If not straying too far off topic . . .. Old Mate just dug out from his files a Chris Wren ODDENTIFICATION of the Australian stop-gap fighter the CAC Boomerang. That got me thinking about the time Chris was passing through Australia from New Zealand, on his way home.
in 1974 . . .when working for Connair (formerly Connellan Airways) out of Alice Springs , early one morning Joe Blow , our commercial manager, appeared in the briefing office, as it transpired, about to relate details of a VIP passenger, bound by company Queenair for Victoria River Downs so as to make a Darwin connection... thence to London. But as Joe approached, before he could utter a word, I noted in his hand an A4 sheet of paper with a sketched caricature , unmistakenly of himself, but also without a doubt, by an artist and journalist well known to me by his work.
So when Joe said good morning .. I've a special passenger for you this morning. . . . I could not but respond . . .. oh good. . I'm a great admirer of Chris Wren. . . if that's your man.
Joe was mildly flabbergasted at what he thought was miraculous intuition.
We proceeded to the terminal where Joe did the introductions . .. . then loadsheet in hand walked out to our plane, Joe still escorting Chris. There was one of those huge USAF Lockheed C141 Starlifters parked nearby. Chris asked what was it . .. . to which I unthinkingly said commonly called the shirtlifter by the blokes in the tower here, forgetting for the moment that Joe was qualified in that department. Did I blush? Probably not.
The flight to VRD was a rare treat , with Chris in the right seat relating fascinating yarns the whole way. (Joe, needless to say, was not Joe)
