Fighter Pilot
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: England
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Hi guys,
Just to accurately update everyone, I was Medically Discharged sadly with Phobic Anxiety and related Severe depression in December '97. I was extremely well looked after by the RAF and MOD, and until last year DWP. I then had to endure a lengthy battle about Employment & Support Allowance, rescued only by the actions of my MP, and Alastair Campbell(!). I have been contacted by many people in the Aviation world with a view to writing my Autobiography, and this is a long process, involving trying to contact my old compadres from the series(including Mike Jamieson!). I've now spoken to them all, except John McCrea who doesn't seem very keen to talk about it!
I had a wonderful aviation career with tours as a Co- Pilot on 30Sqn, and as a Captain on 47& 24 sqn ending up as Flt Lt Specialist Aircrew and I wouldn't have changed it for the World; apart from being tarnished by that TV series (which the general public loved - the Book was a best seller!) I have no regrets. Regards to everyone who remembers, I'm now living quietly with 3 dogs, 3 horses, 3 Children, 3 Grandchildren, and my wonderful wife in West Wales.
Martin Oxborrow
Just to accurately update everyone, I was Medically Discharged sadly with Phobic Anxiety and related Severe depression in December '97. I was extremely well looked after by the RAF and MOD, and until last year DWP. I then had to endure a lengthy battle about Employment & Support Allowance, rescued only by the actions of my MP, and Alastair Campbell(!). I have been contacted by many people in the Aviation world with a view to writing my Autobiography, and this is a long process, involving trying to contact my old compadres from the series(including Mike Jamieson!). I've now spoken to them all, except John McCrea who doesn't seem very keen to talk about it!
I had a wonderful aviation career with tours as a Co- Pilot on 30Sqn, and as a Captain on 47& 24 sqn ending up as Flt Lt Specialist Aircrew and I wouldn't have changed it for the World; apart from being tarnished by that TV series (which the general public loved - the Book was a best seller!) I have no regrets. Regards to everyone who remembers, I'm now living quietly with 3 dogs, 3 horses, 3 Children, 3 Grandchildren, and my wonderful wife in West Wales.
Martin Oxborrow
Sorry to resurrect an old thread but we enjoyed re - watching this series recently in VHS quality with a nostalgic bit of 'Wow and Flutter' on the music occasionally 
Just one question though and hopefully somebody on here might know the answer - whilst the students 'progress' was being reviewed (Linton phase ??) one of the reviewing officers present in the office was an AVM (or perhaps AM ?) with a fair smattering of medals inc DFC (or AFC ? - colour not too clear on our copy) - he looked a little familar facially but I couldn't think of his name.
I may try to get a screenshot after some more caffein.
Please note I do not mean AVM 'Jock' Kennedy who was the reviewing officer at one of the Graduations (Henlow I think).
cheers/rgds LR
Just one question though and hopefully somebody on here might know the answer - whilst the students 'progress' was being reviewed (Linton phase ??) one of the reviewing officers present in the office was an AVM (or perhaps AM ?) with a fair smattering of medals inc DFC (or AFC ? - colour not too clear on our copy) - he looked a little familar facially but I couldn't think of his name.
I may try to get a screenshot after some more caffein
.Please note I do not mean AVM 'Jock' Kennedy who was the reviewing officer at one of the Graduations (Henlow I think).
cheers/rgds LR
I got these 2 screengrabs from youtube,this is the AVM I was asking about above - one of those faces that looks very different from left and right,hopefully somebody might recognise him
King’s Crown on his wings?
"B".the `B$%&*^D...I think...watched him humiliate a G/C in front of Station personnel on an AOC`s Inspection..(silly hostage game,with Staish in his `shreddies`,carrying a `bag of gold/$/£` to a waiting jet.) Respect for the Staish rose,whilst that for the AOC went totally...not that it was very high to begin with..!
A very cryptic post Sycamore ??
I am not sure who you mean - if you are thinking it is JEJ - I doubt it as he retired in 1965 afaik and the medal grouping would be incorrect.
Maybe you could PM me the name if you do not want to put it out on a public forum.
rgds LR
I am not sure who you mean - if you are thinking it is JEJ - I doubt it as he retired in 1965 afaik and the medal grouping would be incorrect.
Maybe you could PM me the name if you do not want to put it out on a public forum.
rgds LR
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,813
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It is indeed 'him' ... he was my Stn Cdr when he commanded RAF Honington (and thus the Honington Admin Wing Detachment (HAWD) at Eastern Radar, RAF Watton). Not a very nice man, IIRC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bairsto
Interestingly varied career in the early days.
P E Bairsto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bairsto
Interestingly varied career in the early days.
P E Bairsto
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
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Many thanks MPN and Sycamore.
I luckily never met him then
I just thought he looked a little familiar facially .
As you say - an unusual start to his RAF career.
I luckily never met him then
I just thought he looked a little familiar facially .
As you say - an unusual start to his RAF career.
I forgot to say - nice to see WO Jack Holt in action on the station tannoy.
Everybody always tried to avoid him like the plague,he was actually a really nice guy beyond the 'SWO' Act.
He was our SWO at Cottesmore in 1974 ish and of course always to be avoided unless one really wanted a haircut
Everybody always tried to avoid him like the plague,he was actually a really nice guy beyond the 'SWO' Act.
He was our SWO at Cottesmore in 1974 ish and of course always to be avoided unless one really wanted a haircut
Met him once at the debrief for Double Top 1981. He displayed a complete ignorance of MBF operations and when this became obvious, even to him, he stormed out, blustering away to the last.
Ah the SWO.
Once as a UAS cadet I was in an APO's twenty odd year old Vauxhall driving past the Officers Mess @ St Athan,
when above the din of the said cars engine, we heard a noise which we weren't quite sure of.
We both looked at each other thinking the engine had given out, but no, about 30 yards away and closing , was the SWO.
Indescribable noises emitted forth and we were told in no uncertain terms our futures, all through wound up windows.
A face then thrust itself through a window being hastily half opened and asked none too politely what we were doing driving past the Officers Mess.
On production of the APO's 1250, the face moved back, stood bolt upright, saluted and bade us good day.
We drove off, parked and headed to the bar, to calm our nerves.
Once as a UAS cadet I was in an APO's twenty odd year old Vauxhall driving past the Officers Mess @ St Athan,
when above the din of the said cars engine, we heard a noise which we weren't quite sure of.
We both looked at each other thinking the engine had given out, but no, about 30 yards away and closing , was the SWO.
Indescribable noises emitted forth and we were told in no uncertain terms our futures, all through wound up windows.
A face then thrust itself through a window being hastily half opened and asked none too politely what we were doing driving past the Officers Mess.
On production of the APO's 1250, the face moved back, stood bolt upright, saluted and bade us good day.
We drove off, parked and headed to the bar, to calm our nerves.
Had the joy of dinning with Robbie and Sara at a 6 Sqn guest dining in night at Lossie 5 years ago. I was sitting next to Sara and noticed the surname. It was when she mentioned Robbie, I asked " Is your husband, the Robbie Lowe from Fighter Pilot?" Sara and I are from the same part of the country so had loads to talk about and had a few jars with Robbie in the bar afterwards. Delightful couple. He was running the sim then with Obi Whan's Brother (whom I knew before from his Eastern Airways driving days)
