This and That.
Chugalug,
I'm afraid I didn't think much about a possible bale-out at the time, but in hindsight I suppose my best bet would have been to open the hood (I could just about manage that), invert the thing and hope that gravity would do the rest !
Yes, I remember the story of the beer being taken out attached (must have been to a bomb rack under the Spitfire fuselage), but it must have caused a fearful drag, and surely the better idea would have been to shift it by Dakota. I believe the payload was 5,000 lbs, so guessing 400 lb per 36- gallon barrel, there should be capacity for 10 barrels plus the necessary lashings. And, in my experience out East, anywhere a Spit could get in and out of, a Dak could, too.......D.
Union Jack,
Perish the idea of "black catting" (if it means what I think it means - is it RN slang ?). ....D.
Geriaviator,
I sympathise with you in your little local difficulty. As all my flights were of relatively short duration (and in India anything you drank came out immediately as sweat anyway), it was a problem which did not concern me - and in any case. most SE aircraft had relief-tubes under the seat.
Sleap I know, in '56 I did my GCA Controller course there, but in my day I think the airfield was inactive........D.
Regards to you all,
Danny.