Fighter Pilot BBC 1981 (merged again)
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Devon
Thanks David,
Thanks for the info. on "Sailor" a really brilliant series , I don't know why the Beeb doesn't repeat some of these classic original "Fly on the wall" series and let people see what service life was like back in the 70's and 80's.
Cheers , Grandfer .
Thanks for the info. on "Sailor" a really brilliant series , I don't know why the Beeb doesn't repeat some of these classic original "Fly on the wall" series and let people see what service life was like back in the 70's and 80's.
Cheers , Grandfer .
Last edited by grandfer; 22nd July 2010 at 19:16. Reason: Wrong Password
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Posts: n/a
great series !! I have both the hardback books from 'fighter pilot' and 'test pilot' as well as some of the former on VHS at my mums buried away.
Don't overlook 'jetstream' , a series from a couple of years back following trainee canadian CF18 pilots - its very well shot and extremely interesting !!
Don't overlook 'jetstream' , a series from a couple of years back following trainee canadian CF18 pilots - its very well shot and extremely interesting !!
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 764
Likes: 3
From: UK
Helldriver,
The Test Pilot series was made in 1985 so many are now starting to retire. As far as I know and from rumour control:
Robin Tydeman, retired (from AAIB inpector)
Les Evans, retired from BA but running his own systems testing company
Jim Ludford, I think still flying commercial out of Glasgow
Nick Coulson, working for Australian CAA
Steve Moore, RNZAF Group Captain and was in the London Embassy a couple of years ago
Mirco Zuliana, now a general
Serge Aubert, last heard of as base commander in Djbouti
Harry Fehl, boss of German Air Force flight test centre at Manching
Dave Southwood, tutor at ETPS
Al Howden, transferred to RAF, last seen flying Chinook
Bob Horton, Jet Fleet manager for Flybe
JT Koh, retired from being boss of Singapore Air Force flight test centre
Others (Tom Koelzer, 'Mike' Micklejohn) not sure.
The Test Pilot series was made in 1985 so many are now starting to retire. As far as I know and from rumour control:
Robin Tydeman, retired (from AAIB inpector)
Les Evans, retired from BA but running his own systems testing company
Jim Ludford, I think still flying commercial out of Glasgow
Nick Coulson, working for Australian CAA
Steve Moore, RNZAF Group Captain and was in the London Embassy a couple of years ago
Mirco Zuliana, now a general
Serge Aubert, last heard of as base commander in Djbouti
Harry Fehl, boss of German Air Force flight test centre at Manching
Dave Southwood, tutor at ETPS
Al Howden, transferred to RAF, last seen flying Chinook
Bob Horton, Jet Fleet manager for Flybe
JT Koh, retired from being boss of Singapore Air Force flight test centre
Others (Tom Koelzer, 'Mike' Micklejohn) not sure.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: UK
I ordered 3 DVD's from the address on post 1. An excellent and professional service. There was a slight glitch with one of the DVD's I recieved (Ordered P Company, recieved Flying Soldiers) - within minutes of contacting the party I recieved an appology, assurance that correct DVD would be posted immediately - and was offered Flying Soldiers DVD to keep at no charge.
Highly Recommended -
Highly Recommended -
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,395
Likes: 857
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Excellent service indeed - I ordered 'Sailor', 'Fighter Pilot' and 'Test Pilot' and they all arrived within a couple of days.
Quality is as would be expected from VHS transfer and is a little variable. But given the lack of original source material to use, they've done a good job in preserving these iconic TV programmes.
During Fighter Pilot (apart from wondering why Teem W**b had my mugshot on his wall.....
), there were some odd sub titles which suddenly appeared during Dave R**s' chat on doggers! But good to see the way things were - all those JPs, for example. Virtually no cabbage-kit to be seen outside OCTU or survival exercises - and not a yellow jacket in sight!
I'm still surprised that Dan W******y's "You wouldn't want to go to war with a wanquerre on your wing" comment got through the BBC's censors!
Looking forward to watching 'Sailor' and 'Test Pilot' next!
