Boringly, just the standard issue Browning 9mm parabellum. I had disposed of my Colt on posting to Germany and I didn’t obtain the .357 ‘till after the conflict but it did fit the service-issue shoulder holster. Made very neat, laser-like holes in the Fig11 target at 25m, as opposed to the ragged ones of the 9mm. Quite noisy as well! 😊

Mog

Before the handgun ban came in, one of my Vulcan squadron chums, with whom 3 of us shared a house, had the relevant authorisations and approvals to own a handgun and was also permitted to import a single pistol. So one day he arrived back from Offutt with his new acquisiton. A 6" barrel Colt Python .357 Magnum! He also made his own ammunition.

He took it to the range one day and I joined him and had a go with it. I concur with Mog - that piece of hand held artillery makes a sizeable hole in the standard Figure 11 target!

I can't see any civil aviation company touching him with a 10 foot poll. He is going to have to start over in an entirely new career, but many professional accreditations will not allow members with a criminal conviction and he would be ineligible for almost all civil service positions, in Canada at least. Perhaps it is different in the UK but in any case he has a steep hill to climb to regain his former salary and benefits.

Sifting the London Gazette, looks like he started life as a Rock Ape Officer and then went to Air Ops.

What if he’s not a pilot or aircrew? I don’t think his life is ruined, he just needs a hand to start again.

That hole in the tail wasn't from your .357 Mag, thats for sure! @ 400Kts, that hole was around 0.055 seconds from being uncomfortable to your room with a view.

So which country did this occur...Wudyan is a reference to Vigil?

Actually, that round came in about from c 10 degrees left of the nose, so passed uncomfortable close to the pink bits. It also had about 30 of its mates following it and proceeding it every second. Doesn’t bear detailed thought really.

Mog

According to other news reports, the court was not told of the location (or it was not made public). The amusing Vigil reference is because the news report quoted in the OP, says he was a "British Air Force officer"