Originally Posted by
Pinky the pilot
Indeed most impressive.
Did anyone else see the TV interview with him?
I found two things a bit odd; The first is that in the interview he was wearing the epaulettes of either a
Royal Navy Commander or Captain. Three bars and a loop style bar or four bars and a loop bar.
Pinky, Here's my guess: Mike Smith's flown his seaplanes vast distances around the world, possibly stopping off at a few potentially difficult places? (Particularly Third World Countries.) So it's not a bad idea to wear some important looking 'uniform' to scare off any who might cause trouble.
(Andy Hardy and Sam Kidd did the same during their "Cherokee Challenge" flights from London to Sydney, several years ago. Upon their adventure it proved rather worthwhile, particularly when they needed to recharge their Piper's battery in a Cairo slum. That followed their alternator failing.)
For his Anzac Day commute to and from YLRV, it was probably a damn good idea. Just in case Vic plod pulled him over..
(My humble apology to Mike Smith if his uniform is authentic.)