All the previous talk of Hastings reminds me of my one and only trip as a regular - had had a brief trip in CCF cadet days.
It was Flight changeover day (Odiham - Aldergrove in Detachment Days) in early 70s, and our normal Herc couldn't make it. For the appalling reason that it was AOC's at Lyneham, and the Staish wanted max numbers prettily lined up - extend a rotary Detachment in Norn Iron? No problem Sir!
One of our aged Navs (we had few others) had been on 1066 recently, so arranged a Hastings to do the changeover on the right day. Some memories of that trip:
1. The steep slope of the cabin floor - how could something that big have a tailwheel! Made carrying bags, bikes etc (literally) an uphill task.
2. And speaking of bikes - persuading the San Idiot that he'd need to let his tyres down, lest they explode at height (sic) in an unpressurised aircraft.
3. Hasty Bird having to orbit/dogleg to make FL 60 between Odiham and the Woodley Beacon!
Might venture some Training "dits" myself - not Cranditz, not South Cerney, not Henlow, but an RAF Pilot's Commission in the (very) late 1960s ......