Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
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"A little more than a little is by much too much" (Shakespeare ?)
Could I put in a gentle bleat to all our contributors about the ideal length of a Post ? When I started, some 4½ years ago, I modelled myself on the "Greats" of the Thread (Cliff and Reg, both sadly no longer with us), and noted that their offerings were about 1,000 - 1,500 words long on average, and tried to stick around that.
Any longer, and the Post tends to overwhelm the reader with interesting points, and as any one of these has the potential to arouse a flurry of questions and comments - the "crewroom" natter which is the lifeblood of this great Thread - others, equally interesting and deserving of discussion, get lost in the crowd.
A good example, FED, is your absorbing Post #8441, from which I picked out nine "hares" to set running - none of which has caught the doggie's eye.* It was a simple case of overkill.
Note *: Except one: MPN11 kindly responded to my:
but I cannot find his reply to me (unless his #21 [on the "Master Pilot" Thread - on which I first put my #8442 by stupid mistake, and had to take it down, and put it where it belonged -here] constitutes the reply). Anyway, sorry, MPN11, and what were the Javelins doing in India, after all. Poking our noses into a quarrel which was none of our business ? (we're rather good at that).
None of the above should be construed as a limit to the right of any contributor to Post as much, and however, as he/she damn' well likes (subject always to our Moderators). Merely a suggestion. Remember - always leave them wanting more !
Danny.
Any longer, and the Post tends to overwhelm the reader with interesting points, and as any one of these has the potential to arouse a flurry of questions and comments - the "crewroom" natter which is the lifeblood of this great Thread - others, equally interesting and deserving of discussion, get lost in the crowd.
A good example, FED, is your absorbing Post #8441, from which I picked out nine "hares" to set running - none of which has caught the doggie's eye.* It was a simple case of overkill.
Note *: Except one: MPN11 kindly responded to my:
...Quote:
...As they are now finished in India...
What exactly were the Javelins supposed to do there ?..
...As they are now finished in India...
What exactly were the Javelins supposed to do there ?..
None of the above should be construed as a limit to the right of any contributor to Post as much, and however, as he/she damn' well likes (subject always to our Moderators). Merely a suggestion. Remember - always leave them wanting more !
Danny.
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kghjfg (your #8452),
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation for this, our Prince of Threads - as we think.
But not inaudible ! Come on in, the water's fine ! Pull up a chair (if you can find one), and give the stove a poke. Tea's on the brew.
Enquire Within Upon Everything,
Danny.
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation for this, our Prince of Threads - as we think.
...us avid readers are invisible!..
Enquire Within Upon Everything,
Danny.
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Looking for Trouble.
MPN11 and Fareastdriver (Post #8220 on this Thread, and my Post #8464),
What's the matter with my memory ? (all right, all right, I know!)
and
and
So that's all right, then ? (it's the kind of war I like)...
Danny.
What's the matter with my memory ? (all right, all right, I know!)
...I went into the hall and picked up the phone. It was my flight commander.
“How would you like to go to India?”
“India!” I gasped. “What an earth for?”
“You know this nonsense that the Chinese and Indians are having about their border region. They’re sending out a squadron of Javelins to show Commonwealth solidarity...
“How would you like to go to India?”
“India!” I gasped. “What an earth for?”
“You know this nonsense that the Chinese and Indians are having about their border region. They’re sending out a squadron of Javelins to show Commonwealth solidarity...
... “The Chinese and Indian governments are in dispute over their border in the Himalayas. This has given rise to fisticuffs and now they are beating bigger drums. The Indian Air Force has no all-weather fighter capability so the government, as a sign of support, are detaching 23 Squadron to India until the dispute is settled...
...The Indians have a few Mig21s but it is predominately Hunters, Gnats, with a couple of dozen Canberras. The Chinese air force was almost all Mig17s with IL28s as their bombing force. In other words, if the weather is bad only the Javelins will be able to fly...
Danny.
Danny; safety speed equals V2. V1 means there is not enough runway left to stop. Nowadays all multi-engine aircraft reach V2 before V1 so between those two speeds there is a choice. Not then; there could be some time where you were in trouble either way.
Those posts took some time because they came out of a book I once wrote. Shiksha was such an unusual exercise that I decide that it would make a good subject. I started writing it in 1994 when it was only thirty years ago so it was fairly sharp in the memory banks. I doubt if I could remember it now.
