Flying Scot (An Airman's Story) PDF
Preview Flying Scot (An Airman's Story)
“Man’s inhumanity to man has given place to man’s suicidal inhumanity to the planet and his determination to destroy it.''
Alastair Cavendish Lindsay Mackie (1922-2018) was born in Worcestershire, one of two children of George Mackie DSO MBE, a doctor who spent four years commanding a field ambulance in the Great War, and his wife May.
This is the memoir of a 26 year career in the RAF, told with humor and modesty that belies the danger of flying over 47 different types of military aircraft in war and peace, it is also about his growing disillusionment with those in high command after the war.
Alastair Mackie began his operational career flying Wellington bombers over the North African desert until converting to the newer B-24 Liberator.
He watched the famous opening barrage at the opening of El Alamein from the air and became involved in supplying the besieged island of Malta together with hunting for Axis shiping in the Mediterranean.
He was next posted to Northern Ireland where he converted to DC-3 Transport Aircraft as part of the D-Day Buildup. He Operated during D-Day, dropping parachute troops into German held territory and continued with these kinds of operations through to VE-Day, taking part in both Arnhem and the Crossing of the Rhine. After VE-Day he took part in several Flights to return British and Commonwealth Ground Forces from Italy and Germany, as well as Evacuating former Allied POWs.
He was then posted to a Very Long Range (VLR) Specialist DC-3 Squadron and flew out to all points East.
Afterwards he was posted to The RAFs Central Flying School to teach future flying instructors of the RAF and in that time flew everything from Tiger Moths to Lancasters.
After another tour in the Far East where he flew his own personal Spitfire, he returned to the UK to convert to jet aircraft. After a spell desk bound inside the Cabinet Office's Joint Intelligence Committee - which he disliked greatly due to the incompetence he saw on display - he was appointed the RAF Air Station Commander in West Germany at RAF Colerne, operating on Hastings transport aircraft.
Alastair was then appointed wing commander in charge of flying at RAF Waddington after returning to the UK. This new posting put him in command of both of the resident RAF Canberra Jet Bomber Squadrons based there at that time, 37/38 RAF Squadrons.
After retiring from the RAF due to his increasing disillusionment with the service, he commenced a career in Law and in his later years he has become a firm opponent of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, having seen its preparation with the Vulcan Force until the Royal Navy assumed the role it now has with trident.
Originally Published in HB 2012 as 'The Flying Scotsman' (9781848847569), it was retitled for its digital release to 'Flying Scot' (9781783036097) given a new cover but with identical content in 2012 by the same publisher.
This is the later release hence the difference in title.
Illustrated - 60.
(NB: Author is Now Deceased - UK).
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