Fellow pilot hails low-level-loving daredevil who co-founded the Red Arrows

[@jimbass1664]

That's the chuckle of a man who lived a life. RIP.

[@mikew2468]

A wonderful aircraft to see. My dad flew from mid-WW2 until the early 70s and chose his final tour as instructor on Gnats at Valley so I grew up with them all around me, coming in low over the beach at the end of the runway...a 10 year old's dream! He said it was a great aircraft to fly....however his favourite was the Mosquito.

[@deelawrence1135]

My late dad was one of the painters for the Red arrows, always a joy to watch the team

[@morganrees6807]

Wonderful! Always loved the Gnat. We were at Brands Hatch in July '76 for the British GP - the Arrows were displaying over the lunch break - being sat on South Bank, the solo who passed over us was that low we could see the rivets on the underside (almost touch them), and picnic chairs were being sucked into the air behind by the slipstream. Fantastic display by the best in the world.

[@johnnunn8688]

RIP and blue skies, Sqn Ldr Henry Prince.

[@nervo6321]

What a pilot…What a life.

[@dhouse-d5l]

Brilliant. At Bembridge in the early 70's they would come down over the hill and over the back of the crowd really made u jump....incredibly exciting

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

The Gnat was a superb performance display aircraft, I was very sad when they were swapped out for the T1.

[@Retroscoop]

Not just a display aircraft, the Pakistanin's also had quite a lot of trouble with them during their war with India... Tiny nimble fighter aircraft....

[@richardthornton3775]

What an absolute legend🫡👍

[@tonyfranks9551]

Thank you...wonderful story.

[@grahampalmer9337]

The Foland Gnat & the early Red Arrows were two, combined, loves of my childhood in the 60's. The Gnat & the Northrop F-5 are to this day my favourite ever aircraft.

[@rafman016]

Loved the last bit - bit of a scallywag 😉

[@firstfreonwarrior]

Wonderful, love the RAF.

[@JMWflicks]

I vividly remember, as a boy, watching the Gnats crossing fields near Turnhouse at an air display in the early 1960's.they were actually hopping over the hedges and flying lower over the fields (I couldn't afford the admission price to the display in those days!)

[@peterkinner1678]

Yes, I enjoy flying and aerobatics. I've often pointed out to colleagues that we are incredibly fortunate and not to feel entitled.

[@Retroscoop]

Iconic stunt team, no wonder the very first scale model of planes I made when I was about 12 or so was a Folland Gnat by Matchbox I bought at the local grocery shop, who only had a few models. I wasn't so keen on the Swordfish double decker or the Jaguar, but the Gnat seemed fun. Actually, I bought the same unassembled model again some 10 years ago as a souvenir. It is still somewhere in my "archive"; to make sure the sun won't discolour the box. It actually was a very good plane, ask the Pakistani's, they had quite some trouble with them during their war with India.

[@mickboakes7023]

What a lovely man. The sort I could listen to all day. Don’t know about the interviewer though.

[@rogerhudson9732]

The Red Arrows go lower over water than over land. I saw them a couple of times at the Fowey regatta Saturday event. Once I was in a small boat in the harbour and the did the head on stunt and I was blasted with burnt JP1 fumes, super special. I loved the Gnats.

[@ZATennisFan]

That is a legacy to leave behind. How many other display teams have been influenced by the Red Arrows? Probably every major team in the world. If they can make it the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds should send a Team member to this man's funeral.

[@bootneck4514]

Brilliant.

[@Richard-b2t3t]

During my apprenticeship at Halton we were told to pack up early one afternoon & go to the playing fields. The Marshal of the Dutch Air Force was visiting & the Red Arrows (it was pre-1970 so they were Gnats) were going to put on a display for him. We were formed up in 3’s & told to ‘double’ between the workshops. From behind us the Red’s flew low, trailing smoke. My uniform had an aroma of burned Avtur for ages afterwards. The flight commander stopped putting my rank before my name & used the word ‘Oily’ instead!

[@Olleetheowl]

Excellent… just Excellent 😀

[@KevinDoyle-r1w]

Loved this, Thanks for the load

[@peterhuxley8181]

60 odd years ago, I went to one of the first Air Tattoos, held at North Weald. I managed to get on top of an old radio shack near the cross of the original runways. the building was about 8 or 9 feet high (2.4-2.6meters) an had a great view of the proceedings. The Reds were there and did a downward bomburst, flying off in all directions, including over the public and part of the car park. I coudn't say how high (or low) they were but I could see the uppersurfaces of their wings. I understand the need for sanitising displays to fit in with health and safety but that was a hell of a sight.

