COMBAT AND COMPETITION.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

COMBAT AND COMPETITION
day!"
The 'sir' was a figure of speech. Spoken gently enough - but it had
common antecedents with the form of address used by the drill
sergeants at ITW!
Dear Doc, God bless him, he had such trouble driving at night with
his thick glasses, and probably flying too, although he would never
admit it.
Sadly he was not long for this world, but he was a generous friend
and partner, and a super crew chief during our short time together.
On this occasion he was absolutely right - and I was motivated to
fight and win the next task - an out and return to Boothferry Bridge.
The first leg was a simple downwind dash, the return a hard slog into
wind, as the conditions deteriorated ahead of a warm front.
Fortunately the thermals seemed to be streeting particularly well
in my part of the sky, and it was satisfying to beat the 18 metres again.
On the final day, with a forecast of light winds and fair weather
cumulus, the organisers set an out and return race to Derby. I started
too late and on my way back the clouds slowly evaporated. At the end
there was nothing left, just a marginal final glide, over the bleak
Derbyshire countryside. The bluff which was Eyam Edge loomed
through the thickening haze - until the trees alone barred my way to
the finish line - and there was the ultimate frustration of a bottom
landing.
The Goodhart brothers, alternating between Meise and Mu 13, were
first and second in the team class. I finished 6th in the individual class,
behind four of the 18 metres and Frank Foster in the Rhonbussard,
and found myself selected as reserve pilot for the World
Championships the following year.
The preparations were hectic. A pre Worlds task flying match at
Lasham - picking up the Sky - new radios from Pye - collecting Frank
Foster's Standard Vanguard straight off the production line at
Coventry. The last, my responsibility, resulted in a lengthy expense
account lunch, thanks to the salesman whose job it was to hand over
the car.
An ex air gunner, he meant well by the British team, even if there
happened to be only one of us around at the time. When he finally
poured me into a totally strange vehicle, with unfamiliar handling
characteristics and a steering column gear change, I found myself
wishing that his hospitality had been a shade less generous!
That episode had a strange sequel. Frank had been asked to take
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