The Last Flight of XM594 - A P&S Spin-off.

[Archangel]

Originally Posted by Dunois

Perhaps in this world some workers in a Brazilian factory will fumes that their jobs are being offshored to some exotic place like Germany, Spain, France or Britain ...

This should really be in one of the P&S epilogues.

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by Chipperback

Some copies of these shows will live through the war as will some copies of earlier editions of Doctor Who.

They are in a vault at the broadcasting facilities of Nebraska Educational Television, Lincoln, Nebraska.

In the earlier 1980s previous seasons of these fine shows and many others were played on my state's public broadcaster. And at least one intrepid soul made sure to secure these treasures, just as another secured some important things from the Omaha radio station where he worked.

Well that's some good news for whenever the BBC TV service goes back on the air.

[JN1]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Could be worse with TV. Imagine; every copy of Fawlty Towers, Monty Python, and Dad's Army is gone but episodes of Mind Your Language and the Black and White Minstrel Show survive...

Not necessarily. A lot of stuff was taken to Wood Norton for safe keeping.

[Hörnla]

I think that TV will Be Regularly, not 24/7, in Air in regions which have Energy and Public Safety by the Late 80s. In Europe this will probably Delay the Rise of private tv in Most countries (in the FRG it was just about to Start in 84), i cannot fathom how tv in post-Exchange USA would develop.

Programme would Be cheap. News Bulletins," ...and survive"-advice, reruns of whatever is at Hand (thankfully this is After the Rise of the VCR), Music...
Generally, distraction, Propaganda and Education should go Hand in Hand.

A real Problem might Be "Drama". Most Major theaters would Be gone, and it is a costly Art. Where TV doesn't come back but People have enough to Share some Food and Gas, actors might Tour like in the old days. But i think that it might take very Long, maybe until the awareness for a Cultural Renaissance is there, until Symphonic Congress, operas etc. Can Be Staged again in europe.

Concerning hollywood, well the Big letters will have burnt. But besides... Cynically Said, if tv suffers, it can't Be that Bad for Movie-Making. Also, the Basic stuff for getting something on Film is a Lot Cursors than...say in 1945. So, i think once the Basic recovery is sorted, Small-scale, Independent, Part-Time Film-Making will Return sooner than expected. Given that Movies are THE American Form of Art, there Night Even Be a Rush to cameras.
In the end, for a good Movie, you Need a good idea. Of course, ITTL we will Not See jurassic Park or toy story. But i checked IMDB for the highest grossing movies made in 1985-95, and I could Imagine 28 out of 81 to Be Done As very modest Productions. I am Not saying that exactly These Films would Be made. Plenty of ideas and creativity have Died in the war ... And debra winger can't Be everywhere. But there might Be People in 2012 in this Timeline who say "back then, when People made Movies and couldn't expect to Show them to more than a handful of Theaters... These Movies were cheap but they had a Lot more to say than the nonsense they Show nowadays."

[Chipperback]

"Plenty of ideas and creativity have Died in the war ... And debra winger can't Be everywhere. But there might Be People in 2012 in this Timeline who say "back then, when People made Movies and couldn't expect to Show them to more than a handful of Theaters... These Movies were cheap but they had a Lot more to say than the nonsense they Show nowadays."

As long as a few high school drama teachers are left, there may be a play production done.

As long as there's books and script around, theatre can be read...and it plays better on the radio

[Hörnla]

Originally Posted by Chipperback

As long as a few high school drama teachers are left, there may be a play production

You are right. I forgot that source of Entertainment.

[JN1]

IIRC Channel 4 started back in 1984, so we'll not see that for a while. Ditto for things like BSB/Sky/BSkyB/Virgin etc.

[Lemon flavoured]

Originally Posted by JN1

IIRC Channel 4 started back in 1984, so we'll not see that for a while. Ditto for things like BSB/Sky/BSkyB/Virgin etc.

Didn't C4 start in '82?

[JN1]

You're probably right. I'd need to look it up to be honest.

EDIT: Checked and it was November 1982, oops!

[MrChief]

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began transmission on 2 November 1982.

EDIT JN1 you beat me to it

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by JN1

IIRC Channel 4 started back in 1984, so we'll not see that for a while. Ditto for things like BSB/Sky/BSkyB/Virgin etc.

