Hi Fred,
THANK YOU very much for the most informative answers. I do hope my post did not appear to doubt the 'corkscrew' comments as nothing could be further from the truth. I was addicted to this thread as it managed to put me into the aircraft and having read how long it took a fully laden aircraft to reach its designated height, I was just wondering how long it would take to get back up to its correct height, and then would this add extra time carrying out these manoeuvres.
as I type this a voice in my head is asking how the aircraft would keep within formation but I guess the answer was these brave aircrew never really flew in what I term a formation? (question)
I wonder how many folks in subsequent generations fully appreciate what our parents\grandparents actually had to endure. My father NEVER really talked about his experiences, he served on what was called DEMS and just for TankeTrashNav to stop him from asking Mr Google, that is Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships.
Okay click here. Research has told me that Russian convoys would last ten days each way and the crew would be lucky to get four hours sleep per day... ten days out, ten days back and conditions that most of us could not begin to imagine. was that any more or any less dangerous??
Respect to you VERY brave men and respect to all those that were prepared to put there lives on the line and THANK YOU VERY MUCH for taking the time to answer my queries..