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Originally Posted by timothy
Comfort? Wish I had had Jonathan Clancey's "Spitfire - the Biography" - which I was given yesterday - before replying. Informative & readable. Nice bits about the 109, 190 & P51. And the ATA. Much of my comment is surmising, so don't pay too much attention to it.
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No, I disagree, because then they would not be your comments.
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Grit? You had mentioned the lethal spanner - I thought to add the everyday shower of grit when inverted.
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That is why Polish Spitfires had a stencil - clean your footwear before entering the cockpit. I am afraid that grit would be present all the time, though perhaps easier to clean with a floor present.
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P47? No ops experience - just trials. In the dive bombing mode. One task was to establish why they blew up on recovery. Splitting fuel cells was the answer. Did a lot of inverted circuits to re-establish confidence.
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That is very interesting, never heard of blewing up Thunderbolts. Was it during your time at ADFU?
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Switches? I know I've said this before, but it's topical? Chasing girl friend in Trincomalee, Ceylon (1945) - She's gone up to the hills - take off again for Ratmalana - oh, dear,it's getting dark - lighting? - never flown it at night - eventually sorted that - then the radio failed - no nav aids - re-established contact - "you're 90 miles West of Ratmalana heading West"!! - finally reached Her in the hills after several hours in a mail van - had tea - & that was it. I have the cutting of Her marriage to Her betrothed. Oh, well??
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Well, whatever dramatic it was, it makes a good story now. Possibly one of the most expensive teas ever paid by a British taxpayer.
Wonderful drawing! Was the aircraft serviced this way as well? I mean, did the groundcrew make a wild guess what should be done and where?
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Fuel Tanks? Sound thinking! Glad I didn't know!!
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You should be rather glad you was not hit there, should not you?
Best wishes