First, TTN has lightened my darkness (very subtle - must've been after my [more innocent] time). And I've recovered from the mental aberration (Senior Moment) which led me to confuse the subject with the narrator.
À propos nothing at all, we had the one and only OMQ at Breighton from late 1962 to 1964 (as nobody else wanted it). Stationed at Linton, it was a 25 mi commute via York, I bought an old "Isetta " for £75 from a Nav for the job, and had a lot of fun with it. There was no flying on the airfield: it was a "Bloodhound" site then.
Plenty of rabbits !
Chugalug and MPN11 - how many sugars ? - and the honesty pot wants cash up front - IOUs NOT ACCEPTED !
Re the Australian "Aviation Safety Digest" story from Fleigel [#11004], here is my two cent's worth (I've told a somewhat similar tale here on p.156, #3101 ("Danny and the Day that the Rains Came"):
...including a spell in a dive bomber squadron...
Almost certainly 12 RAAF Squadron. If only we could get hold of this chap (if he still lives) - or the ORB for those days. What tactical formation did they use ? (like us in Burma, there would be nothing to go on - they've had to work it all out for themselves) From what height (AGL) did they bomb. And pull-out ? What sort of accuracy did they achieve ? - the questions crowd in.
...I climbed to the planned cruising altitude of 8000 feet...
We did the same. In Australian midsummer, temperatures would've been much as dry-season India. 8,000 amsl would give a welcome drop of around 20 F.
...At 14,000 feet over Mansfield...
No provision for oxygen in our VVs. Did they have any in theirs ?
...Vengeance was a very stable and robust machine with wings built to withstand about 12g...
Didn't know that. As there was no power assistance, no one could pull more than 4-5G without "grey-out". But useful when stuck in a cu-nim. I can vouch for the "robust" bit, too.
...The airspeed was over 350 knots and the rate of descent was `off the clock' ...
About 420 mph, or 600 ft/sec if straight down. No wonder the climb/descent was off the clock ! With dive brakes out (which might have been a good idea), the terninal velocity was around 300 mph, or 400 ft/sec. Would've given him a bit more thinking time.
...Pressing on was the major sin...
"Get-home-at-all-costs-itis" has killed many. OTOH, turning round in an angry cu-nim is not to be recommended !
... I survived probably because of regular sessions on the ground in the Link Trainer...
Not sure about that. Procedural trainer it is. Simulator it ain't.
...But if you want to be an old pilot, it is better to treat the weather with the respect it deserves...
And so say all of us !
Danny.