Originally Posted by
Chugalug2
Brian, only to be glad to speak out for your worthy campaign. Many thanks for your kind words.
Skeleton, thank you for your courteous reply! Do we have a convert?
The more this issue is discussed, and not allowed to be forgotten, then the more people will be made aware that this affair constitutes the biggest 'stitch up' in the history of the RAF. Of the three major issues being threaded on this Forum, i.e. this one, the 'parliamentary questions' on Herc ESF thread of Nigeb, and the Nimrod crash, I personally see this one as representing the biggest scandal of them all, albeit the other two infer technical shortcomings leading to a tragic loss of life as well. At least the crews involved in the other two accidents have been rightly honoured by their service. Here alone that honour has been denied and a uniquely damning verdict of negligence substituted for it instead. This would be a bitter enough pill to swallow were it justified, but having read the opening posts of this thread, and the authoritative links on the campaign site, I for one see the Air Marshals' verdict, which overturned that of the RAF BOI, as arbitrary and bizarre. That the then Secretary of State for Defence at that time should also come to a similar conclusion should send a huge wave of doubt crashing through the corridors of the MOD. When other major institutions such as the Scottish Fatal Accident Inquiry, and the House of Lords study into the matter are at variance (to put it politely) with their Airships, there is a seeming anomaly which poses the question WHY? Why continue with this cruel and unjust fiasco? You are discredited and appear mean and malevolent. You will have to reverse this finding, and then change your procedures so that such a scandalous injustice is never allowed to happen again. Shame on you MOD! Shame on you RAF! Enough now. Let Right be Done!
As some one who lost a father and best friend that night on the mull I could not agree more. Its been a long time but this is not a thread to be abandoned as the reputation of Tapper and Cook were. I read the Board of Inquiry and I was there at the Sherrifs court when brave colleagues of the pilots like F/L McFarlane stood up for their friends. From everything that I have seen and learnt since becoming a service pilot I know that if anyone could have saved my father that night it would have been Johnathan Tapper and Richard Cook. They deserve better and this is a stain on the conscience of the RAF and gross dereliction of duty of care by senior figures in the Military and Government. It also colours my judgement every time I climb into an aircraft as I know the exact same cold eye would try and hang me and my crew should our own equipment ever fail us.
Although myself and my family have been able to move on since the accident it is only right and proper that the families of Johnathan and Richard should also be granted the same grace.