Ah yes........I remember it well.
I like to think of being on this thread this way: I'm in my early twenties once again; we're in the Squadron crew room in an old Laing or Nissen hut; I'm in a tatty old armchair, one of two or three chucked out of a Mess. The place stinks of cigarette smoke (but then, so did everywhere else those days and we didn't even notice it, it was so normal). A battered old table is covered with the last month or two's "Flight", "Aeroplane" and "Autocar". Always "Tee Emm" and a copy or two of "Pilot's Notes". Odd bits of flying kit hang on hooks or are draped over empty chairs. Among the full ashtrays and over the floor would be the "Daily Mirror" (always open at the "Jane" page, or the "Two Types"). Question, did Captain Reilly-Ffoull - clearly a member of the Blackadder clan - come out during the War?
There would be a tea bar in the corner, with "honesty" jam jar and half full milk bottle - I don't think powder coffee had come in then, but we had "Camp" (bottled concentrated coffee). I'm pretty sure we had primitive electric kettles; the hut wiring might be overloaded, but hey, we can get at the fusebox and find a six-inch nail, can't we? Would there be bar stools? (a 500 lb bomb fin container was the perfect size, did we have them in the UK or was it just in India?) The walls would be festooned with Aircraft Recognition Silhouettes and the latest veiled threats from Group. (Outside, usual filthy UK weather - get the cards out, chaps! - poke the stove!)
I'm nattering to the other blokes (but is it just a dream?) I'll be lucky to get this past the Moderator!
Danny
Last edited by Danny42C; 1st Mar 2012 at 13:16.