An RAF pilot’s annual assessment of ability.

Quételet, the man who invented averages.

The University of Ghent.

It was the study of Astronomy that gave rise to the first calculations of averages.

The study of the average Scottish Soldier.

Very few deaths during the First World War were due to enemy action.

The Second World War also saw an unacceptable number of deaths due to accidents.

The USAF conducted a large study into the size of their men to discover the dimensions of the average pilot.

Lt Gilbert Daniels discovered that not one USAF pilot matched the average!

The study of ergonomics let to better cockpit design.

Human factors also covers the limitation of the human body when flying.

Modern glass cockpits prevent many pitfalls from previous designs but bring their own problems.

Adverts for Boulton and Paul garden sunrooms.

The Wonderful Airfix Defiant model.

The ungainly Rhino parachute that the Defiant gunners wore.

The Sopwith Camel that Boulton Paul built under licence.

Boulton Paul had become well known as a turret manufacturer.

The ungainly Rhino parachute that the Defiant gunners had to cope with.

Boulton Paul Defiants lined up on the ground.

Taken out of front line operations the Defiant found a place as a target tug aircraft.

The large and slow Fairey Battle.

The Battle’s bomb aimer’s position.

Bombing up a Battle.

How many apprentices does it take to push a Fairey Battle?

The Fairey Swordfish.

The aircraft due to replace the Swordfish, the Fairey Albacore.

An Albacore departs from HMS Victorious.

The damaged and sunk capital ships of the Italian Navy after the Battle of Taranto.