I've always thought, from the comfort of my armchair or cold-war/peacetime flying, that 'knowing it, but still doing it' is the bravest thing of all. A local man, friend of my parents flew liberators in the war, and flew with an irishman called Ensor (sp) who was apparently a decorated officer. After an attack on a channel port with incredible AAA coming up, Ensor asked my neighbour, "Were you frightened then Taff?" Neighbour answerd, "Skipper, I was sh1tting myself in and out!" He said, "Good, you can fly with me again- I don't want to be in an aeroplane with anyone who says they weren't scared by that." Having his fear 'validated' by someone he thought a hero stopped him feeling a coward for being scared. He was a lovely, humble man. RIP Campbell Hanbury.
CG