PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
View Single Post
Old 28th Jun 2012, 14:44
  #2705 (permalink)  
Chugalug2
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Sussex
Age: 82
Posts: 4,743
Received 165 Likes on 58 Posts
Chugalug, remember the Daniels "Stearman panel"?
I do indeed Danny, I also remember the withering disdain with which it was received! Thus my deferring the Camden VV identity to you, without making any excited noises about it being the very last Mk1, even when it was rolled out from the factory with that "new aircraft aroma"! It seems it wasn't because it was a Mk4, though it no doubt had the same aroma!
The description of the attack on K is vivid and enthralling. One can sense the pandemonium, grieve of course for the victims, and as ever marvel at the ruggedness of the VV. What other contest between plane and tree would result in the plane being unscathed and the tree a write off? Were no other aircraft damaged by the bombing? If so that was remarkably lucky, not withstanding Wing's quick thinking to scramble all but the bombed up aircraft and the calculated risk that entailed.
Was not the bleached white concrete of K a bit of an enticement to attack? It seems that all the varied and imaginative camouflage of the early war years in the UK was forgotten, or was "paint camouflage runways/dispersals for the use of" in short supply in India? Probably so, as I remember the hurried application of shadow camouflage to the Twin Pins at Kuching at the outset of "Confrontation". Only emulsion paint could be had but the result would not have shamed an Airfix model until it rained, which of course it was apt to do with monotonous regularity!
Taphappy, could I join other posters here in welcoming you to the thread and begging you please to start your story? As Danny will no doubt attest, the big thing is to simply start at the beginning and the rest just follows. I can promise you the most rapt readership enjoyed by any writer. Any problems with the posting will be easily resolved with advice from both readers or writers, so just pinch your nose, close your eyes, and take the plunge. The water's lovely!
Finally on a more sombre note, I'm sure that today the thoughts of all here were for our lost comrades who shared with us their memories of training for their wings in order to fly with Bomber Command. The Memorial, for which they and their fellow veterans had to wait so patiently, was today at last unveiled by HM the Queen and dedicated to the 55573 BC aircrew lost in WWII.
We Shall Remember Them!
Chugalug2 is offline