I well remember the absolute glee when this film was released for recruiting in the late 70s. Up until then we had to put up with a fairly boring repertoire of Red Arrows and the like. As far as I remember this was the first film that really showed the RAF as we hoped it was like.
Trudging round the schools and colleges of east London and Essex actually became worthwhile.
And then I was posted to Honington in early 1980 and came face to face with all the characters. The one who really sticks in the mind is the 4 feet of attitude which was Jock Frizzell. Rumour had it that he made the choice of Vangelis for the music.
Brilliant days in an Air Force which, perhaps, was in its glory post-war years and with an aircraft which was the duck's nuts.
As an aside - if the RN had accepted the fact that the Buccs
were getting through their air defence screen in those days then perhaps there might have been a couple of ships and more than a few brave souls still alive today post Falklands.