Whilst I was in China in the nineties I had a fair amount of free time. Laptops had become affordable in Hong Kong and I bought one of the first Windows 95 products. Eventually Office 97 came along and two weeks later I bought a pirated copy in Mok Kok for HK$25.
The story started off as purely a technical narrative with loads of fact and figures plus a rundown on all the techniques used. This got a bit boring after a time so I deleted all the technical stuff and threw in the opposite sex. It then went from fact to fiction with a factual base. Reading my posts on this thread, believe me, you ain’t seen nutting. It was a bit like Sex and the Stratosphere.
I thought about publishing it but the costs were too much. Should I have sent it to a book publisher it would have to be proofed. A proof reader requires it double spaced which would have lengthened it to 500 pages at £1/page. Self publishing was just as expensive and there was no shortage of aviation books so it would be against a lot of competition. Finally I sent proof copies to some acquaintances and the reaction was not encouraging, if at all.
The commentary on Shiksha for this thread involved a lot of cut & paste and remembering not the facts, but the fiction, and deleting it. As a guide when I reached the point where I stopped in Butterworth I was on page 42. From then on the book is total fiction.
Even for the above posts I have used the fictitious names of my captain and others as they may still be alive and I feel I should not use their names without their knowledge.
All books have to have and ending. I thought about riding into the sunset or living happily ever after with a beautiful heiress but I let it end the way I thought it would end when I joined the RAF. Ted is the captain; I am Chris.
Quote:
It’s a thirty minute flight to Rougham and I was already planning the strategy for Sridevi. Two week’s leave? I could get a flat for that time in London. I knew there were short term rents and I could afford it. It’s not to get her into bed or anything like that, I didn’t want to, but at least we could be alone. My thoughts were interrupted as we went through the descent checks.
We established on the ILS at 2,000ft.and as we came to the glide path Ted called for forty degrees flap. I watched the indicators and as they reached forty degrees I stopped the flap and confirmed forty flap. There was a bang behind us. The main door’s popped, I thought, and I craned round to look. The door was still on and crew were all looking up at the top of the coal face. I turned back to check the instruments. Christ! We had forty degrees of bank on.
“Help me Chris! I can’t hold it.” Ted had the controls hard over.
There was nothing I could do except hold it with him against the stops. I saw the altimeter unwinding through a thousand feet.
Ted saw it too. “Abandon Aircraft! Eject Eject!”
I don’t believe this, it can’t be happening. Years of training came in. Automatically I pulled the canopy jettison handle; there was a rattle around my ears as the explosive bolts blew. It was now suddenly very bright in the cockpit. I reached up for the ejection blind; it was flapping so it took two goes to find it. Three bangs as the seat fired with a crack from the drogue gun and a tug as my legs were pulled together. There is no sense of acceleration, my eyes are looking down and I could see the aircraft rushing away below me. A jerk as the drogue stabilised the seat and then I felt the seat harness release. At the same time the seat ejection blind came free and I could look around.
Christ! That’s a five barred gate.
End of quote.
From the Board of Enquiry:
The Co-pilot.
The co-pilot was found in a face down position suffering death through multiple internal injuries and fractures as a result of impacting the ground at high speed. His ejector seat was on the ground 25 ft away. Inspection revealed that the seat had gone through its correct sequence and had released the pilot. It had then deployed the parachute drogue and this in turn had released the canopy from the pack. There was insufficient height to deploy the parachute and when the co-pilot struck the ground some of the canopy shroud line loops had not been extracted.
As you probably realise the rest of the crew didn’t do very well either.
At least I don’t have to write a sequel.
When the Valiants folded I went on to helicopters where I learned to fly from 0 to 95 instead of 95 to M0.8. Then I went off to North Boneo.
Those posts took some time because they came out of a book I once wrote. Shiksha was such an unusual exercise that I decide that it would make a good subject. I started writing it in 1994 when it was only thirty years ago so it was fairly sharp in the memory banks. I doubt if I could remember it now.
Whilst I was in China in the nineties I had a fair amount of free time. Laptops had become affordable in Hong Kong and I bought one of the first Windows 95 products. Eventually Office 97 came along and two weeks later I bought a pirated copy in Mok Kok for HK$25.
