GBZ, I don't know, I never attended any of these meetings. What I can tell you, is that if the threat to fuel tanks had been disseminated to frontline crews tactics could have immediately changed to night/high level sorties, especially for this kind of mission.
A COST FREE MEASURE.
Senior officers and commanders in the RAF, not only failed to press the case for an inexpensive modification, they singularly failed to highlight the danger the crews were in. This is absolutely nothing to do with bean counters at centre. When the USAF pilot tried to present the case for foam, the cost of the foam was $20,000 per aircraft. This is peanuts. XV179 had one of the best (and expensive), missile defensive systems in the world, (teething issues were touched upon at the inquest), but its fuel tanks had no protection at all. You cannot blame the politicians for that.
Next time you bump into a "special" herc crew ask him how much daylight low level he is doing. The boys now understand the threat.
Last edited by nigegilb; 16th Apr 2009 at 12:42.