“"When the altimeter reads forty thousand and the flak is r..."”
When the altimeter reads forty thousand and the flak is rising, skill is not always enough. In the lonely hours of World War II, Allied aircrew reached for talismans. RAF bomber crews stuffed rabbits' feet, silver thrupenny bits, and even a pair of WAAF "blackout" knickers into their Lancasters, hoping to bend fate. A navigator might insist on boarding in full dress uniform; a gunner might refuse to fly without a knitted doll from the publican's daughter. The 13th mission was quietly logged as "12B." Crew photos were avoided until the tour was done. Death, it seemed, could be held at bay by ritual.
This story illustrates why When the altimeter reads forty thousand and the flak is rising, skill is not alw remains a cornerstone of aviation culture.