'The People's Spitfire Pilot'

[Mad_Mikhael]

From RAF MUSEUM site:
 

Next year the Royal Air Force will be celebrating it's 100th anniversary. 

 

To mark the occasion, the RAF Museum will open a landmark RAF Centenary Exhibition in 2018, 'RAF : The First 100 Years' – and we would like your input on what should go in it. 

 

With the amazing support of The Daily Telegraph we are asking you to vote to choose which of the many heroic Spitfire Mk V pilots the exhibition will highlight. 

 

 

>>  RAF MUSEUM  <<

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2017 by =L/R=Mad_Mikhael

[unreasonable]

If you know anything at all about the modern British armed forces you understand that the results have been preordained by the RAF's Diversity Committee.

 

The short-list has already been selected to create the desired outcome. Only three Britons in a list of 11, of whom one is gay, one a cripple  challenged, and one a Glaswegian. 

 

My choice would be a heterosexual, white, public school educated Englishmen - are we not people too? -  like the majority, or at the very least the plurality of RAF Spitfire pilots.  

 

Pitiful PC crap - like the modern UK armed forces.

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Not a Brit myself so it's none of my business but I don't mind that gay, disabled or foreign pilots are there. My only problem with it is Clostermann's omission: surely nailing 33 enemy aircraft while in exile, leading a squadron and writing some of the most well-written and detailed books on life in fighter aviation ever written has some merit?

[Cybermat47]

Well, this article isn't biased at all...

 

He (Douglas Bader) was a staunch supporter of the disabled and in 1976 he was knighted for his services to disabled people.

He was also a staunch supporter of the apartheid, and friends with Hans-Ulrich Rudel, who was friends with Josef Mengele.

 

Now, I think Douglas Bader was incredibly strong willed and brave, but if people are going to vote for the pilot who will represent the RAF in this, they should know the good and the bad. Especially when the good is inspiring and the bad is disgusting.

 

They also omit Clive Caldwell's policy of shooting enemy pilots who had bailed out over Axis territory, in order to prevent them from flying again. While I can personally understand why he chose to do so, people should be made aware of this when voting on such a thing.

 

Wait, if this is about the RAF, why is Clive Caldwell even there? He never flew Spitfires with the RAF, only the RAAF.

 

And... only Spitfire pilots? Really? They're leaving out the vast majority of RAF personnel.

 

Rather poorly thought out, I think

Edited September 22, 2017 by FFS_Cybermat47

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

You're bang on, Pinko.

[unreasonable]

If true, those are much better aspects of a person to judge then on than sexually or physical form!

 

That's the problem with 'hero worship ' of historical people, times and attitudes were different to now.

 

I find W Churchill on the UK currency to be rather distasteful for various reasons, but it is of course only intended to celebrate the 'good' in the Churchill story.

 

Perhaps it would be better to just celebrate the machine and the collective effort of all who flew, rather than expect one person to be a poster guy.

 

I agree with your last point - but the whole problem with this exercise is not only that one person is to be picked as a poster guy/girl, but many on the list are indeed being proposed precisely because of their sexuality - or other criterion irrelevant to their flying record.  This is hardly a random sample, or ranked by something militarily relevant, such as the number of missions flown or enemy planes shot down. It has next to nothing to do with Spitfires or the majority of those who flew them for the RAF, and everything to do with the diversity agenda. 

 

As to my attitude being an embarrassment "to many" (have you taken a poll?), tough.  

Edited September 22, 2017 by unreasonable

[Cybermat47]

As a minority myself (I have autism), this is how I feel about it:

 

If a minority is chosen to receive an honour, it should be because they deserve it. Being chosen to fill a diversity agenda is honestly the most insulting thing you can do to me. It's essentially saying that I'm worthless without the thing that makes me a minority.

 

So, if Wing Commander Gleed is chosen solely for being gay, it's quite an insult to his abilities as a pilot and Airman of the RAF.

 

I feel that many people have forgotten the meaning of equality.

[unreasonable]

Yep, I said 'many', because I doubt it is anywhere near a majority (certainly not on this forum). You can read it as 'few' if you want.

 

As you may cringe at the positive discrimination you accuse the award of, there are many who cringe at the 'poor little white, straight, 100% physical/mental perfection, male who needs fair representation' argument.

 

Anyway, I've voted. It's only a museum exhibit.

 

I am neither poor, not little - indeed neither attribute was mentioned in my post. Nor am I physically and mentally perfect.  So stop making things up.

[Feathered_IV]

If I had to choose one of the many, I'd choose Flying Officer F.D. Thomas.  Shown here between sorties at Luqa, Malta at the height of the Blitz.

Awarded cap and colours just before the war playing rugby and cricket for Harrow School for Boys. He was killed in 1943.

 

For all the young lives cut short.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2017 by Feathered_IV

[Brano]

I see that Polish emigrants in UK have a strong lobby   Can I participate if Im not UK citizen ?

[unreasonable]

I am sure the Daily Telegraph would be delighted to have your clicks.... 

[Brano]

Frankly speaking, I like the idea of that Polish pilot to be chosen. His life describes the tragedy of WW2, its consequences and why it should be remembered. Going thru fall of his nation in 39, fighting abroad to liberate it only to fall under another totalitarian regime after the war. Fate of many nations,including mine.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Brano

[Rjel]

I find W Churchill on the UK currency to be rather distasteful for various reasons, but it is of course only intended to celebrate the 'good' in the Churchill story.

 

Rare is the person who's life is one of perfection. So too is it hard to hold historical figures, even one as recent as Churchill, to modern day standards. 

[Cybermat47]

Rare is the person who's life is one of perfection. So too is it hard to hold historical figures, even one as recent as Churchill, to modern day standards.

 

True, but no-one was happy with Churchill for Gallipoli at any point in history.