never met a war vet yet who was not uncomfortable with any mention
even hinting at 'heroic'. And then again it has often been said that those who deserved a gong and were left out far far exceeded those who could put up
their ribbons.
but I did not come in here to pass on these thoughts . .. . I was thinking
along far more of the light hearted than the deadly serious.
(Peter O'Toole said when asked how it was on location with Guinness making Lawrence that he never looked forward to the day's start when more often than not AG would slip into the tent with a face like a plate of condemned veal.)
No . .. talk of loops vertical or horizontal immediately calls to mind the late Chris Braund. . .he of the pronounced stammer. As recounted elsewhere here Chris had bought a disposals Mustang from Tocumwal and after legitimising all the paper work required to have your own private WW11 fighter was often invited to perform at air shows.
Picture Chris early one Sunday morning transiting Sydney for the Naval air base at Nowra down the south coast to attend an airshow. .. As it was so quiet on the tower frequency and as the morning was so glorious he requested an orbit of the Harbour Bridge. Report on conclusion says the tower. So what does the perpetual boy do .. . he goes down under the bridge . .you can almost hear the Merlin's reverberating throb coming back off the walls of Kirribilli House . . then up up and over in a graceful arc. Well next day no surprise he was on the mat at DCA headquarters at Waverton in Sydney. His defence? . . " I requested an or. .or. .orbit. Permission was g.g.g.granted . Orbit can b.b.be d.d.ddefined as 'to d.d.d.describe a c.c.circle about." N.n.n.n nothing about wh.wh.whether it is h.h.h.h.horizontal or v.v.v.vertical." The regional director (an old warbird himself as Chris was) laughed himself hoarse and decided it never happened.
Last edited by Fantome; 20th Jun 2016 at 11:54.