Testing TSL
I think you will find that people are reluctant to say if they are a Mason or not because of all the incorrect crap that has been written about Masonry in the past. Scottish Masonry is infact very open and non secretive and the lodge tends to be the center of many small communities in Scotland, and as you rightly point out is just a group of people who do an huge amount of work for the benifit of the local community and charities. English Masonry (of which the RAF lodge is a part) is still a little more secretive. However despite this let me dispell any myths. Masons do not eat babies or worship Satan, they do a great amount of work for charity for which they never seek recognition or thanks. In all my experience i have never sought special favour or been asked for special favour by any Mason, i would not dream of it. If indeed they do look after each other it would only be the same as you looking after a really good mate from your mess.
Heard a wonderful story though from an old boy quite a few years back. He was with a scout patrol from a Scots regiment during WW1. He and three others were captured by Jerry and basically they new their number was up (prisoners needed food and security - so it wasnt worth taking them), trying anything as a last ditch effort to save their skin, one of them let it be known that he was infact a mason (secret squirrel signals etc), as it happened so was Jerry and his mates. The captured four were given food and a map and directions to get them back behind safe lines. Now that was a real benifit of being a Mason then, i think the four like Blackadder wish they had just been sent to the local convent to sit the rest of the war out!
Hope you get more replies but not sure that you will.