How it all quickly dissappears.
Yes Ronald R. year 2000, you are quite right- how quickly it all went, and now there is nothing left at all. Whilst I disagree with the present Govts. thinking on having a never ending war with people in Iraq, in year 2000 I well remember having a drive around Yeovilton's south side and having a last look around the hangars before I departed. I counted 25 x FA2 Sea Harriers either whole and ready to go, or with a few in fairly big bits that could have been reassembled in a routine manner by our excellent sets of highly trained and experienced engineers. A reasonable if smallish number of aircrew knocking about, some RNR admittedly but many combat proven, experienced carrier-trained airmen.
And its all gone in a few short years. Sorry, I've nothing positive to add to this thread at all.