I regret to announce the death of my father, Dick Whittingham, who passed away on Friday.
Dad joined the RAF in the mid-1950s, training on Harvards and T-33s at Portage La Prairie in Manitoba. His first posting was to 71 (Eagle) Sqn, part then of 2ATAF and based in Bruggen flying Hunters. He then pursued a career at CFS and was one of the few to gain an A1 instructor qualification. He flew with the CFS Aerobatic team (this was before the Red Arrows were formed) on JP4s displaying at Farnborough and the Paris Air Show. After tours in the Far East and Staff College he was Wing Commander Flying at Finningley in the late 1970s and then OC BFTS at Cranwell in the early 1980s, which was when the picture was taken.
After a last tour as Military Attaché in Quito Dad left the RAF at his 55 point to work for Plessey in Madrid and Pera in Barcelona before settling in Somerset. In his early retirement he was Chairman of Bristol Groundschool and a regular poster on these forums.
Dad is survived by his wife Helen, two sons and a daughter, and eleven grandchildren.