Just dropped in my mail box:

"It is with deep regret that I have to report the death of Sqn Ldr Butch Hamer aged 92."

We used to night stop at El Adem in Libya; as we drove past the Ops Building we used to laugh, because they had never repaired the holes in its walls that Butch had put there in World War 2 when he strafed the German Luftwaffe based there, from his Spitfire.

We got into trouble when we did a 'beat-up' of 'Windy' Wellington in New Zealand ... Butch puffing smoke everywhere from his pipe ... they took a photograph from the control tower, looking DOWN on us, as Butch raised a wingtip to miss a Landrover.... in a Comet 4c!!!!! 

The kiwis loved it ... our bosses didn't when they received a copy of a Wellington newspaper, with us on the front page

He did the low-level flights to see if it was worth building the Nimrod Maritime Rece aircraft (which it was and based it on the Comet). They found seaweed on the pitot-heads which protrude 12 inches below the aircraft.

Comet 4c of 216 Squadron, RAF (1972)

Passing of a legend ... and a good 'playmate' ... the angels will being flying in a new formation today!