Danny,
I don't think you need worry about any moderation of this thread; I wouldn't be surprised if the Mods are simply taking a back seat and enjoying the ride along with the rest of us!
Also delighted to read of your care with words ("bail", vs. "bale")! As a proud pedant (one of many on this forum, it seems) it's a pleasure to see a story written so well. Your description of a crew room is wonderfully evocative, and I suspect that you'd find many similarities between the crew rooms of your era and those of today (except the smokers - we make them go outside now!).
All the best,
Tom