Sid:
I never claimed to have been 'involved' in a flying sense but I was present at the time, albeit as a junior officer under training (before my flying training). Even so I was still allowed to talk to the aircrew who were personally involved and have retold their version of events that took place and were related to me personally then and later - I dare say when we were boozing in our hammocks. I have no reason to believe those people were telling lies or making it up. Your remarkably precise memory of one particular incident is very interesting though I have no idea if this was the incident I was informed about but I can't argue against what must be the complete and undisputable version of those particular events.
As I'm sure you'd agree, attitudes were quite different 50 years ago but even so I think that if I was pinned down by enemy fire I wouldn't give a rat's *rs* if the bloke who saved my life was several sheets to the wind. Your assumption that I condone flying in that state is a bit peculiar to say the least. If any of those people who were told to get airborne that day had turned round and refused they would have been held in the sort of contempt that was, sadly, often reserved for the RAF by the other two services because of what was seen as a blind obedience to their rules and regulations. No doubt they could have felt proud of having stuck to the rules though.
I say 'sadly' because I never found any RAF aircrew I worked with later when I was a pilot (at a squadron level) anything other than great company and extremely capable.
I'm also sure that the Belvederes you mention were very busy with other tasks during the incident you relate but your assumption that I approve of flying after drinking alcohol would be like me assuming that the Belvederes were not up to the task but the Wessex were! In other words a little over the top? I can see that you and Crab are 'fellow travellers' on this thread and it's good to have chums but it's also good to keep things in proportion isn't it?