The story started off as purely a technical narrative with loads of fact and figures plus a rundown on all the techniques used. This got a bit boring after a time so I deleted all the technical stuff and threw in the opposite sex. It then went from fact to fiction with a factual base. Reading my posts on this thread, believe me, you ain’t seen nutting. It was a bit like Sex and the Stratosphere.
I thought about publishing it but the costs were too much. Should I have sent it to a book publisher it would have to be proofed. A proof reader requires it double spaced which would have lengthened it to 500 pages at £1/page. Self publishing was just as expensive and there was no shortage of aviation books so it would be against a lot of competition. Finally I sent proof copies to some acquaintances and the reaction was not encouraging, if at all.
The commentary on Shiksha for this thread involved a lot of cut & paste and remembering not the facts, but the fiction, and deleting it. As a guide when I reached the point where I stopped in Butterworth I was on page 42. From then on the book is total fiction.
Even for the above posts I have used the fictitious names of my captain and others as they may still be alive and I feel I should not use their names without their knowledge.
All books have to have and ending. I thought about riding into the sunset or living happily ever after with a beautiful heiress but I let it end the way I thought it would end when I joined the RAF. Ted is the captain; I am Chris.
Quote:
It’s a thirty minute flight to Rougham and I was already planning the strategy for Sridevi. Two week’s leave? I could get a flat for that time in London. I knew there were short term rents and I could afford it. It’s not to get her into bed or anything like that, I didn’t want to, but at least we could be alone. My thoughts were interrupted as we went through the descent checks.
We established on the ILS at 2,000ft.and as we came to the glide path Ted called for forty degrees flap. I watched the indicators and as they reached forty degrees I stopped the flap and confirmed forty flap. There was a bang behind us. The main door’s popped, I thought, and I craned round to look. The door was still on and crew were all looking up at the top of the coal face. I turned back to check the instruments. Christ! We had forty degrees of bank on.
“Help me Chris! I can’t hold it.” Ted had the controls hard over.
There was nothing I could do except hold it with him against the stops. I saw the altimeter unwinding through a thousand feet.
Ted saw it too. “Abandon Aircraft! Eject Eject!”
I don’t believe this, it can’t be happening. Years of training came in. Automatically I pulled the canopy jettison handle; there was a rattle around my ears as the explosive bolts blew. It was now suddenly very bright in the cockpit. I reached up for the ejection blind; it was flapping so it took two goes to find it. Three bangs as the seat fired with a crack from the drogue gun and a tug as my legs were pulled together. There is no sense of acceleration, my eyes are looking down and I could see the aircraft rushing away below me. A jerk as the drogue stabilised the seat and then I felt the seat harness release. At the same time the seat ejection blind came free and I could look around.
Christ! That’s a five barred gate.
End of quote.
From the Board of Enquiry:
The Co-pilot.
The co-pilot was found in a face down position suffering death through multiple internal injuries and fractures as a result of impacting the ground at high speed. His ejector seat was on the ground 25 ft away. Inspection revealed that the seat had gone through its correct sequence and had released the pilot. It had then deployed the parachute drogue and this in turn had released the canopy from the pack. There was insufficient height to deploy the parachute and when the co-pilot struck the ground some of the canopy shroud line loops had not been extracted.
As you probably realise the rest of the crew didn’t do very well either.
At least I don’t have to write a sequel.
When the Valiants folded I went on to helicopters where I learned to fly from 0 to 95 instead of 95 to M0.8. Then I went off to North Boneo.
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Excellent stuff, FED.
I, for one, was savouring every detail of that Valiant saga.
In the spirit of crew-room chat, as mentioned by Danny above, I noticed your mention of the RAAF Sabres on your arrival at Butterworth.
The Australian CAC CA-27 Sabre was a somewhat different animal to the Canadair CL-13 version in that it was significantly modified to take the RR Avon powerplant.
Later marks of the Canadair Sabre were similarly modified to take the Avro Canada Orenda engine.
Compared with the original GE J-47 powered F-86 and CL-13, these modified aircraft offered an approximate 40% improvement in performance.
The Oz version, also, was armed with 2 x 30mm Aden cannon as opposed to the others' 6 x .50cal machine guns.
I'll leave it to the experts to speculate on the relative merits of the Orenda vs the Avon.
I, for one, was savouring every detail of that Valiant saga.
In the spirit of crew-room chat, as mentioned by Danny above, I noticed your mention of the RAAF Sabres on your arrival at Butterworth.