So you're saying it would take a nuclear war to stop the rise of Murdoch?

[MrChief]

Originally Posted by Garrison

So you're saying it would take a nuclear war to stop the rise of Murdoch?

Don't think that would work cockroaches would survive

[JN1]

See, nuclear war would have it's upside.

[Whirling Dervish]

JN1 wrote:
Re the RAFVR(T) officer I'm just sad I couldn't use the modern nickname for such personnel - Virtual Reality Troopers.

OI! We're not all like that you know

Actually, in the interests of accuracy, your RAFVR(Training) Sqn Ldr would have been much more likely to be a full-time RAFVR(Civil Component) Sqn Ldr, as all AEF Flight Cdrs were prior to 1997, after which they became RAFR(CC) posts following a re-organisation of some elements of the Reserve Air Forces. Most AEF pilots are/were RAFVR(T) Flying Officers (even if they were - as one currently is, a retired regular - and thus RAFR - Air Chief Marshal!), with the occasional "time-served" RAFVR(T) Flight Lieutenant.

Sorry to be pedantic!!

Having said that - interesting debate. As you may know, call-out liability is a subject of some discussion amongst RAFVR(T) Officers ...ordinarily (and currently), VR(T) Officers have no call out liability under RAF regulations, but could however - in law - still be called out under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA96). RFA96 replaced the Reserve Forces Act 1980 (RFA80), which contained some interesting clauses:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...ion/23/enacted

So, essentially, under S23 of RFA80 (which would have legally governed the service of RAFVR(T) Officers in 1984, and as part of the raft of emergency powers legislation available to the Government/Regional Government, would take precedence over normal RAF regulations) any Justice of the Peace could authorise the senior (regular) RAF Officer in a particular town/district (e.g. a Regional Govt RAF Liaison Officer), or CO of HM Forces in a town/district (e.g. senior TA Officer) to call out any/all Air Force Reserve personnel in the area to assist the Civil Powers. As the RAFVR was/is part of the AFR/RAFR (from 1997 onwards) personally, I think it would have been highly likely that RAFVR(T) Officers could have found themselves called out during Transition To War.

In what capacity they may have been used, is another debate altogether!! Some would undoubtedly be more useful than others ...some would probably be told "thanks, but no thanks".

Cheers
WD

[JN1]

I know you're not all like that, though a mate of mine used to be an Adult Flight Sergeant in the ATC and he has told me some interesting tales about the VRT officers.

I suspect that VRT officers might have been called out when Queen's Order Two was signed. AFAIK that essentially calls up everybody (even potentially the Chelsea Pensioners apparently!).

Pedant away, btw, and thanks for the info.

[Lemon flavoured]

I just saw the remaining flying Vulcan fly over Coddington today and it reminded me of this TL.

[Hoisin Fried Beef Chicken]

A point I would like to raise is the matter of US Forces in Blighty and in Europe, I personally am not sure if they would take the Queen's Shilling considering that there could be a surviving US Fleet or/and US Command Post aircraft (in Chipperback's case) that could relay comms, and the assumption that US military personnel had their own rations, NBC contingency plans, etc.

Apart from that, great way to end the story.

[markjones980]

Hi Jan
I've only just caught up and finished this brilliant tale, well done mate! I'm glad the aftermath didnt turn into some post apocalyptic zombie flesh eating farce. I'm also thrilled to learn that I ended up where I am!!!! Hoping for and looking forward to further writings.
Regards
Mark

[markjones980]

Originally Posted by butch4343

hi jan

I wanted to say great ending to a really well written and gritty story. I particularly liked your account of the groundcrews, cant help but think that if the war had happened 20 years later I could have been one of those ground crew.

Jan I was wondering do you have any plans to write more about the RAF's operations in P&Sverse, I was thinking maybe some short stories from the crews of the orphaned aircraft that arrived at leuchars, or something along those lines, since theres nothing been mentioned as to who specifically arrived then you would have a free reign.

Just an idea

Regards

Fantastic idea!!!

[JN1]

Thanks very much, Mark.
I do have three ideas for more spin-offs. Don't know when I'll actually get around to writing them though.