Originally Posted by
RETDPI
After GW1 I spent some time playing a small "Token Brit" walk-on part on a certain well known base in Southern Turkey.
Bored one day , I took up an invitation to go tanking with the Americans and spent a happy few hours,orbiting over the mountains, lying next to the Boomer and watching the operations.
There were a number of others on board who were spread about the aircraft , displaying a total lack of any interest in proceedings.
After touchdown, said bunch of itinerants headed for the flight deck , where I could see much signing of paperwork in progress.
They had just qualified for their Air Combat medals.
We used to take passengers up in the VC10 from the same airbase. A PA when you crossed the border usually went "We are now flying over Iraq. For those who are Americans on board today, you can now claim your medal. For other nationalities, you can have a cup of tea".
The problem with a Walt is when people believe him and he ends up in a position of responsibility. Ernest Gann tells of one who beacme a management pilot in a airline he flew for. Although this pilot was the capatin of a DC6, when Mr Gann did his line check it was quite clear that the chap had no more flying skills than a new PPL. He left that airline, went to another and crashed - killing all on board. Obviously there is an element of fraud involved in this which is way above a Walt spinning a few yarns in the pub. But if a Walt prepared to lie about that, what else is he capable of?
Outing is th best policy.