TOPBUNKER,
I see from your profile that your hobby is "Beagle Baiting". I would suggest that it would be much more appropriate if you took notice of the not inconsiderable pearls of wisdom that are contained in Beagle's posts; gleaned during a career where one did not have satellite navigation,there was no SARSAT and communications were dependant on the time of day and the height of the ionisphere. We didn't even have pocket calculators.
Moreover, we lived in a world where there wasn't a Liasion Officer at every destination. How would you fancy seeing the inside of an Iranian pokey because one of your crew had a Bahraini entry stamp in his Passport in the days when the Shah claimed Bahrain as an Iranian posession. I,and my crew, did.
I was privileged, in my final flying tour, to meet the oldest surviving original pilot from my Squadron. This Gentleman had shot down the Squadrons first Fokker whilst flying a DH2 before the Battle of the Somme commenced on 1st July 1916.
I was also priviliged during that tour to meet, at a Guest Night, 2 very distinguished RAF Pilots from WW2. The first was Flt Lt Jock Ward VC. The second was a Retired Group Captain who had been a Sgt Pilot in 1939 and awarded the DFM in 1940. He was Commissioned and continued as a Bomber Pilot throughout the War; being further decorated with the DSO & Bar and the DFC & Bar. During the 1950's he was awarded the AFC for conducting the trials during OPERATION GRAPPLE.
Finally, in 1968 I met a gentleman in the Bar of Britannia House, the RAF transit hotel in Bahrein, one evening. He was a New Zealander who was on his way to a form of reunion in London and his name was Charles Upham.
I knew the name but I could not place it. We had a drink together and then he excused himself as he was expected a a "DO" elsewhere. It wasn't until the next day that I placed the name - Captain Charles Upham - VC & Bar. He was shorter tham me and I am only 5ft 8in.
The message is:-
DON'T KNOCK THOSE OLDER THAN YOU - THEY MAY ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT AND HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO BACK IT UP. !!!!