This is very sad news.
On April 20th 1990 he took the Virginia Airshow by storm and beat the 'Blue Angels'. 120 Sqn those were the days!!
Yes, I was the co-pilot. Halfway round the first left turn at about 300ft I glanced across the cockpit towards the ground and saw that we were passing right over the top of a cemetery, with a burial in progress. I warned Smiffy as we began the second turn; his response: "CON ME ON, CON ME ON!!" Shame that there can't be Nimrod to repay the compliment to him on the 25th, but there might be a quiet smile or two to be had.
I also remember a heated exchange between him and the then Station Commander as we tried to depart Gander(?) in a snow shower during the return from that trip. Smiffy and I were passengers, and the staish was captain with my newish co-pilot in the right seat. Smiffy made several intercom calls from the starboard beam lookout position to report ice building up on the wing as we taxied for take-off, with no response. Finally, he bellowed (off intercom) up to the flight deck, within earshot of most of the crew, "THERE'S FOOK**N ICE ON THE LEADING EDGES, YOU [
]!" ....direct as always, but with integrity and right on his side.
I was the exchange pilot in Oz a few years after him. He had done up an ancient Austin A30 during his tour, and it was passed down to succeeding RAF exchange pilots over the years. His parting words to me before I left the UK were along the lines of "look after that fook**n car, young lad". It was in a rather sorry state by then though, with no real brakes, several large spiders in residence, and a bent coat hangar as the radio aerial. It worked fine as ID, though, because the gate guards always waved you through. Sadly, but quite understandably, my successor didn't want it so I sold it to an enthusiast for restoration. I hardly dared face Smiffy when I got home...
Rest easy Smiffy and thanks for everything.
