How many hours will you whine in February?

[Dropp the Pilot]

Before you do, have a read of this:

Squadron Leader Keith Thiele - obituary - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12125395/Squadron-Leader-Keith-Thiele-obituary.html)

Doesn't strike me as the kind of chap who would be chiming in on the thread.

Seriously, do you think any subsequent generation or mongrelised society has produced anyone capable of this kind of stuff? It's humiliating and worrying in equal degree.

[gatbusdriver]

Thanks for that. An amazing man.

[White Knight]

Thanks Dropp... What a flier!

From that era a great read is 'First Light' by Geoff Wellum - an 18 year old Spitfire pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain!

[nolimitholdem]

Doesn't strike me as the kind of chap who would be chiming in on the thread.

Well, no. Probably not. But then, he was engaged in wartime service to his democratic nation. Not a paid mercenary whoring himself to a Middle Eastern dictatorship.

In other news, comparisons are usually more effective when you compare like for like.

[fantom]

Was going to post the same but you are a bit ahead on your watches.

Gatbus: give our best regards to L, R and A.

[olster]

Slightly odd thread title. However, what a guy! I also recently watched a documentary on Bob Hoover, test and airshow pilot extraordinaire. His expertise was noted during training when he flew 4 point rolls better than his instructor. Highlights of his amazing career included escaping from POW camp and stealing an FW190 from a local airfield, flying north west to now liberated Holland and rejoining the air force. During test flying he landed an F86 sabre on the lake bed by Edwards @ 300 kts taking 11 miles to slow down! He also flew the Bell X1 with Chuck. They threw away the mould with these chaps...

[misd-agin]

The dry lake bed is 11 miles long.

[DC10RealMan]

Another member of "The Greatest Generation" gone.

[halas]

32 operations over one year and then six months off.
Assuming you survive the operations....that is fatigue management.

halas

[billyt]

Can I add another recent one.

Big Read: An incredible untold story of WWII - National - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11578684)