topsy had paid a flying visit to farnborough a few days earlier and using a laser beam and an old fashioned tape measure he spotted our marshalling points in green paint , and then as the hand on my stopwatch reached the required number i flipped lady s on her side and pulled on a few g , we had practiced this quite a few times so i knew that sixteen hunters were now in line astern behind me , but , according to the professionals perhaps a little too close for comfort .