Sorry, but I don’t think I can make that one. 🙁

My grandmother used to take in foreign students – Poles, Germans, French, Spanish, Koreans, Czechs, etc etc, including several Japanese students. They told her that their history lessons blacked out the period of 1939-45, and possibly even some of the time before that period.

Unfortunately, from what I’ve read and heard recently, it seems that attitude is taking hold here to. 🙁

Thanks Robbo.

extends to the mid 60s, when the last ‘real’ motor race took place

I think a certain James Gordon-Bennett would take issue with you on that one!

The Harrier was a historic aircraft the moment the first one left the ground.

Let’s not forget that a replacement should be along in the not to distant futue (JSF), and bigger and better carriers are being built to accommodate them. The RAF’s Harriers have been tasked to carry on with the SHARs role, haven’t they, until then?

We can only wonder what Dowding and Harris would say

My suspicion is that, as with many of the aircraft of the time, the ones you listed would be pressed into service regardless of their failings. More appropriate roles for the designs would have been found. Take the BP Defiant, for instance – great first day, lousy second, reasigned as a night figher, did okay from thereon in.