Mechta wrote:
As for rugby, well that is something else. Willingly getting yourself in a position where a bunch of psychopathic thugs can maim you, makes no sense at all to me.
Nonsense! All part of traditional English prep school life in the early 1960s! Along with cold showers, cross-country runs, lusting after matron, double Latin on Tuesdays and avoiding the wandering hands of the geography master....
On the subject of the T49 Capstan, I had a few dual trips in one back then. The straight flight attitude was unique, so wouldn't have been a good lead-in to the Swallow. But the main concern was that the canopy would probably never have stood up to everyday use in an intensive training environment. But heavy? A lightweight compared to the T42 Eagle mahogany bomber!
As for the Slingsby Tutor, it was the first single seat aircraft I ever flew - 3 min from cable release at 800 ft to landing! The next single seater I flew was the Hunter 'GT6' some 10 years later - a truly wonderful aircraft!