Letter: Barracuda blues

Sir: The tribute to Gwen Alston (27 July) and the poem recalled by R. P. Brookes (letter, 30 July) reminded me of the parody of the then popular song 'Paper Doll', which neatly summed up the love- hate relationship experienced by those of us who flew in Barracudas in the Fleet Air Arm during the war. It ran:

I'm going to buy a Barracuda I can call my own,

A kite the RAF will never steal,

And then those wizard P. O. Prunes in their 'Mossies' and Typhoons,

Will have to fly in aircraft that are real.

As through the evening sky we slowly stagger,

Just waiting for the next poor sod to die,

I'd rather have a Barracuda all my own,

Than have an aircraft that can really fly.

Yours sincerely,

ROBERT KILLIN

Norwich