Boing
When I read this
For the benefit of those who did not have the luck (?) to fly the Vulcan we need to document the unusual (bizarre?) crew accomodation.
I thought that you were going to write about the dispersal caravans These novel items were usually parked in and windy and isolated spot on the airfield. They closely resembled a larger version of the starting boxes found at your local dog track. All that had to be done was ring a bell, the doors would fly open and 5 crew would appear from their individual hutches!
I was present at a dipersal at Finningley one evening when a 44 Sqn copilot left his immersion suit over the electric heater in his "hutch" (he was lucky, I never got one that worked). When he returned to go to bed he saw the smoke seeping from the door and correctly assumed that all was not well. He was about to go and call the fire section when he was intercepted by the crew AEO who had equipped himself with a fire extinguisher. "Open the door said the AEO". "No!!" replied the assembled audience taking a hasty few steps back. Unfortunately someone did open the door, flames shot out, the AEO hit the plunger on top of the extinguisher and threw it into the fire. "Close the bloody door" he was now heard to shout as he ran rapidly backwards! But what do you expect of a trade that rides elephants at 3 o'clock in the morning in Limmasol - that's another story!
YS