Quality is as would be expected from VHS transfer and is a little variable. But given the lack of original source material to use, they've done a good job in preserving these iconic TV programmes.
During Fighter Pilot (apart from wondering why Teem W**b had my mugshot on his wall.....
), there were some odd sub titles which suddenly appeared during Dave R**s' chat on doggers! But good to see the way things were - all those JPs, for example. Virtually no cabbage-kit to be seen outside OCTU or survival exercises - and not a yellow jacket in sight!I'm still surprised that Dan W******y's "You wouldn't want to go to war with a wanquerre on your wing" comment got through the BBC's censors!
Looking forward to watching 'Sailor' and 'Test Pilot' next!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,304
Likes: 1
From: @exRAF_Al
I remember watching The Paras.. 1982 I think. I worked with one of the featured recruits 18 years later - he was a Sgt at that point. His maroon beret was pinched, cut in half, and then stitched together with a Crab one. Sure, he ranted and raved a bit, called us crabfat w#nkers.. but with a twinkle in his eye. Whenever he used to get a bit.. well, 'army', we'd remind him of his repeated failings.. 
Al Slater was one of his JNCO instructors - he was to be posthumously awarded the MC.
Al Slater was one of his JNCO instructors - he was to be posthumously awarded the MC.
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: East Midlands
Successful Fighter Pilot
The progress of the only successful candidate of this cohort was not followed closely from the start. He is still a serving officer, and is a really nice person. He has had an interesting and, I think, a rewarding career. I meet him a short while ago.
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: ulster
Just purchased the Paras - 1982 which is available on that site also...here is the link to it:
The Paras-1982
The Paras-1982
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: crewe
Gouide.... The MAA is still going strong Sparkers From HMS Ark Royal 73-78 will be holding their annual reunion in London this year and I am please to let you know that one of our guests will be Rear Admiral Wilfred Jackson Graham RN Rtd now 85, who will be popping in to see us on the Friday evening and meeting and greeting our members on Saturday morning.
Also attending as guests will be "Little Wilf" and his master John Pooley, FMAA Tom Wilkinson and director of the TV series SAILOR John Purdie.
Sparkers From HMS Ark Royal 73-78 will be holding their annual reunion in London this year and I am please to let you know that one of our guests will be Rear Admiral Wilfred Jackson Graham RN Rtd now 85, who will be popping in to see us on the Friday evening and meeting and greeting our members on Saturday morning.Also attending as guests will be "Little Wilf" and his master John Pooley, FMAA Tom Wilkinson and director of the TV series SAILOR John Purdie.
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: ulster
Guys,
fighter pilot, combat pilot, test pilot, jet stream etc, and many other great titles can be got here, and cheap!
hardtofind
got the heads up from another thread on pprune:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...es-1981-a.html
CM.
fighter pilot, combat pilot, test pilot, jet stream etc, and many other great titles can be got here, and cheap!
hardtofind
got the heads up from another thread on pprune:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...es-1981-a.html
CM.
Gentleman Aviator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,722
Likes: 91
From: Teetering Towers - somewhere in the Shires
dakkg651 - check PMs ref Tim Curley.
I didn't see the "Fighter Pilot" series as I was in Norn Iron at the time of transmission, but I did fly some of the filming - in a CFS(H) Gazelle.
One sequence I remember was "taxiing" out with the first wave of JPs at Linton (pretending to be a JP - zig-zagging across the taxiway etc), then after line up and "brakes off" (trying to accelerate in as level an attitude as possible to maintain the fiction) we peeled off into a steep climbing turn to a very high hover looking down on the airfield activity ....
..... don't know if it was ever used in the print.....
I didn't see the "Fighter Pilot" series as I was in Norn Iron at the time of transmission, but I did fly some of the filming - in a CFS(H) Gazelle.
One sequence I remember was "taxiing" out with the first wave of JPs at Linton (pretending to be a JP - zig-zagging across the taxiway etc), then after line up and "brakes off" (trying to accelerate in as level an attitude as possible to maintain the fiction) we peeled off into a steep climbing turn to a very high hover looking down on the airfield activity ....
..... don't know if it was ever used in the print.....