Originally Posted by
Bill Macgillivray
Finningley Boy
I was Sharkey's QFI and Flt. Cdr. at Linton when we still did the basic flying training (JP 3&4) for the RN. He was a Lt. and thus the senior student and course leader. Never a problem - in fact he used to save me a lot of time and effort in the way he managed his course. A first class student who took any advice/critiscm as it was meant. A great guy in the late '60's certainly!
Bill
Indeed Sir, I hope I didn't come across as overly flippant, I suspect as many are posting now that his enmity toward the light blue began during the inter-service conflict provoked by Healy's quest for heavy defence cuts to help pay for the planned expansion in public expenditure. The RAF's consolation prize, the F-111, for dipping out on the TSR2, was lost when the government did what they assured all they wouldn't do, devalue the pound. Aimed at improving export orders thus helping to balance the books, always a forlorn hope, instead achieved what was certain, a much less favourable exchange rate with the dollar price of an F-111 being much higher. Hence, the cancellation announced in January 1968. You'll of course recall the RAF abandoned Geilenkirchen at the same time, and after only just pulling out of our commitment to Aden. So there's the smoking gun for Sharkey's fury at the junior service.
FB