Robert Prest

[PhantomFan]

Hello,

I just read Robert Prest's "F4 Phantom: A Pilot's Story" and never before has an aviation book captured my complete imagination and wonder like this book.

I read in these forums that Mr. Prest is flying in commercial aviation now after a successful career in the RAF.

I would like to see if there is any way to correspond with Mr. Prest and relay my great admiration for his book.

Thanks very much

[airborne_artist]

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/131834-robert-prest-what-became-him.html may help.

[JEM60]

Have it on my bookshelf for quite a few years now. Read it many times. Brilliant book.

[P6 Driver]

And another one who has had this on the bookshelf for many years - an excellent read!

[Mach Two]

Been on mine too. Can't recall if I ever checked this, but I do recall being told by my nav (at the time) that the book didn't go down well with the directional consultants' union as they never got a mention. Hard to operate the F4 without the guy in the back seat. :sad:

[1.3VStall]

Ah, yes, the F4: a triumph of thrust over aerodynamics!

[Geehovah]

I'll never forget a combat sortie on the OCU with Bob. I'd had a few too many beers the night before with a few of my, soon to be, Squadron mates. Bob made sure I knew the consequences of my actions! I learned about flying from that!

Great book and I have it on my bookshelf. Not sure I'd have realised that an F4 had a navigator though!

[Mach Two]

Yeah, yeah! I guess the words "Pilot's Story" gives us a clue. Just reprting what my colleagues at the time were thinking.

No argument with a good story or a bloody good book.

[Mach Two]

Oh, and, yes, she was a victory of thrust over aerodynamics. And bleed air and Ram Air Bellows and Stab Augs and brute strength.

[A2QFI]

Don't forget Aileron Rudder Interconnect!

[Mach Two]

Yep! ARI up to a point. "If it buffets, user yer boots". Ah, happy days!

[RodfjH]

Last known whereabouts was Bahrain flying for Gulf Air, but may have moved on.

[Phantom Driver]

Been on mine too. Can't recall if I ever checked this, but I do recall being told by my nav (at the time) that the book didn't go down well with the directional consultants' union as they never got a mention. Hard to operate the F4 without the guy in the back seat


Impossible (operationally) to operate the F4 without the guy in the back seat! A pilot's story, true, but with hindsight the real nerves of steel belonged to those chaps who (gladly or otherwise) entrusted their lives in the hands of the guys in the front office. The roller-coaster ride of Air Combat, or night low level ground attack is definitely not for the faint hearted when you have no physical control of events.

Think of the Sea Vixen observers sitting in the "coal hole" on carrier ops. At least you could see out in the F4.

They all deserve the applause.

[Mach Two]

Yes, Mate. That was what I was saying. Or at least trying to. My point was that the book doesn't mention his nav at all, but the F4 required/requires one. I know, I was there. Always took one with me! :ok:

[Geehovah]

Hope you all read my Navigator's version when my book comes out in the New Year!!!!!

[99redballoons]

A blast from the past....

I read this book back in 1979 when it was first published. I was a teenager with little knowledge of what being an RAF pilot was all about. It took me a few days to finish the book while at RAF Wildenrath on holiday as a 14yr old. I was hooked. Back in the UK the local RAF Careers office told me to come back when I was 16...... 3 attempts to join after that and I finally joined. Twenty five years later I leave the RAF with fantastic memories and a debt of gratitude to Robert Prest for capturing my imagination with his fantastic book.

In those 25 years I took many a 'running **** at a rolling doughnut' in dark and lonely skies. Brilliant book.

Watching a Phantom pair taking off in full burner at dusk and a dose of Simon and Garfunkel while reading the book did help a bit.

Thanks

[Get me some traffic]

IIRC he mentions Bill a number of times. Bill would be his nav, Bill Sample. They were known as the Prest and Sample Laugh In (Rowan and Martin?) in the tower at Leuchars. I believe Bill was killed in a Jetstream at Prestwick in the eighties. I first met Bob when he was a student at Valley, nice guy, he talked to Air Trafficers!!

[engineer(retard)]

"I first met Bob when he was a student at Valley, nice guy, he talked to Air Trafficers!!"

It's true, he said "2 sugars and a dash of milk"

[A2QFI]

I have been in touch with Bob and told him about this thread. He tells me he is currently flying 777s for Qatar Airways. Previously he was flying freight in the Far East

[Mach Two]

Engineer, he wouldn't have said that because in those days everyone took it "NATO standard". :ok:

[fantom]

in those days everyone took it "NATO standard"

Point of Order: wasn't that one sugar?

[Mach Two]

Nope. It may have changed, in fact I think it did, when folks started to become more health aware. I think it even stopped being mandatory to smoke in briefings! But it definately started as "white, two sugars".

[Tashengurt]

NATO standard = milk and two. I also loved the book. It really inspired me to join up and... Pack parachutes. Hey Ho!

[Mach Two]

Thank you for backing me up. And thank you, thank you, thank you for packing parachutes!!!

M2 XXX

[wiggy]

Nowadays in these even more health aware days it's a Julie Andrews....as in "white, nun..."

I'll get my coat.......

[Tashengurt]

Or a whoopie of course.

[BEagle]

Or even an Adolf....

...white with only one lump.

[NutherA2]

I was on 43 Sqn when Bob & Bill arrived; I believe they were our first “First Tourists”; Bob used to refer to himself as the Black Baron and Bill (never the best groomed navigator) was nick-named Lurch.

After the Practice Diversion to Valley episode landed them in a certain amount of mire, their crewing was split and I flew with Bill for a while. Later, he transferred to the RN, training as pilot and IIRC flew helicopters. In the hope of becoming a FJ pilot, he went to the CFS and QFI’d on Bulldogs for a while.
I can confirm the he died in the 80’s, I was with BAe Flying College at Prestwick when Bill joined BAe as a Jetstream TRE and came to grief in a take-off accident. He was conducting either an 1179 test or base check and the crash had all the signs of a simulated EFATO going wrong. Sadly missed, he was a most entertaining mate.

If anyone can PM me an address where a Xmas card would reach Bob I’d be very grateful.

[dagama]

Bob and I were in the same syndicate at AOTS (243 course) at Church Fenton and were commissioned on 20 Sep 1968. I went off to nav trg and ended up at a secret base in Wiltshire.

We met again at Wildenrath early 1977 where I was on a week's visit prior to the posting. Saw Bob in a crew coach just outside the Commerzbank branch where I need a referee to open an account. Grabbed Bob while the his nav waited the coach. The bank manager (Herr Achten IIRC) knew Bob so he signed as the ref. The account is still open.

Once Bob left Wildenrath, I lost contact but his name came up often.

BTW when I joined NATO standard was tea, white 2 sugs. When I left 40 years later, NATO standard was tea, white no sugar! Social changes take a long time.

A2QFI- could you please PM Bob's contact details.