Re Unwell Raptor:
In the days when we had a bit more clout (and a lot more bases in warmer parts of the world) it was standard practice to have airborne SAR cover for Royal Flights over water/inhospitable terrain. I can still remember getting airborne from Changi (in a Shack) to cover HRH PC who was flying by Vickers finest from Changi to Darwin. However, we took off 5 hours before he did, and arrived in Darwin 5 hours after he had left.
However, even tho' he passed over us at some god forsaken early hour he still passed a message down and promised us some beer at the other end. Unfortunately that part had been drunk by the Aussie escort by the time we got there!
