Re: OT: reaction to Iraqi elections

From: Clarence_A (no_at_No.com)
Date: 02/12/05 

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 16:47:24 GMT

"Pooh Bear" wrote
> John Larkin wrote:
> > Pooh Bear wrote:
> >
> > >I'm not referring to the guys on the long bomber missions
here John. Just the trigger happy jet
> > >jockeys on short missions. Whatever the reason though, RAF
regs prohibit use of drugs for flight
> > >crew.
> >
> > Well, if judiciously applying drugs under medical supervision
> > increases a pilot's chances of staying alive, that seem OK to
me. But
> > I don't know much about this. I can't design anything without
my
> > morning latte.
>
> < chuckle > I hear you ! I like my caffeine injection too.
:-)
>
> But seriously, there is a whole world of of difference in mental
attitude here.
>
>
> > >Just for example - this has always fascinated me - are the
pilots portrayed in the movie Top Gun
> > >remotely like their real counterparts. If they are absurd
charicatures - then why does the US feel
> > >the need to present such a macho image of their armed forces
?
> >
> > I saw a documentary on the real Top Gun school. Most of the
pilots
> > looked and talked like middle-aged businessmen. Flying a
> > hundred-million-dollar fighter is a precise, quantitative
profession,
> > and none of these guys were cowboys.
>
> That's certainly encouraging news ! Thanks for the heads up. In
fact sounds like the RAF and UK Navy
> pilots ! Shame that Hollywood couldn't project a decent image of
mature men in such positions.
>
> Not a profitable option maybe ?
>
>
> > It wasn't the US presenting the image, it was Hollywood; to
sell
> > movies.
> >
> > >You might be surprised to see that many of the UK's top
fighter pilots are mature men in their 30s
> > >and 40s with no need to prove their masculinity through
testosterone overload tactics !
> >
> > Some of those WWII RAF movies are pretty lurid, too.
>
> WW2 wasn't funny. Hard *** for sure.
>
> My maternal grandfather was a Wing Commander in Bomber Command
during that time. He didn't ever say
> much about it - in fact real combatants rarely ever do. I do
know he flew Lancaster bombers when his
> duties allowed. I have to this day a piece of a roll of
'window' that he gave me - the aluminium
> strip that they chucked out the back door of the Lancs to foil
German radar.
>
> I also knew another RAF pilot - a lovely guy called Anthony
Tucker who was perhaps best known for his
> job as science editor of the British Guardian newspaper. He was
in N Africa. The Germans didn't have
> much in the way of anti-aircraft defences there and his
Hurricane could shoot hem up pretty much at
> will. It's not something he was apparently pround of ethically.
He knew it was his duty however and
> performed that to the best of his ability.
>
> War is not nice - never let anyone give it credence as being
'patriotic' or 'bold'. It's a sad but
> occasionally necessary tool that has to be used. Never ever use
that tool without good reason.
> Graham

Yet you feel qualified to criticize pilots of another country in
such terms as to put your sanity in question? Not COOL!

Quantcast