[Rob P]

Anna Walker who I'd guess is the most experienced female Spitfire pilot in the world.

Guess again I think.

Rob P

[JAFO]

@Miscellaneous - I definitely owe you a pint, it was very enjoyable and it must have been a bit dusty in my office when the veteran found out he'd flown the one they were restoring, I seem to have got some of the dust in my eye.

I'd thought they were building a two-seater and I couldn't have watched that but I'm glad that everyone convinced me not to be so stubborn and stupid. It was a very positive experience.

[T6Harvard]

Oh yes, whoops! How could I forget Caroline?! I was assuming Anna flies so much for BHHH that she is clocking up multi hours almost every week.
[Slopes off in shame]

[Rob P]

[Slopes off in shame]

And so you should

Carolyn btw

Rob P

[JAFO]

@Rob P - have you seen that look she gives people when they call her Caroline? I'd rather be in an Me109 facing a Spitfire than on the wrong end of that look.

[skydriller]

@Rob P - have you seen that look she gives people when they call her Caroline? I'd rather be in an Me109 facing a Spitfire than on the wrong end of that look.

For those if us not 'in the know", as that is her name, what does she like to be addressed as then ?

[Rob P]

She's Carolyn and prefers people to get that right.

Rob P

[Bill McCarthy]

An even worse look if you mention the MK 26 and call it a Spitfire !

[Rob P]

I would never have dared

Back in the days of Fighter Meet she was always there to chat. She'd be happy to listen to the spectators' input on her display, never being dismissive, always appearing interested.

Sandra worked with Carolyn's close friend, 'Hoof' Proudfoot's widow. From this I know that the thing Carolyn hated most was men keen to build a relationship when she suspected she wasn't the main attraction.

Rob P

[T6Harvard]

[Slopes off in shame]

And so you should

Carolyn btw

Rob P

My second mistake was due to autocorrect* Your Honour

*have sent worse autocorrects.....not prepared to put on a public forum

[JAFO]

The man who invented autocorrect died last week. His funfair is next Monkey.

[G-JWTP]

...and I much prefer the Griffon-engined versions to the Merlin engined versions...

We had a guy who would come to our PFA (as was) strut meetings who, late in the war, had flown Spitfires. He told the story of how he went to collect a new one to ferry somewhere.
Apparently briefings were pretty much 'Here are the Pilots Notes, off you go.'
In he got, started up, taxied out, lined up and opened the throttle. Only at that point did he realise it had a Griffon as it turned the other way and he nearly lost it off the side of the runway!

Apologies, Rob. That better?

If you would like to know of more pilots who were 'thrown the Pilot Notes , and told to get on with it', you need to remember the ATA.

https://atamuseum.org/

G-JWTP

[JAFO]

Well, I've just watched Episode 5 (I know I'm a bit behind the drag curve) and I'm really enjoying this programme. Not so much for the Spitfire rebuild, interesting though that is, but for all of the other stories they're bringing in about less well known aspects of the war.

Jolly well done to everyone involved.

[Hooligan]

I thought it was an excellent programme. Wonder if they'll be able to do a second series...

[CloudHound]

A programme on Guy Black would be just as interesting.