Thanks Davaar . . . veterans such as the galant Davidson, as ever, give us pause to think of days we can but vaguely imagine. (Near to me lives a 617 Squadron pilot from the dams' raid days who tells a tale or two to shiver the spine.)
The great Leonard Cheshire VC tried a cockscrew tactic to escape the cones of searchlights. It is described in either his own book, "Bomber Pilot", or in the brilliant biography by Andrew Boyle.. . .maybe in both. It was so hairy he did not make it a manoeuvre for all to employ.
Another outstanding biography by Boyle was the Trenchard one. What a man. What a today unappreciated legacy of dauntless courage and integrity.