The Australian CAC CA-27 Sabre was a somewhat different animal to the Canadair CL-13 version in that it was significantly modified to take the RR Avon powerplant.
Later marks of the Canadair Sabre were similarly modified to take the Avro Canada Orenda engine.
Compared with the original GE J-47 powered F-86 and CL-13, these modified aircraft offered an approximate 40% improvement in performance.
The Oz version, also, was armed with 2 x 30mm Aden cannon as opposed to the others' 6 x .50cal machine guns.
I'll leave it to the experts to speculate on the relative merits of the Orenda vs the Avon.
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Old Comrades
Came July 1943, and an invading Armada built up in the Mediterranean. On the 9th of the month, our Squadron was sent out to support the invasion of Sicily. Becoming airborne in the dark, I was over the invasion fleet at dawn. The morning was very hot and very hazy, but on arrival at our allotted position, I was amazed to see the uncountable number of ships below me, and stretching to the horizon it seemed, to the northwards.
We patrolled for some hours, while the armada approached the Sicilian south coast. Paratroops and gliders had been sent in before dawn, and the infantry battalions with all their support were going in to land from the ships below me. It was a very exciting day. There was absolutely no aerial activity apart from our own. I saw no opposing enemy aircraft, although I was expecting that German or Italian planes would hove into view.
We continued our support for the invasion over some days, and eventually received the order to strike camp (pack up everything) and move over to the conquered island of Sicily. I haven't the faintest recollection of how the ground staff and the vast array of equipment was assembled and moved. No doubt it was by sea. We air crew flew our aircraft across the Mediterranean Sea, and we began operations against Italy, from a base we called Borizzo, or Castel Vetrano, on the western side of Sicily.
In no time at all it seemed, the whole Squadron was re-assembled at the base, which was shared by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force. They were operating with Flying Fortresses, bombing the mainland. We were nicely placed geographically, between Trapani and Marsala. Both were quite large country towns a few miles off, and we were eager to taste the joys of civilisation, after being so long in the desert.
There was an abundance of wine in this grape-producing island, and it wasn't long before we were tasting the beautiful stuff. A little wine-shop not far north of our base, on the way to Trapani, and just at the side of the road, was our first port of call. Here we slurped on the luscious, sweet wines of the area, mainly Marsala, of course, which obtained its name from the other town down in the south.
Later, we visited both of the towns, admired the architecture and the rustic quaintness of them, and tried the local cafes for food. The latter wasn't necessary, really, as we luckily found ourselves catered for by the Americans. Our eyes nearly popped when we saw the wealth of the food put out for us in our tented messes. There was real butter in 7-pound tins, peanut butter in the same quantities, jam, wonderful sausages, white, white bread, vegetables and meats galore, eggs, bacon, and a host of other good things.
We were even more amazed when we found that we received regular issues of cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, toothpaste, razor blades, shaving cream, chewing gum, etc. We wondered why on earth it was necessary for the Yankee serviceman to be paid. He had everything given him, and received more pay than a British serviceman of similar rank, into the bargain!
We patrolled for some hours, while the armada approached the Sicilian south coast. Paratroops and gliders had been sent in before dawn, and the infantry battalions with all their support were going in to land from the ships below me. It was a very exciting day. There was absolutely no aerial activity apart from our own. I saw no opposing enemy aircraft, although I was expecting that German or Italian planes would hove into view.
We continued our support for the invasion over some days, and eventually received the order to strike camp (pack up everything) and move over to the conquered island of Sicily. I haven't the faintest recollection of how the ground staff and the vast array of equipment was assembled and moved. No doubt it was by sea. We air crew flew our aircraft across the Mediterranean Sea, and we began operations against Italy, from a base we called Borizzo, or Castel Vetrano, on the western side of Sicily.
In no time at all it seemed, the whole Squadron was re-assembled at the base, which was shared by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force. They were operating with Flying Fortresses, bombing the mainland. We were nicely placed geographically, between Trapani and Marsala. Both were quite large country towns a few miles off, and we were eager to taste the joys of civilisation, after being so long in the desert.
There was an abundance of wine in this grape-producing island, and it wasn't long before we were tasting the beautiful stuff. A little wine-shop not far north of our base, on the way to Trapani, and just at the side of the road, was our first port of call. Here we slurped on the luscious, sweet wines of the area, mainly Marsala, of course, which obtained its name from the other town down in the south.
