1966 at Tengah and a member of 14Sqn RNZAF, I was sent up, [actually I was asked if I'd go!] to the air to ground range at Asahan for a 20 sqn [Hunter FGA9] shoot. I had a Landrover, but the 20 Sqn guys, including two pilots doing the assessments, were in a three-tonner, driven by one of them!
When we were packing up to return to Tengah,said pilots approached me and asked for a favour! As an LAC RNZAF, you should always be a bit wary when two Flying Officers ask for a favour, but all they wanted to know was could I drive a truck, and if so would I mind taking theirs back to Tengah while they sped on ahead in 'my' Landrover in order to get to a function in the Officers Mess. I'd been chatting to these two for three days, and they both seemed reasonable guys, [one was a Rhodesian as I recall], and I sensed a deal in the making. So I immedaitely agreed to what they wanted, and turned the conversation around to the possibility of a ride in the 20 Sqn T7?
Some weeks later, I had a fantastic dream flight, 30 minutes in a Hunter!
Unbloodyforgettable.
I've actually done quite a bit of flying, in a lot of different types, from a Vampire T11 and Harvard, to the back seat of a Skyhawk, but that Hunter is still up there.
Now I know you guys don't always like sharing your aeroplanes, but just think for a moment what joy it brings for those of us who didn't have the best job in the world!