one has to wonder what made them so assertive
Well exactly Walter. That is the question that has scarcely dared to speak its name on this thread, and I suspect that situation will continue. If any part of the picture that you paint is true then it means not only that the finding was a gross injustice and should be swept aside without delay but that it was a deliberate and cold blooded injustice perpetrated by senior officers of their own service. If that is indeed true it is a betrayal of trust and a misuse of power that would have ramifications extending far beyond this case. It would strike deep at the maintenance of morale and discipline in the Royal Air Force. It seems to me that no such admission will ever be made for these reasons, unless those with personal knowledge are prepared to reveal it themselves after all this time. One would have hoped that the pilots have now served their purpose and their reputations could thus now be rehabilitated. I suspect though that the calculation has been made that such a move would inevitably reopen the sort of speculation inherent in your thread. So where to now? This injustice will not go away, and in time the truth will out, it always does. If there is any advice for those in the corridors of power, for my part it would be to give these pilots back the reputation that was so summarily and unjustly torn from them without further delay. Whatever other dark secrets remain will be your preoccupation and purpose to keep hidden, at least you will have done a decent thing albeit long overdue.