> > Men of the Colonel's nature rarely take chances. He would not have trie=
d
> > it if he had not known it to be well within the performance envelope of
> > his resources.

> You don't know that.

None of us know anything, as it were.

[What the performance envelope of his resources were and what was
required for that "stunt" would have been well known to all at the
time of the court martial, but I do not have any idea personally.]

BUT as soon as I read the above story I thought (of course) about Bud Holla=
nd.
I haven't clicked on the link and I did not remember the name BUT I
have no absolutely no doubt [tm] that he is the idiot I have in mind.

Holland was essentially insane - and all who knew him well knew this.

The Colonel was made of different stuff, and everyone also knew that.

There is a certain commonality required to be a B52 pilot.
Beyond that there was a very substantial degree of difference.

20/20 hindsite is a marvellous improver of perspective, but I suspect
I'd have gladly flown with the Colonel on his under-bridge flight and
have fled from Holland as much as possible. But, then, I'm the one guy
in 10,000+ who stands at the end of the airbridge prior to boarding an
airliner in winter conditions and looks for signs of bad deicing
procedures. [I don't know what I'll really do if I find such]. But
also happily [tm] climbs over safety fences where people have died
*IF* I judge it is reasonable to do so (never without both fear and
great care)(but usually, only if in addition (and not instead) my
camera says I should :-)..



         Russell
--=20
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