Is there any suggestion that in the RAF SH force of that time, pressure was put on aircrews generally by someone senior in rank to carry out sorties with which they were not entirely happy or in aircraft about which there was substantiated concern about its airworthiness?
Boslandew, with respect, if you read the full thread you should be able to make up your own mind on that.
However, a few things to ponder over:
The type had not completed the normal flight test procedure with Boscombe Down. The department's test pilots decided their example would not be flown again until the anomalies with the type's DECU software had been resolved.
As an indication of their level of confidence in the aircraft, their airframe was due maintenance at this time and they were asked to fly it from Boscombe Down to Odiham (a distance of just 31 nautical miles) so this could be carried out. They refused to fly it for the fifteen minutes or less that this would have taken and the unit test pilot from Odiham (Sqn Ldr Burke) was eventually despatched to fly it there.
Regarding pressure put on the crew to fly, Flt Lt Tapper had asked for a Mk1 to carry out this flight. He was not allowed that. NI was an operational theatre at that time.
Does this help?