Things to start you worrying.
You drive onto base and the gate guards bow instead of saluting
They address you as “San” instead of “Sir”
You go to the Mess for a bite to eat and are offered Sushi or Tempura
Your Mess bill is handed to you although it is the middle of the month
When you get to the crew room everyone wants to shake your hand
You ask to see the Form700 and are told not to bother
As you walk out to the flightline you notice you have been allocated the oldest, highest hours aircraft
Someone has painted a large red Rising Sun on the tail
The ground crew insist on tying a white silk ribbon round your bone dome
On climbing in you discover the ejector seat pins have been superglued into their slots
You look in the mirrors and cannot help noticing that the navigator is being extremely diligent with his strap in checks
On starting up you notice the tanks are only half full
When taxiing out all the ground crew line up and give you “Banzai’s”
After take off you contact Fighter Control and hear gentle sobbing in the background