SWJ wrote:
and since I'm an ocean-going, fully-rigged, civil-partnered lesbian, would anyone who with hind-sight was on either of the above planes like to stick their hands up and say they would have parachuted out of them because they didn't want to be in a plane which was being saved by a dyke please do so now?
As a fully-paid-up, card carrying member of the trans community for the last thirteen years I agree wholeheartedly with you that bigotry is born out of ignorance. Only by being prepared to stand up and be counted can we ever hope to change things.
Lynne Braithwaite was a Crew Chief on Vulcans, and a good friend before her untimely death. She was like me transgendered. So how many others here can expect a fly-past in their honour at their funeral?
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In her memory Lynne Braithwaite had a resounding send off at Lancaster Crematorium on Friday August 22nd. As a once met never forgotten character, this lady went out in style.
As friends and guests waited for the hearse to arrive, there was a roar of jet engines and the Vulcan Bomber that Lynne had been instrumental in restoring (the only one flying in the world) flew over the chapel in Lynne's honour. Apparently the team who had worked on the Vulcan with Lynne had organised the flyby as a surprise and it had flown from Lincolnshire (some 160 miles away and must have taken some organising). It was an awesome sight and there was not a dry eye in the crowd as it flew over us. The Vulcan To the Sky Trust have written a tribute to Lynne on their website.
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