Poor Tony Benn
Jan 14, 2018, 5:42 am
#4
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I don't read this as a slight on his political views, but as ironically honouring them. Those views meant that he wouldn't naturally be thought of as a Concorde passenger. A reader of the poster who didn't know the background but did know about his "left-wing credentials" might do a double-take, and the parenthetical phrase in the poster acknowledges that that was indeed his stance.
As DYKWIA reminds us, he had a valuable place in the Concorde story notwithstanding that, and it seemed quite fitting that he should have been on the last flight. That was quite a day.
As DYKWIA reminds us, he had a valuable place in the Concorde story notwithstanding that, and it seemed quite fitting that he should have been on the last flight. That was quite a day.
Jan 14, 2018, 12:54 pm
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What has Tony Benn's son got to do with it?
Tony Benn as aviation minister also insisted that some of the people who worked on the project - the engineers, draughtsmen, technicians etc actually got to fly on some of the first passenger test flights.
In the BBC documentary about Concorde (that gets a regular airing on BBC4 and on here) his efforts on keeping the project going were explained very well. He saw it as more that just a single plane but as part of the wider UK aerospace industry.
Tony Benn as aviation minister also insisted that some of the people who worked on the project - the engineers, draughtsmen, technicians etc actually got to fly on some of the first passenger test flights.
In the BBC documentary about Concorde (that gets a regular airing on BBC4 and on here) his efforts on keeping the project going were explained very well. He saw it as more that just a single plane but as part of the wider UK aerospace industry.
Jan 14, 2018, 1:44 pm
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Not forgetting he was also MP for South Gloucestershire and the home of UK Concorde development and production (Filton) was in this constituency. He was pro-Concorde for both the technology gain for the UK and the employment prospects for his own constituents. My late father-in-law was an aerospace journalist and was on some of the early Concorde test flights and Tony Benn was on a few of them. He always said he was a really charming and charismatic man.
Last edited by BOH; Jan 14, 2018 at 1:54 pm
Jan 14, 2018, 9:40 pm
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Interesting Trio
David Frost probably Concordes Number 1 Flyer
Joan Collins maybe BA's Highest Celebrity Complainer
Tony Benn the Aviation Minister who kow-towed to The French and added the 'E'
David Frost probably Concordes Number 1 Flyer
Joan Collins maybe BA's Highest Celebrity Complainer
Tony Benn the Aviation Minister who kow-towed to The French and added the 'E'
Jan 15, 2018, 1:36 am
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Jan 15, 2018, 1:50 am
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Jan 15, 2018, 1:53 am
#14
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If all that can be reproached to him is to not waste time and energy fighting that sort of absurd war (assuming the French even cared about the spelling which is doubtful) to focus on things that actually matter, it already says a lot about his ability to be pragmatic when it matters, which seems to have been exactly the case in the context of the Concorde programme to be honest.