Would they be forced to fly if they...

Willi Von Klugerman · 21 November 2009, 04:11 PM

Would pilots be forced to fly if they had a sore throat?I had sore throats many times and its utterly miserable!You don't want to do anything and breathing or sniffing hard is just an awful sensation whilst you have it.
I can imagine it was pure misery flying in high altitudes in the cold if one had a sore throat!

sightreader · 22 November 2009, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willi Von Klugerman

Would pilots be forced to fly if they had a sore throat?

Don't underestimate the power of desperation and comraderie. If your only friends might die if you didn't fly, leaving you to be staring at an empty bunk for years on end wondering what you could have done IF...

Some people just can't live with that.

'14-'18aviationcollector · 22 November 2009, 01:36 AM

Besides the comraderie, in any military force you have to be at least half dead before you are allowed to have a day off. The military environment is a harsh, ruthless and tough environment. A sore throat would not even be considered an illness.

There was a 60 Minutes segment about an Australian Navy diver just over an hour ago. Weeks after having a hand and lower leg amputated due to a Bull Shark attack, he was back in the water not only diving, but diving with sharks! He said "you can't show weakness, not in my job" and that's the way military people are. It's the way they have to be.

bristol scout · 22 November 2009, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '14-'18aviationcollector

Besides the comraderie, in any military force you have to be at least half dead before you are allowed to have a day off. The military environment is a harsh, ruthless and tough environment. A sore throat would not even be considered an illness.

There was a 60 Minutes segment about an Australian Navy diver just over an hour ago. Weeks after having a hand and lower leg amputated due to a Bull Shark attack, he was back in the water not only diving, but diving with sharks! He said "you can't show weakness, not in my job" and that's the way military people are. It's the way they have to be.

Hi David,

But I truly believe that would be HIS feelings, to want to prove things, as much to himself as to others---and I applaud and am envious of that 'mindset'--in anyone.

That being said, I don't believe for a moment that sickness in the armed forces---except in the most dire of circumstances, was not considered a reasonable excuse to be--well, excused!

At a most basic level---and for extreme simplicities sake--so as not to go and check books------think of the film 'ZULU'---little more than a hundred British soldiers facing native 'IMPI's' of more than 4,000--yet there were hospitalised---and indeed malingerers---at Rorkes Drift!

just a thought,
Dave.

sightreader · 22 November 2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bristol scout

That being said, I don't believe for a moment that sickness in the armed forces---except in the most dire of circumstances, was not considered a reasonable excuse to be--well, excused!

Well, obviously everything is a matter of degree. If it's peacetime and you're scheduled to watch an air conditioner for eight hours with 4 other people there, then in all likelihood they rather you not be there with a sore throat.

Even in wartime, I'm sure its a matter of context and cohesion. If morale is really low or if the missions just aren't important anymore, then you hear of guys coming up with outlandishly stupid reasons for not flying. At the other extreme, when the jungle base of Rabaul was starved to the point of collapse, there was an allied report of a Japanese flying in such poor health that he didn't even seem to realize that his aircraft was being hit.

Ginger · 22 November 2009, 08:39 PM

[QUOTE=Willi Von Klugerman;474560]Would pilots be forced to fly if they had a sore throat?QUOTE]

In

Winged Victory, Beal gives Tom Cundall the day off when he has a bellyache.

cheers

sightreader · 22 November 2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginger

In

Winged Victory, Beal gives Tom Cundall the day off when he has a bellyache.

Which reminds me... all pilots hate the Flight Surgeon!

bristol scout · 23 November 2009, 02:47 AM

[quote=Ginger;474899]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willi Von Klugerman

Would pilots be forced to fly if they had a sore throat?QUOTE]

In

Winged Victory, Beal gives Tom Cundall the day off when he has a bellyache.

cheers

Exactly my point Ginger----Wish I'd thought of that one.

Dave.

Epee · 23 November 2009, 07:11 AM

Both

Lothar von Richthofen and

Ernst Udet were hospitalized with ear infections. These are more serious than a simply sore throat and can affect balance and therefore flying.

In WW1, before modern antibiotics, any infection was serious and potentially deadly. Treatment could involve hospitalization, surgery, and mercury-based drugs. I have a pet theory that the gallant, adventurous, and bellicose attitudes that seem so prevalent in earlier periods was, in part, due to the subconscious knowledge that no matter your age or apparent health you might be dead in two weeks from some god-awful disease or infection.

Bottom line is if you had a scratchy throat from sinus drainage you get your backside into a plane but if your tonsils are infected it’s off to the medic to have them cut out. Most men the age we are talking about would have already had their tonsils long-since removed in that time period.

sightreader · 23 November 2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epee

Bottom line is if you had a scratchy throat from sinus drainage you get your backside into a plane but if your tonsils are infected it’s off to the medic to have them cut out.

I guess it also would depend on how short you are on planes: you probably wouldn't want to risk your last D7 on a sick guy. I think the risk of losing that plane would increase substantially if it takes hours to get to the target (looking forward to WWII and beyond, of course).