[@michaelgillett5477]

In the 60s my father was working for Edison Plant hire at Chilbolton airfield. They were compression testing compressor which entailed bring it up to pressure then up to the safety valve limit as it went up. There was all of a sudden a crash and a bang over the top of them, my father and his work colleague Went flat on her faces and when the noise sided well they’re still making a noise a compressor when it hasn’t blown up and they got sort of feeling themselves to check they rule in one piece then they realise it was a very low flying from Folens up there for testing a couple of security cards came over. Totally sorry didn’t realise you were here very interesting times Michael from Hampshire

[@21inheart]

The Red Arrows fan club had their caravan in the layby at Kemble on the last take off of the Reds, luckily as a member I joined them, and we were under the Hawk flown by Henry as he veared off and did a low pass over us, this caused all the papers to be lifted into the air. One of the members took a photograph and made beer mats out of it for sale.

[@STS4242]

Great story 👏👏👏

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

The Red Arrows were much better back in the day.

[@Maxwell89216]

yup

[@Retroscoop]

Well, safety regulations have become more stringent too since Ramstein & Co, you also have to take that into account. It is no longer possible to do all the things the early Red Arrows did without getting tons of complaints of civilians. In the 1960's, that wouldn't have been considered very patriotic nor "sports"....

[@AnthonieJ]

great preformans

[@CdcD-np7ur]

Next up can we have a piece on Ray Hanna please, same height but the roar of a Merlin to go with it :)

[@MBCGRS]

I had the pleasure of flying with him in Harvard's a long time ago. Great guy. A colonial type like myself.

[@markstafford6290]

Ray was another true legend, I was lucky enough to see him display his beautiful spitfire at Biggin Hill a number of times, you literally stopped and looked in disbelief as he looped in perfection just clearing the runway it seemed at the base of each loop, the best of the best

[@anthonyeaton5153]

He was was at Leeming for a while .

[@liamhemmings9039]

Thanks to Blair and all the PMs to Starmer this man is the last of the last.

[@alasdairblack393]

Popycock

[@ant2312]

​@@alasdairblack393You can't even spell it leftist 🤡

[@barry5787]

How low can you go.

[@Retired-Tom]

RIP Nish Bruce

[@landyandy7]

watch Ray Hanna , he'll show you !

[@Retroscoop]

And now the same, but upside down.... Here we go !

[@liamhemmings9039]

Wasn't the Gnat a plane for slightly "mental" pilots.

[@Retroscoop]

define "mental" ? As far as I know, no Red Arrows Gnat crashed. So "mental" doesn't come into play. Steel nerves do.

[@jamesnoonan7450]

Enjoy your final flight west sqaudron leader

[@Jason-ke2nj]

And no rainbow flags...lovely..

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Rent free.

[@ant2312]

​@@Orbital_InclinationRent free for you for being sad enough to hunt out comments like that

[@Azrael1BC]

This is why the yanks come here to learn real low flying.

[@christopherrobinson7541]

I walk into a pub and there are 3 RAF pilots at the bar, how do I know which one is in the Reds; I don't did to he tells me, over and over again.

[@daveh1081]

Wouldn't you........I know I would!

[@davidprince2726]

That’s today. Not back in the day.

[@gravel_slope]

looks like the flight height for every cold war swedish pilot

[@Retroscoop]

Yes but with automatic pilot and countour following equipment, like the Tornado or Cruise Missile. That is not exactly the same. The Swedes should stick to being enthousiastic about Abba, but leave the stunt flying to the real professionals :0)

[@daveh1081]

@@Retroscoop Don't think so mate.......the Swedes were the undisputed kings of low flying! I could name an ex Jag pilot who'd confirm that. By "contour following equipment" I take it you mean TFR? Not sure any TFR would take you down to their level?

[@ant2312]

​​​@@daveh1081hardly, when we had Buccaneer pilots, it's nice that you think your Jag pilot mates opinion makes everything undisputed

[@daveh1081]

@@ant2312 Mate.........it's not a p*ssing contest. The Buccaneer crews were among the very best......no disputing that! But this particular Jag pilot got the chance to fly with the Swedes and he was staggered at their low flying ability. In his opinion, they were the best. His opinion.....not mine.