John Sillett?
All fascinating and evocative images guys, thank you. And I echo the question; how could we afford a handful of proper aircraft carriers and aeroplanes to fly from them then and not now? The costs must be relatively the same.
I think it must have been that sort of era - early to mid sixties - that my Senior Scout Leader suddenly decided to stop being a Lloyds bank clerk and join the Navy as a pilot (eventually). We lost track of him after a few years, but I do know he was a Gannet pilot in HMS Eagle. We know he and his single backseater (I believe he was on a mail run) survived ditching off very short finals when one of the Mamba's quit. I think it was in the Med somewhere. His name was John Sillett and I'd love to know where he ended up.
Roger.