B48N and Danny, I'm afraid I haven't seen the pic as I do not have the FlyPast mag. I'll certainly try to locate a copy, but doubt if I'll be any more able than Brian to identify "young man kneeling, front row, extreme left". Such was the format of the orders of O i/c riot squad to the men with one up the spout when all else had failed, including unfurling the banner saying in the appropriate language(s), "Disperse, or we fire", and the high speed reading of the riot act by a local magistrate. But I digress...
Having attended various 50th anniversary reunions I can only say that in my experience men's features in particular change considerably, to the extent that I have had to apologise to some and asked if they might identify themselves. Their demeanour though does not. The terribly intense ones still are, as are the laid back ones. Would you say that you are easily recognisable still in the picture, Danny?
I think we've been round this block before, haven't we Brian? I certainly knew that as a young man Jack had flown Spits in Burma, but it was (and still is) news to me that he had flown the Vengeance. If he had mentioned the one you'd have thought he would have mentioned the other, particularly as it was an RAF steed used operationally only in that theatre. Might be worth checking back with the author of Flat Out as to how that info was come by...
Oh, and yes, I certainly knew Jack on the Hastings! I was one of his many apprentices, clambering aboard 4 or 5 at a time carrying a pie and a coke for him if on the lunch time crew change outside the 48 Sqn HQ for the afternoon shift of CPT. He of course stayed aboard all day.They broke the mould...