MPA ... my late father-in-law managed to wheedle his way out of a reserved occupation in WW2 to become a Nav on Sunderlands. Indeed, the one at Hendon (ML824) was 'his' aircraft (NS-Z) and he was invited to the unveiling.
Sadly it was brief flying career, and he was recalled to civvy street (being a civil engineer) to focus on "Rebuilding Britain" after only a year or so. Such irony - the family ended up living in a Pre-Fab for some years!