Later, we visited both of the towns, admired the architecture and the rustic quaintness of them, and tried the local cafes for food. The latter wasn't necessary, really, as we luckily found ourselves catered for by the Americans. Our eyes nearly popped when we saw the wealth of the food put out for us in our tented messes. There was real butter in 7-pound tins, peanut butter in the same quantities, jam, wonderful sausages, white, white bread, vegetables and meats galore, eggs, bacon, and a host of other good things.
We were even more amazed when we found that we received regular issues of cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, toothpaste, razor blades, shaving cream, chewing gum, etc. We wondered why on earth it was necessary for the Yankee serviceman to be paid. He had everything given him, and received more pay than a British serviceman of similar rank, into the bargain!
Last edited by Walter603; 15th Apr 2016 at 04:48.
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Walter,
So you've come out of the desert, and reached the "Land of Milk and Honey" ! (make the most of it, for it probably won't last very long !)
Our reactions, too, when we left strictly rationed Britain in '41 to meet, first the Canadian and then the American hospitality of the Deep South. In Florida and Alabama we, who had hitherto shuffled slowly along a queue of airmen, mugs and "irons" at the ready, to have something slapped on our plates in the Cookhouse, now sat astounded as we were deftly served by white-jacketed waiters - and we didn't have do do any washing-up, either !
I have noted before how the attitude of the good folk of the US towards their Services differs from ours. They start with the principle: their fighting men must have the best that money can buy (we tend to the opposite view).
Which gave rise to the unworthy wartime slur: "They're overfed, overpaid, oversexed - and Over Here !" As a matter of fact, I've been told that the RCAF rates of pay (overseas) were even higher than the US, but don't know if it's true.
Never got any free pipe tobacco from them, but they were alongside us at Geilenkirchen in the early '60s, and would sell me # a pound tin of "Robin Hood" tobacco, rather light stuff, but blended beautifully with, and eked out the "Balkan Sobranie" of which I was inordinately fond.
EDIT: # ...for only Dm4 (yes, four Marks !)
And of course, you'd have a PX (that Aladdin's Cave) to go to - you could forget the NAAFI and its pitiful, overpriced items.
War is Hell (but not for everybody, and not all the time).
Danny.
So you've come out of the desert, and reached the "Land of Milk and Honey" ! (make the most of it, for it probably won't last very long !)
... Our eyes nearly popped when we saw the wealth of the food put out for us in our tented messes...
...We were even more amazed when we found that we received regular issues of cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, toothpaste, razor blades, shaving cream, chewing gum, etc...
...He had everything given him, and received more pay than a British serviceman of similar rank, into the bargain!..
Never got any free pipe tobacco from them, but they were alongside us at Geilenkirchen in the early '60s, and would sell me # a pound tin of "Robin Hood" tobacco, rather light stuff, but blended beautifully with, and eked out the "Balkan Sobranie" of which I was inordinately fond.
EDIT: # ...for only Dm4 (yes, four Marks !)
And of course, you'd have a PX (that Aladdin's Cave) to go to - you could forget the NAAFI and its pitiful, overpriced items.
War is Hell (but not for everybody, and not all the time).
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 16th Apr 2016 at 11:12.
I've been told that the RCAF rates of pay (overseas) were even higher than the US, but don't know if it's true.
Danny, it was true in the early 1970's when I was in HQAFCENT in NL. The Americans were very quick to put us Brits right if we mentioned pay rates.
Danny ("I have noted before how the attitude of the good folk of the US towards their Services differs from ours. They start with the principle: their fighting men must have the best that money can buy (we tend to the opposite view).")
I wonder if provisions for British senior officers were also austere?
To all the fighting men - British, Commonwealth and American - come visit my home town and I'll make sure you can have all the beer, butter, eggs, bacon, steak etc. you like. But your money won't be any good here at all.
I wonder if provisions for British senior officers were also austere?
To all the fighting men - British, Commonwealth and American - come visit my home town and I'll make sure you can have all the beer, butter, eggs, bacon, steak etc. you like. But your money won't be any good here at all.
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GlobalNav,
So said your generous, hospitable grandparents (bless them) 70+ years ago - but we were so full of good food from the Mess Hall that we hardly had room for the ice cream and pecan pie when we got to town !
