Syrinx

Requiescent In Pace. <S>

Very nice, this is the kind of thing I like. Whenever I can, but it's usually around poppy-day (unless I meet them as part of my job working with elder citizens) I like to personally thank the old servicemen as I put money in their collection boxes. You can see the look of surprise and then incredulance that someone like me would personally say thankyou to them. I'll be honest, I get a bit teary eyed when I do it. Sounds silly but it's true. It's nice that you can make someone feel good just by saying a few kind words, just to let them know that all they went through, and for the ones who didn't come back that there are people out there who do appreciate what they did and show their thanks. Dave, I can just imagine that your face was a picture, the same expression as some of the guys I mention above.

Then they have my respect.

Here in Britain you will be arrested if you carry a (Eric Idle voice) "point-ted stick". Crikey, I would certainly like the right to defend myself. Gun and (especially) knife crime are really big issues over here at the moment and whilst senseless loss of life with either type of weapon rightly abhores me I for one would certainly like the opportunity to defend my person or property in the manner I see fit. If that involved a handgun, say, so be it. Seeing as it's Britain, I'll have to make do with my hair straighteners set on hi-heat as a primary deterrent. I don't want to lighten what is a very serious issue for you over the pond...but do you realise how lucky you are that you can carry a serious deterrent in the first place? ps: sorry for the over-use of the word deterrent...damn, I've said it again. Sorry. Thesaurus-r'nt-us.

Very nice! Thankyou. The Typhoon display reminded of Craig's YouTube vid of his Tiffy in development. Goes to show how spot-on Craig was.

No way...you are and will always be Viggy Our Viggie, or el viggo, maybe the vigmeister, take your pick ! One day, my son, with hard work and a little bit of luck...you will be a fully fledged Viggen. Until then, embrace your viggy-ness!

I'm still here...just hanging over the precipice of life without a 'chute. Hi Rambler.

President "I'm-a-dinner-jacket" simply cannot be trusted. Period. I don't know if it's him personally or the Mullah's who are pulling his strings (I suspect the latter) but he's just itching for a confrontation with the West. As usual it's the innocent who'll suffer. The bottom line is, if they get a nuke they'll use it. Either Iran directly or their proxy Islamic Fundamentalists (emphasis on the mentalists). It can't be allowed to happen.

I do believe you've been reading my mind!

Super mod...nice to know what's trackin' yo' ass ! Cheers Foobs !

All the best boys...congrats !

Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day. Romulus: Hey Remus, come out from under that wolf... Remus: What for ? Romulus: We've got a city to build. Remus: Oh man, how long will that take? Romulus: 'Bout two weeks!

Just this one...

Too right...I'm so nosey I'll even Ctrl+F12 my way around whist supposedly still flying a mission.

I'm not easily scared but that image is more frightening than seeing the obligatory mushroom cloud. Conveys a real sense of power, dread and forboding. Good, innit !

Typh...it pains me to say it but you are correct.

Migbuster ! ...it's probably what some in the RAF would like people to believe.

The Buccaneers could have hit targets (ie: airbases) on the mainland easily. Ergo, no Etendard problem. However, in reality I expect ROE would have forbidden it.

"Why were the FA.2s retired so early? " Politics and bolony, my dear boy. The British, bless us, have a history of having designing and making something really good, world beating, in many different fields. Yet those who ought to know better would flitter all this away for nothing. Well, usually it's for monetary reasons. Am I bitter, you bet I am. The FA.2 is a case in point. Excellent radar, well armed for BVR (AMRAAM), superb at dogfighting and capable of shooting down sea-skimming missiles. Just what you need for Fleet defence. The decision to withdraw the FA.2 was taken back in 2002 and they disppeared in 2006. Let's just hope that we don't suffer another "rethink" with the F-35.

The SHAR's and their support crews did a good enough job as could be expected under the restrictions they were under. AFAIK only the Kiwi's offered to help overtly, as recorded by SkippyBing above. The FRS.1 was a superb aircraft. As for the early retirement of the sublime FA.2 that's got to rank as a TSR2-type faux pas. Idiots. Anyhow, it's an eye opener to think about what might have happened had the Fleet Air Arm still had Phantom's, Bucc's and Gannets on Ark Royal at that time.

That's the thing with communism...they are all equal but some are more equal than others. And the more-equal ones decide to have another purge...to get them all equal again...and the circle continues. Idiots.

You haven't lived til you've had tuna and banana omlette. Seriously. Try it....superb !

As long as you're not making money for it I expect it's ok. Hey, it's a promo for the "arteest's" material. Might rack up a few extra album sales and royalties for em. If in doubt, I'd just make my own...I do.

Well said Kev. Spot on.

Soon there will be more solicitors (lawyers) on the battlefield than medics. War is hell. Our armed forces are there to do a job. Let 'em get on with it. They are laying their bodies on the line every day on active deployment. What they need is support, respect and thanks. This kind of thing quite frankly makes me puke. I'll say no more 'cos this riles the **** out of me.