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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/01/09/WWII-pilot-not-allowed-to-sit-in-plane/UPI-57331326138686/#ixzz1izqEcbDs
Published: Jan. 9, 2012 at 2:51 PM
STOKE-ON-TRENT, England, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A 91-year-old World War II pilot was banned from sitting in a restored Spitfire fighter plane at a museum in Stoke-on-Trent, England.
Museum officials cited health and safety risks when they told Eric Carter he could not climb in the cockpit of the Spitfire at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, The Sun reported.
"You couldn't make it up. I used to fly those things every day fighting the Germans -- now that really was a health and safety concern!" Carter said. "To think that I couldn't sit in a stationary Spitfire in case I got hurt. I just wish the Luftwaffe had been so caring. The people at the museum had their reasons, but I had to laugh."
GALLERY: New photos from WWII-era America: http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/Features/New-photos-from-WWII-era-America/5514/?sg
FULL story at link.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)...but I'll bet he was a bit more spry and less prone to falling injury when he was flying them in WWII.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)JVS
(61,935 posts)ManiacJoe
(10,136 posts)Must be a slow news day.
NickSayer
(2 posts)News dosn't always have to be bad. Having met Eric today he definately deserves a hearing
NickSayer
(2 posts)rfranklin
(13,200 posts)I heard a letter of apology was sent.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,390 posts)The cockpit had recently been painted with paint containing radium which is a radioactive and there is no proper seat in the Spitfire itself at the moment so I am told the people on the day thought it best he did not sit in the plane for those reasons because of his age.
Although they did say if he had told them further in advance he would like to sit in the Spitfire they said they may have been able to get a ladder so he could look inside.
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2012/01/08/worcestershire-war-veteran-who-fought-with-nazi-pilots-refused-entry-into-spitfire-cockpit-66331-30078260/2/
The Midway Rebel
(2,191 posts)Here is an interesting bit about the dial painters who were often young girls. A book has been written about them intitled, "Radium Girls".
http://www.roger-russell.com/jeffers/radiumdials.htm
MilesColtrane
(18,678 posts)it, complete with dismount.
Where's a contract lawyer when you really need one?
applegrove
(118,844 posts)to get inside information on how to fly it since the friend flew them in WWII. He then offered my dad's friend a chance to fly the bloody thing. My dad's friend was in his 90s. Of course he said no. He has since passed away. My gosh those men were brave.