Dear Editor,
Interesting, A baggage handler employed with the JFK Airport, was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug related activities at the said airport. Mr Victor Bourne, is a native of Barbados, residing in the USA. I am yet to read/hear about the demonizing of Barbados or its Government by Barbadians, as a result of his behaviour. Had he been a Guyanese, our local media would have had a field day, highlighting all the negativity about Guyana, the Government, and the impact his action would have had on US/Government of Guyana relations.
‘Spits’ Find. An agreement has been signed between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Burma (Myanmar), to allow the excavation of several crates containing about sixty Spitfires, buried about seventy years ago in Burma. The Spitfires along with the Hurricanes played an important role during the ‘Battle of Britain.’ The pilots who fought in that famous conflict, have been immortalized in W Churchill’s magnificent speech, about the ‘Few’.
The Spitfire was powered by a single Rolls Royce Merlin engine. It had a combat speed between 300 to 400 mph; immensely slow, in comparison to our modern fighter aircraft. During 1944, a modified Spitfire, during high speed diving trials achieved a speed of about 606 mph.
The Spitfire was a highly popular aircraft and was loved by pilots from all parts of the globe. Some notable Spitfire pilots of WWII, were Douglas Bader, JE “Johnnie” Johnson, George Beurling and AG ‘Sailor” Malan.
The Spitfires were used by the USAAF 4th Fighter Squadron until replaced by P 47 Thunderbolts.
Apart from its military capabilities, it was a rather beautiful aircraft, and in flight, it would have been the envy of Angels. Looking at a photograph of a Spitfire, is like being in the presence of a heavenly body.
Barbados has its Concorde; maybe Guyana can have a ‘Spitfire.’
Monument – Cubana Air Disaster. A Monument to the victims of the Cubana Air Disaster, was unveiled at the University of Guyana, by His Excellency, the President of Guyana. Conspicuous by their absence were Members of the Parliamentary Opposition, including a most prominent relative of one of the victims of the disaster. If the absence of those persons is not stupidity at its greatest; kindly enlighten me otherwise.
Yours faithfully,
CS Vaughn, MSM
Major (Rt’d)
