jees, are you purposely ignoring my comments from earlier?

I repeat, for the second time:

• Terrorist tries to enter cockpit
• Cockpit door re-enforced
• Terrorist delayed in accessing cockpit
• Meanwhile Pilots hear noise of attempted entry
• Delay allows Pilots to ready weapon
• Pilots shout warning
• Terrorist gains entry bang s/he is dead
• Or Terrorist aborts attempt to access cockpit
• In either situation Pilots land asap

With a re-enforced door it will take a moment for any would be hijacker to gain entry.

Jees, Sandy, are you deliberately ignoring everyone else’s comments from earlier?

What you are failing to understand is that once terrorists are on board, with the mindset displayed by current terrorists, it’s game over anyway. People will die, by whatever method the terrorist can employ. Yes, it’s likely that passengers would revolt and take on the terrorists and some will die. Let’s say that the terrorists can’t get into the cockpit, so the crew divert to the nearest airfield. Would for instance the American authorities allow that to happen or would they shoot the aircraft down? These are the imponderables that we may have to face. It’s not like in the 70’s with the likes of Baader-Meinhoff et al. They had political purpose which was mainly ensuring the release of some political prisoners. They had no wish to die. They wanted success and the ability, if not the opportunity, to do it all again.

Guns in aircraft will get people killed. I don’t think my view will ever change. Whatever psychiatric testing is employed is no guarantee that the person tested will react in the programmed manner. Are you envisaging that there will come a time when pilots will be employed because of their extra prowess with a firearm? Or perhaps those who are proven to be good with weapons should be cross trained as pilots?

Use intelligence and get them on the ground.

Regards,

kev35

Largely speaking, the mindset of the terrorist is that his death is an Honour and a victory. So, dying will be of little concern. I would expect that the airline crew, flight deck and cabin, have a duty of care to the safety of their passengers. I don’t personally think this duty of care is met by having guns on the flight deck, by giving access to weapons to cabin crew or by the placement of air marshalls on flights. Hand was right in that the security should be better on the ground. Prevention is always better than cure. We are alleged to have such superior intelligence services, why aren’t they used. If you’re going to have a gun battle with a terrorist, please try and do it before they get to 30,000 feet. The 11th of September was such a supreme spectacular for those who plotted and perpetrated the acts, I am surprised it hasn’t happened again. Unless, the security now in place on the ground is such that it is having a deterrent effect.

I once flew aboard a helicopter with thirty or so men armed to the teeth with live ammunition. These men were consummate professionals. It didn’t make me any less nervous that each of these men were marksmen. Loaded weapons and explosives aboard aircraft do not fill me with confidence.

Regards,

kev35

If the nightfighter was guided to it’s target by an onboard radar operator,would the radar operator be classed as an ace or the crew recognised as an “ace” crew.If it was’nt for his imput the pilot would’nt have made the 5 kills.

Interesting point. And by the same token, had the crew not been guided to the vicinity of the raider, it is doubtful the rudimentary AI would have been enough alone, except in circumstances of extreme chance.

Regards, kev35

Have to agree with Damien. All your photo’s are very good but in my humble opinion the photo of the Emerald 748 is the best commercial photo I have EVER seen.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

kev35

I knew a Flight Engineer who did a tour on Lancasters (MkII’s) and also flew aboard Merlin engined Lancasters but preferred the Mkii.

Regards,

kev35

Where is Ken35? Hes been very quiet recently. Maybe hes off clubbing Canadian seals, do you think? (Are they allowed to club American seals without the threat of an armed invasion? Do they do it to music, the latest clubbing tunes being blasted out over the ice?) – Nermal

Hiya Kitty Litter.

Sorry I’ve been quiet, been a little busy lately as you may have seen. You and your solitary friend had no-one to play with? Missed out on the seal clubbing as well. And I’d bought a new club. Oh well, never mind.

Back to work now, away from your infantile little japes which display all the humour of the Kindergarten.

I spent yesterday in the company of Heroes, modest men who would never think of themselves as such. Extraordinary men who achieved extraordinary things yet do not believe they did anything out of the ordinary. Funnily enough, I know whose company I prefer.

I leave you, Flood and Anna to your petty vendettas, I have something far more important to do.

Kind Regards,

ken35

“Does anyone know of a Defiant to fly project? It would be a great warbird to build a replica of since it has the ability to carry a ‘passenger’.”

A considerable number of Defiant gunners would tell you that the turret was extremely difficult to extricate oneself from in an emergency, had they lived to tell the tale.

Regards,

kev35