Governments are a crap shoot, meaning the quality of the people occupying important positions. If you are lucky, the people that make decisions in the government that you are stuck with are thoughtful people that want to do the right thing for the country. Or if you are unlucky, you are facing the kind of government bureaucrats that Hugh Dowding, Chief of Fighter Command, faced in 1938.
The conversation, as told in Peter Townsend's memoir about a Battle of Britain RAF pilot, Duel of Eagles, went something like this:
Sir Hugh Dowding: "Oh, and by the way, I would like bullet proof windscreens for my pilots..."
Air Ministry spokesman: "In all respects, Sir Hugh, are you mad?"
Sir Hugh Dowding: "My pilots are much more effective without bullet holes in their heads!"
Air Ministry spokesman: "Do you have any idea how much that would cost!"
Another Air Ministry spokesman: "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard off. We should just shutter the RAF and get more battleships!"
Sir Hugh Dowding: "Battleships!? Luftwaffe bombers are shooting off the assembly lines in Germany, and you think battleships are going to keep them out of the skies over England? Are you mad?"
Air Ministry spokesman: "Now now, don't get your auntie's skirts in a ruffle. We don't have the money in the budget for such foolishness. Your pilots will just have to be a bit more nimble, won't they."
Sir Hugh Dowding: "Well the way I see it, if Chicago gangsters can have bullet proof glass in their cars, my pilots will have bullet proof glass in their fighters! The only thing standing between your houses and loved ones will be the willingness of my fighter pilots to close with German bombers, something they will be more than glad enough to do if they just had a fighting chance to stay alive!"
Sir Hugh Dowding got his bullet proof windscreens.
Image by Wikimedia contributor Alex Layzell
