Just noticed the posts on tools, the engineer's bread and butter. My father, whose toolbox included one or two for pre-war biplanes, and another which became widely produced on-station for Hurricane tubing battle damage, allowed me to try the pump-action screwdriver mentioned on a scrap panel. One attempt was enough and he admitted he could not use the damn thing himself. The socket set was the first tool which was a really practical replacement for the box spanners used until (I think) around 1950 in the RAF at any rate. Ratchets etc had to be booked out from Stores.
Anyone remember the socket-set beginnings? Today of course we can buy a serviceable set for £50 or less, my first set of BSF and BSW cost me two weeks' wages.