this had dropped to early 20's. Two examples being Wg Cdr B E F Finucane DSO DFC** aged 21 and Wg Cdr F D S Scott-Malden DFC aged 22.
This got me thinking. A large percentage of the young appointments are obviously down to it being wartime, so what is the youngest that someone has been appointed to a similar role in peacetime.
Secondly, do you think the kids of today could lead a wing?

[Tourist]

"Secondly, do you think the kids of today could lead a wing?"

Of course they could! There is no change in the basic makeup of humans.
As I am wont to point out, (at some price to my career I must admit) the problem is that older people cannot!

The first thing that happens in every major war in history is that the older buggers in charge of the military are put out to grass, and the youth which have still got the balls to make a decision and not afraid to be wrong step up to run things properly!

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

Well, the actual first thing is the older buggers start it then they turn to the youth . . . :(

[Mark Nine]

[The first thing that happens in every major war in history is that the older buggers in charge of the military are put out to grass, and the youth which have still got the balls to make a decision and not afraid to be wrong step up to run things properly!]

If this rule applies, then Iraq and Afganistan are not major wars :E

[Tourist]

As wars go, they aren't even minor ones.

[L J R]

Then I should be a four star......phew, thank god we are not at war!!