Fortunately we have recovered from wartime austerity, and no longer need "Bundles for Britain" - to the extent that obesity is a major problem here, too. (It is a matter of record that the British people were never so fit as during the war years).
AFAIK, yes - at least the ones I came in contact with. But we didn't grudge Churchill his cigars and his champagne breakfasts - he was special.
It's not much good over here either these days. 
Danny.
...come visit my home town and I'll make sure you can have all the beer, butter, eggs, bacon, steak etc. you like...
Fortunately we have recovered from wartime austerity, and no longer need "Bundles for Britain" - to the extent that obesity is a major problem here, too. (It is a matter of record that the British people were never so fit as during the war years).
...I wonder if provisions for British senior officers were also austere?...
...But your money won't be any good here at all...
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 15th Apr 2016 at 19:51. Reason: Corrn.
Danny
In spite of how well off we were in the old days, even in the pampered USAF, we often commented that "Nothing is too good for the GI, so that's exactly he gets." But hey, morale must low if no one is complaining.
I agree Churchill was special as were a few others, like Ike, Marshall, Doolittle, etc. the list is too long to name them all. Must admit in this year of presidential elections we could use a few special ones today. Good Lord!
In spite of how well off we were in the old days, even in the pampered USAF, we often commented that "Nothing is too good for the GI, so that's exactly he gets." But hey, morale must low if no one is complaining.
I agree Churchill was special as were a few others, like Ike, Marshall, Doolittle, etc. the list is too long to name them all. Must admit in this year of presidential elections we could use a few special ones today. Good Lord!
Must admit in this year of presidential elections we could use a few special ones today. Good Lord!
No screaming and shouting every four years. No billions of dollars being raised and changing hands at election time.
We also know who is going to be the next one.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 16th Apr 2016 at 11:51.
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This is the place I spoke of, 3,000 feet high, NW Sicily near Trapani, where we spent time exploring. Four of us stayed in the only hotel we could find, and were actually served eggs for breakfast. Pic is from Google map.
"Superficially, it is the epitome of the Middle Ages, beginning with the castles, walls and stone streets. In reality, it's much older. This singular city, located on a mountain overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast of western Sicily, was ancient Eryx, a prosperous Elymian and Carthaginian city, boasting a well-known temple to a Phoenician fertility goddess, Astarte (later identified with Venus and worshipped by the Romans) and its own eponymous - if mythical - hero, the Elymi ruler Eryx. Both Hercules and Aeneas are associated with ancient Erice. According to Diodorus Siculus, Eryx received Heracles (Hercules) on his visit to this part of Sicily, and lost to him in a wrestling bout. As Eryx would have been a son of Aphrodite and King Butes of the Olympians, Virgil identifies him as a brother of Aeneas.” (goes on much longer)_
"Superficially, it is the epitome of the Middle Ages, beginning with the castles, walls and stone streets. In reality, it's much older. This singular city, located on a mountain overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast of western Sicily, was ancient Eryx, a prosperous Elymian and Carthaginian city, boasting a well-known temple to a Phoenician fertility goddess, Astarte (later identified with Venus and worshipped by the Romans) and its own eponymous - if mythical - hero, the Elymi ruler Eryx. Both Hercules and Aeneas are associated with ancient Erice. According to Diodorus Siculus, Eryx received Heracles (Hercules) on his visit to this part of Sicily, and lost to him in a wrestling bout. As Eryx would have been a son of Aphrodite and King Butes of the Olympians, Virgil identifies him as a brother of Aeneas.” (goes on much longer)_
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Walter,
Among the most valuable of our wartime experiences, surely the most long-lasting must be the mental "snapshots" we carry of sudden glimpses of something or someplace so beautiful or so colourful or so impressive, as to stay with us for the rest of our lives. In my case I can cite the huge red, rising sun over the ship's bows as we were running in to Bombay at dawn, and the sight of Nanga Parbat, also at dawn, from Gulmarg in Kashmir.
At 9,000 ft we could look down on the Vale of Kashmir, still shrouded in darkness and full of mist. But 40 miles to the North stood this lone Himalayan giant - seemingly almost close enough to touch in the pure mountain air - with the first rays of the sun lighting the top few thousand feet of the 25,000-footer, as dazzling pink and white as any coconut ice.
Spent over three years in India - but never bothered to go to see - the Taj Mahal. Silly me ! It's in the news today, hope they see it again in moonlight - it's really something then, I'm told.
