Flying high again... the Spitfire pilot shot down by elf 'n' safety

He survived the daily dangers of being a pilot in the Second World War and even risked his life on a clandestine operation in the Soviet Union.

Now aged 91, and seven decades on from his wartime exploits, Eric Carter has taken to the skies again at the controls of a rare two-seater Spitfire.

Earlier this year, museum officials denied Mr Carter the chance even to sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire because of health and safety rules.

Flying high again...the Spitfire pilot shot down by elf 'n' safety: Hero, 91, takes controls of rare two-seat aircraft 70 years after he first flew legendary plane | Mail Online

 

Good story. It reminds me of Bob Hoover, a WW2 fighter pilot and famed airshow performer who had his license revoked by the FAA in the early 1990s. In response, Australia gave him a pilot's license and he still performs outside the US. I'm sure that some of these old guys can still outperform the young pilots if they had the chance.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Far be it for me to - ahem - take The Mail to task (again) and I'm usually the first to splutter over 'Elf'n'Safety - but the Spitfire at the Potteries Museum ( the one in question ) although it looks nice, is actually quite severely corroded and is undergoing a very expensive stage-by-stage restoration whilst still on display.

So maybe - just maybe - the Museum has a point in this case......