Years ago I was in the right hand seat (LHS Fred Da Costa) of a unique Handley Page Hastings transport (WD480) that had been configured with an external "bath tub" bomb bay. From Farnborough we went up to West Freugh in Scotland to do statistical testing of sonobuoys dropped in to the local Atlantic. The things had to work (including sinking after 24 hours ) before the whole batch was accepted by MoD.
Well there was,of course, a "wonders and blunders" small boat in the range to monitor proceedings . We trundled in , dropping the bloody things one at a time close to the boat. "Closer .,Closer!",was the cry from the boat.
At this point Tom Clarkson ( ex 617 who knew Gibson) called up from his Engineer Station downstairs and said "Let me take it from the parachute dropping window" which was under the nose.
Tom went down and we had the traditional "Left, left , steady, right a bit "etc.
Then he announced "O.K;. Dropped! Close enough?"
We then had an admission from the boat.
The sonobuoy had entered the water one side of the craft and bobbed up the
other.
