Comment.
DFCP
Your Post (#2822) seems to have "jumped the queue" - obviously because your Moderator's check delayed it, and then he's "slipped it back into the pack" at the original date/time of submission. Result: Taphappy's and my query about the "PACT" men looks as though it's been answered before it's been asked. All sorted out now!
Don't you dare correct your marvellous 'typo' (was it intentional ?): "deadful" (Bridgenorth). Haven't we all known "deadful" places in our RAF travels ? (I shall include this new word in my vocabulary forthwith!)
And congratulations on your First Solo. Now you are a full member of the Throttle Benders Union (life will never be the same again).
Keep it coming!
Danny.
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Chugalug,
As you say, the rundown had started in DFCP's time, but the War was by no means over in Europe and looked as if it could go on for ever out East - at the rate we were going then. As for the RAF looking for potential recruits post-war, they may have been putting out feelers at Oxbridge, but the lesser breeds would be firmly shown the door in '46.
Moderator permitting, I may get round later to my RAF experiences after I got back in '49, but once shared a room then with a (very nice) chap just out of Cranwell. He told me that the current thinking there was: "We'll do no good with this Air Force until we get rid of all these old wartime people".
Three of us now! Just like old times, as you say. (I hope we'll be able to keep up the old standard).
Danny.
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Taphappy,
You're right about the limited range of R/T in those days. Neither the TR9 we had in the Spitfire or the US set in the Vengeance were much good any further than you could see. We had to wait for VHF. All right for talking to the chaps in the same formation, but that was about all.
Conditions for flying training were vastly better in the New World even without a war. Life in a Tiger Moth with Halifaxes buzzing about (and vice versa) must have been hazardous in the extreme (to say nothing of the Barrage Balloons!)
I don't think the UAS people would be shown any favours per se. But if they had a fair amount of Tiger Moth time in, it would obviously count in their favour.
Danny.
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