Smoking in V Bombers

[Ron Cake]

I believe that some crews in the V Force tolerated smoking in flight. No doubt any such crews would have been ultra discreet, but you would think ground crews might have spotted some clues

Anyway, it doesn't seem like a bright idea to me (think oxygen masks, dropped fag ends etc) but does anyone know if it's true?

[Fareastdriver]

But of course it was true and if you were on an overseas trip the crew chief would as well. Two piece helmets, inner grey and seperate shell were the norm and after take off it was 'hats off, fags out'.
The aircraft were pressurised to 8,000 ft cockpit altitude so wearing the masks was unnessary and as the oxygen was the on demand system so no mask no oxygen.
Of course for important occasions like inflight refuelling and the commencemnt of the let down where everybody was chatting then smoking ceased.
In those days nobody could be expected to fly for ten hours without a puff. Clearing out the papers cups used as ash trays on the Valiant was easy. Open the DV panel on the approach and lob them out. whether No 3 engine chewed them up I do not know.
A bottle of Teachers and 200 Rothmans from Saccone & Speed in Malta was 7/6s delivered to the aircraft.