Danny and FED, a useful exchange in my view. There is a tendency to see all the tailwheel aircraft of that era as old fashioned and all the nosewheel ones as being superior. In the case of the Hermes and Hastings you have both contemporaneous types side by side, identical designs other than in their u/c layouts. It was an excellent example of how form should follow function. Of course, from the drivers point of view, the Hermes was preferable, but for the military requirements of the time the Hastings had the edge. Even if a mid life upgrade (after exterior loads and glider tugs were no longer on the Army wish list) could have changed the Hastings to the Hermes config, that would have then probably sacrificed the "bomb aimers" position into which the nav descended to start his "left, left, LEFT!" harangues on the run in to the DZ.
FED, no call for surrender. A discussion amongst friends as are all those in our cyber crewroom. Here's your sword back.
