Fareastdriver,
Many a true word spoken in jest ! But this was the natural consequence of the pernicious "Courageous Restraint" doctrine.
(....“The intention is to always use the minimum force required to provide the effect needed by the guys on the ground"...)
Ref: <Britain's top general in Afghanistan admits 'courageous restraint ...
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../afghanistan/.../Britains-top-general-in-Afghanistan-admits-courageous-restraint-must-change.html>
This in turn stemmed from the notion of "half-fighting" a war which crept in some time after WW2, and was put into practice in the Falklands with the declaration of the 200-mile "Exclusion Zone". Intended to reduce the possibility of "collateral" attack on neutral shipping or aviation, it was later used to pillory as a "war crime" the sinking of the "Belgrano" by the "Conqueror". (Even at the time, her Captain, with the "Belgrano" in his sights and in torpedo range, still had to check with Northwood for permission to fire !) What would one of Nelson's Captains have done ?
Union Jack ?
Churchill said
"...in Victory, Magnanimity..." (but you have to
win first !) What he would have said about this carry-on I shudder to think. Or as Shakespeare put it:
"Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear it that the opposéd may beware of Thee".
Having said all that, as our pair were tramping along at 500 mph (about 250 yd/sec), they would have a max of about two seconds to acquire target, draw bead and fire. Much better off with a Hurricane IIC at 120 kts (four 20mms can make quite a mess of a pick-up truck and the "rocket", and send the operators to Paradise). Can't remember now, but think they had the same internal tankage as the Spit (85 Imp galls), with that and the Merlin running for max endurance, we could hang about for 4˝ hours. Much cheaper to run, too.
Cheers, Danny.