Newt

Thought for a minute you had meant to post this on the Warzone thread!;)

Seems like somethings never change and that we don't seem to learn our lesson:E

Media manipulation is a double edged sword. If anyone here can say hand on heart that they haven't scoffed about a military recruiting video, then I'd be surprised. It was years before I went adventure training anywhere hot.

I seem to remember that the producer was a chap called Duff Hart-Davies and he was trained to solo standard with the course on the JP.

that widdley synth "music" is enough to induce toothache:yuk:

Its Vangelis.. without the expense of getting Vangelis to write & perform it.

You invite these people to film you at your peril. Fighter Pilot, Submarine, HMS Brilliant, The Paras....

The film crew arrive, and spend six months sticking cameras in your ear, and getting in everyone elses way, while takeing literaly hours and hours of footage in order to make 6 episodes.

You may be able to control what they film, but how do you control how it's edited?

I had the "joy" of hosting/babysitting a fly on the wall documentary crew during Telic 03. They had the cheek to request that a rather major asset alter its "plans" as it would make better TV. They wouldn't take no for answer and after several hissy fits had their cameras confiscated for a few days (for important operational reasons you understand). Looking after the media really is like hearding ferile kittens and sometimes they have to be told to shut the fu*k up and get out of everyones way!

I still have the book of the series. Had a look at it last night again, and interestingly enough, one of the Linton QFI's dealing with those featured in the programme back in 1980 was a certain Flt Lt Martin Withers.

Bet he thought that he'd had his 15 minutes of fame then . . .

It appears that the media were treated with the right approach in the Falklands war - in an example from the excellent book 'Don't Cry for me Sgt Major' the journo says to the soldier guarding Stanley Pier

"Apart from telling me to f*** off, when is Maggie coming to visit?"

The terse reply was

"Day after tomorrow, now f*** off!"

Treat them with the right respect!

More likely to have been his younger brother Adam Hart-Davis, who has done quite a bit of TV producing. Duff is a writer through and through, I believe.

If anyone is interested in watching the whole thing it on video in the Library at Shriv (Staff College).

The producer of the series was a chap called Colin Strong; IIRC, Duff Hart-Davis was brought in to assist with the book accompanying the series.

That makes a lot more sense Archimedes.

The producer of the series was called Colin Strong,correct,Archimedes.

Being on the course(s) about 6 weeks ahead of the “film stars” Colin would often pitch up to see what we were up to so that he could plan what to film. This was right through from Henlow to Valley,in my case.

I remember a course weekend away once and spending a very sociable time with him and he didn't seem to have an axe to grind,I think he genuinely wanted to portray what it was like to train to be a front line military pilot. He actually got clearance to do the first part of the Jet Provost course and eventually went solo.

Sorry,though,don't know what happened to Trevor!

Just picked up on this thread.

I seem to recall that the instructional style shown in 'YouTube - FIGHTER PILOT Landing Instruction - TV Series 1981' was pretty much par for the course in the 70s.

I was always puzzled why the selection process for aircrew was seemingly so thorough yet most people failed when it came to actual service flying.

C&B

I was at Linton at the time and was much involved with Colin Strong. I found him to be an OK guy with a burning desire to get things right. I had few arguments with what he produced about that stage of training. To be honest I enjoyed working with him.

Does anyone know what happen to this guy after being grounded?
 

I may be a little late in replying to this post, I joined the RAF in 1980, not as aircrew but as ATC and on watching the Video, I had no problem with the instrutor, he wasn't derogatory to the student, he was just getting the learning points across? I think it must be my generation who grew up in this environment and did'nt bat an eye lid at the comments and critisicisms, I believe the younger generation just expect failure or criticism is just not accepatable in their minds?
Honest replys please?

Kiwibound

You RAF chaps don't half moan about anyone who shows any interest or who dares to make a TV programme about your jobs!

I watched this as a kid and thought the RAF was brilliant as a result. I remember being inspired by the whole thing.

One of the other six featured in the series has had a pretty distinguished career to say the least . . .


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