Test pilots in the crapper

I was reading Aeroplane over what might charitably be called “lunch”. Some crisps and a cup at the approximate time of a normal lunch… but this is just making a short story long.

Castle Bromwich is well known in aviation circles. It’s where a large number of Spitfires and Lancasters were built (for the non-aviation minded, that places it in World War II). Each airplane had to be taken up and run through some rough testing before being handed over to the ATA (the men and women who delivered aircraft to the RAF bases). The test pilots were there to ensure manufactruing mistakes were found at the plant and not in battle.

Now Castle Bromwich had miserable weather, lots of fog, a rather short runway that was half paved and half grass. I remembered reading much of that before. What I didn’t know was the interesting bit about the approach. You see, there was a sewage treatment plant just before the threshold.

It really has to be asked. Did the test pilots at Castle Bromwich originate the phrase…. “landing us in the shit”???

I couldn’t resist it.