RAF Pilot Recruitment - 1950's Style

[seafuryfan]

Some of our more senior 'military aircrew' will recognise the 'form' in this wonderfully period piece of film:

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-3148026876759895856

Thanks to Mr Blue Sky, and, as he says, get a brew and a biccie before watching.

[Grey'npointy]

Today's studes could learn a thing or two from those back then....and the WAAFs had much more pert behinds!

[Two's in]

Isn't that Flt Lt in the Careers Office still holding for OCU?

[Gainesy]

Scruffy git needs a haircut. Was that Wholi instructing BTW?:E

[clearfinalsno1]

Great video. Those were the days - and quite recent to!

It's interesting how the final part of the video talks about flying over the world, and europe as if Europe were separate to the UK.

Indeed, when I was growing up, Europe was portrayed as separate - such as we are going for our holiday "on the continent". Does anyone else agree with this recollection? We are now lumped in with Europe not only politically but geographically - this was not always the case.

[JagRigger]

Nice shot of the Hawker 1040 too.....

[BEagle]

Excellent clip!

It was probably only around 10 years later when similar clips attracted me to want to join. That and the jet aircraft from Yeovilton, Merryfield and Chivenor which used to fly over the house every day!

We didn't 'go abroad' until 1958 - in the family Zephyr convertible over to Calais....'The Continent' as we called it then. Before then, all our family holidays had been in Cornwall - where, if I recall correctly, the sun always shone! From then on, we always went 'abroad' in the summer, although the 'joys' of some Spanish flea-pit weren't quite the same as the simple pleasures of sunny Cornwall.

I even remember the 1 peseta note - still around in 1963!

I was lucky that our first holiday 'abroad' included France, Blegium, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden in 1958. I remember a lot of bomb-damaged buildings in Germany, the hostility of some people and the friendliness of others. Denmark was truly heaven though. On the way back we went to the Brussels Worlds Fair 'Expo 58'. Where I first saw colour TV (in the American pavilion) and a life-size model of Sputnik 1 (in the Russian pavilion). Then a fast drive along the not-long-open motorway to Oostende, and onto the ferry - with its horrible 'couchettes'. Anyone remember those?

This holiday was partially-financed by some subsidy available to those involved in agriculture. So, whilst my mother, brother and I were on the beach, my father had to visit the odd farm to justify the trip subsidy.

Which must have had some beneficial effect for, about 10 years later, we had 3000 pigs happily living in what had once been the Officers' Mess at RAF Merryfield! Some said that they improved the standard of the place....

Now, of course, all gone. Buried under a housing estate called 'Spurwells'.

I wonder whether the people who live there know they're living over several thousand gallons of rotting pig ****?

[John Purdey]

Real nostalgia, and apart from the nauseating commentary, that's how it was - including those dreadful Prentices!!

[BEagle]

Well, actually I thought how good it was to hear proper English again (as per the commentary) - so much better than the appalling yoof-speak of today.

Innit. Knowo' I mean?

[clearfinalsno1]

I agree with BEagle on the merits of the language used. It's not just the pronunciation, but the grammar.

I've already talked about Europe/the continent.

He talks about the Percival as being "fitted with dual control" - not "dual controls" as it is common to say now.

Also he says "working as part of a two men team", not a "two man team".

[petermcleland]

I found it interesting that only one year later in 1951 those chaps would have been Acting Pilot Officers rather than P4 cadets :)

[XV277]

Nice shot of the Hawker 1040 too.....
<spotter mode on> Not 1040, 1052 (swept wings) <mode off>
Bad luck Bill.

<further spotter mode> Just showed it to my father-in-law, he pointed out that they were trying to entice young chaps to join up and fly mid-1940s fighters (Spitfire, Hurricane and P-40 at the end) <mode off>

he also muttered about the length of the young chap's hair. "Not on my unit" was his comment.

[GPMG]

What were the entry requirements in those days?

Maths above average?? Was that it?

Crikey, I wish that I had been born 30 years earlier.

[winkle]

great anyone got a link to the buc film they made in the 70s the one with the van gellis music.

[antipodean alligator]

What about Dr FOD and Miss Wayward Body???

[nacluv]

Winkle's post got me thinking - sorry it's not strictly on-topic.

Does anyone have a link (or even remember) a promotional film of the Reds made in the 80's (I think), which was choreographed and set to music? As I recall, the film's maker was a bloke (or perhaps a guy?) called Gibson. I also wonder if the BBC had something to do with it because I remember the sounds track was available on a BBC 7" record

I have scoured YouTube and there are thousands of Reds films, but I can't find this particular one. Can anyone please help?

Cheers,

[SirToppamHat]

Winkle

No link but I remember that one. ISTR it was filmed in and around Gib. The music was by Vangelis - it was called 'To the Unknown Man', and could have been written to order. I think there was a launch of a Martel TV-Guided missile as well, but I could be wrong.

STH

[jammydonut]

5 "O" levels
Aptitude test at Hornchurch
South Cerney for basic training as P/O cadets
Then I think -
Thorny Island for transport training
Cranwell for fighters
???

[airborne_artist]

GPMG - all short/medium commissions needed only 5 O-levels inc Maths and an English - but then O-levels were harder then :E

Not many got on who just had that level of exam passes, as the rest of the interview/tests were probably aimed at a 2 A-level at C grade standard. I got in with A-levels at D, E, E :\

[spheroid]

Which must have had some beneficial effect for, about 10 years later, we had 3000 pigs happily living in what had once been the Officers' Mess at RAF Merryfield! Some said that they improved the standard of the place


I think Merryfield is still around and still being flown to. Don't Yeovilton aircraft use it?

[seafuryfan]

That Red Arrows film is out there somewhere. It was made by Arthur Gibson (who died about 5 years ago) just after the Rad Arrows changed to Hawks.

He was a strong on tail mounted cameras, as was Richard Cooke. you'll recognise their work with many 80's head on views of F3s, Hawks, Lightnings etc.

The Vangelis soundtrack was issued as a '45 single. Yes, sad to say I bought it, complete with Red Arrows on the front. It didn't make the 'Hit Parade'.