In your case, the castle of Pepoli must haunt your dreams. In such places must King Arthur and his knights revelled. Sir Walter Scott would have had a field day.
With due regard to life and limb, I hope ! (no "elf'n pastry" in those days).
Him again ! The bane of my boyhood (and many other boyhoods, I would think). Could never take to the goody-goody prig Pius Aeneas - Caesar ? now that's something else !
Cheers, keep it coming, Danny.
Among the most valuable of our wartime experiences, surely the most long-lasting must be the mental "snapshots" we carry of sudden glimpses of something or someplace so beautiful or so colourful or so impressive, as to stay with us for the rest of our lives. In my case I can cite the huge red, rising sun over the ship's bows as we were running in to Bombay at dawn, and the sight of Nanga Parbat, also at dawn, from Gulmarg in Kashmir.
At 9,000 ft we could look down on the Vale of Kashmir, still shrouded in darkness and full of mist. But 40 miles to the North stood this lone Himalayan giant - seemingly almost close enough to touch in the pure mountain air - with the first rays of the sun lighting the top few thousand feet of the 25,000-footer, as dazzling pink and white as any coconut ice.
Spent over three years in India - but never bothered to go to see - the Taj Mahal. Silly me ! It's in the news today, hope they see it again in moonlight - it's really something then, I'm told.
In your case, the castle of Pepoli must haunt your dreams. In such places must King Arthur and his knights revelled. Sir Walter Scott would have had a field day.
...where we spent time exploring...
...Aeneas...
Cheers, keep it coming, Danny.
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"RAAF Butterworth was host to a Sabre squadron equipped with the Australian built Canadair version"
Actually two different aircraft. The Australians did their own re-design, using the RR Avon, while the Canadians used the Orenda. Performance was close as you'd expect, but these were different re-designs by different teams at different times.
Actually two different aircraft. The Australians did their own re-design, using the RR Avon, while the Canadians used the Orenda. Performance was close as you'd expect, but these were different re-designs by different teams at different times.
Indeed you do. Not exactly the same role of governance of course. Years ago, of course, we took great pains free ourselves from the rule of a monarch and do not regret it. But it didn't keep us from later forming a "special relationship" with Her Majesty's realm which I do not regret either.
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Please excuse a small diversion onto the topic of RAAF Sabres, but you might be interested in some snaps [I won't flatter myself they're photos!] of No 77 Sqn RAAF passing through RAF Tengah on their way home to OZ to re-equip in 1969.
They ran into the circuit as pairs, flew the pattern and landed as pairs, and taxied in as a long stream before performing VERY neat individual turns into line on the main dispersal. A very stylish arrival by what appears to be 16 aircraft. They called themselves "MOGAS" ... Malaysia's Only Ground Attack Squadron
"And now we return to your normal programmes ... "
They ran into the circuit as pairs, flew the pattern and landed as pairs, and taxied in as a long stream before performing VERY neat individual turns into line on the main dispersal. A very stylish arrival by what appears to be 16 aircraft. They called themselves "MOGAS" ... Malaysia's Only Ground Attack Squadron
"And now we return to your normal programmes ... "
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Indeed you do. Not exactly the same role of governance of course. Years ago, of course, we took great pains free ourselves from the rule of a monarch and do not regret it. But it didn't keep us from later forming a "special relationship" with Her Majesty's realm which I do not regret either.
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MPN11,
Of course, you're excused ! The "small diversions" are what has made this Thread the wonderful thing that it has become (aided and abetted by our endlessly tolerant Moderators).
This is our normal programme !
Know little about the F-86 Sabre, except that it was a good thing it came into service when it did, at the time of the Korean war. The Meteor was hopelessly outclassed by the Mig-15 (helpfully supplied with state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce engine technology by our Attlee Government). The Hunter was years into the future (indeed, it was said that the Hunter came in too late for any war in which it might have been useful).
Danny.
...Please excuse a small diversion onto the topic of RAAF Sabres...
..."And now we return to your normal programmes ... "
Know little about the F-86 Sabre, except that it was a good thing it came into service when it did, at the time of the Korean war. The Meteor was hopelessly outclassed by the Mig-15 (helpfully supplied with state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce engine technology by our Attlee Government). The Hunter was years into the future (indeed, it was said that the Hunter came in too late for any war in which it might have been useful).
Danny.