On the brink.

On this day in 1962 I, and millions of other ordinary people, went to bed full of dread and not at all sure that we would live to see another day. It was the climax of the Cuban missile crisis, the American nuclear bombers were in the air, and the British Vulcan fleet was armed and placed on 5 minutes readiness.

Thankfully the situation was resolved at the last minute and we continued with our lives, but we had stared into the very mouth of hell.

(In 1962 the Vulcans were in fact painted white; only later were they camouflaged).