Fighter Pilots - Episode 7 - "wings" 1981 BBC documentary Series complete

[@Greenacre-AV]

It’s good to see again one of the films for which I was Dubbing Mixer way back in the 1980s!

[@chrisbirch2491]

Good job!

[@worldofameiso5491]

Nice dubbing, but bloody horrendous music, sounds like some old crone badly playing an asthmatic church organ.

[@Ken_oh545]

​@worldofameiso5491 no earthly idea who passed that ghastly synth organ sound for the main theme, every new episode I watch I turn the sound down only restoring it once the EE Lightning has faded from the screen

[@briangoodfellow3293]

For information, the instructor to Rob Lowe in the opening scene was Fl. Lt. Jeff Glover. In the Falklands War his Harrier was shot down and he became the only British Prisoner of War to be captured by the Argentine Forces, when they rescued him from his dinghy with a broken shoulder (I believe). In 1987, as a Sqn Ldr, Jeff joined the Red Arrows and flew as Red 8 for 1988 and 1989.

[@fokkerjet]

Good old Dan Walmsley- I used to work with him before his retirement. Top bloke- and I'm sure this was the first time the word "wanker" was used on the BBC during prime time! (Or probably any time!)

[@SimDeck]

"You're not going to go to war with a wanker on your wing." Superb!

[@amenchoudhury8036]

Crazy to think theyre all around 65-70 now

[@AlberRatman]

Had the privialage to eat at a 6 Sqn officers mess function with Rob and Sarah Lowe 3 years ago. I was sitting next to Sarah and heard her mention his first name. I asked straight away to her "Robbie Lowe as in Fighter Pilot?" Of course, he pulled out of FJ training and went to be a Navigator instead, but commanded 31 Tornado Sqn during the late nineties. Enjoyed chatting to them both as I am from the same part of the country as Sarah. Robbie was running the Typhoon Sim at Lossie then. His fellow instructor was Colin Mcgregor, whom also has done a bit of telly work and has that more famous brother. Of course Fighter pilot was on when I was just leaving school. The RAF was always my choice of profession, but I was never going to be a pilot. Engineer mind for 25 years, some great and bad times, but still involved working with aircraft in a line enviroment and hobby is restoration of an old beast called XX741.

[@davidhumphreys7035]

I know who you are!

[@birdman4274]

@@davidhumphreys7035 Chocks away old boy

[@tacman1974]

I come from a country with a very good air force. I was always a big Anglophile and Ive lived in the UK for 13 years in the past. What strikes me is the differences in the selection process. Excellent series. Love the RAF.

[@meirionowen5979]

Glad McCrea of all the students achieved most. Once a milkman and farmworker, you can't get much further from the public school arses the RAF once looked out for. He's very obviously methodical, cool-headed and dedicated. It's nice to know our defences are manned by people like him.

[@stewartw.9151]

What amazes me about him is the 10 "O" Levels and 4 "A" Levels - obviously a clever guy, so why not a better job? I know the 70s were bad economically but hell, a milkman?

[@g111g]

@@stewartw.9151 Oh I missed that bit. Wow.

[@darrenlucas2768]

I was in the ATC during this series....always wanted to be a pilot..after watching this I realised I was not the right stuff....sure, learning to fly is one thing.... I think a lot have that ability to learn , but these guys are the elite

[@adamw2911]

Have to admit that bit where JM's mother was sewing his wings on for him got me a bit misty eyed. Even as hardened young man that must have been as emotional moment for him as it was for his mother.

[@24934637]

It's a horrendously high rate of attrition on the pilot training course! This is hugely expensive but very necessary to give us the best military pilots in the world. 3 of the lads I was in the air cadets with have become military pilots, 2 on fast jets with the RAF, and one flying helicopters with the Army Air Corps....I joined the Royal Artillery as a surface to air missile operator LOL.

[@SimDeck]

If you can the book it's well worth it. Superb stuff.

[@beagle7622]

I love the Hawk a beautiful aircraft.

[@M4VERICK1982]

The music is so powerful and inspiring! Great vid though

[@Laidback61]

Get your ears checked - the music is awful !!

[@32780tit]

How professional is he!

[@wrbushcraftchrisjordan8224]

Does anyone know what happened in John Mcrea's or Robbie Lowes careers, or, where or what they are now?

[@pauldg837]

And the milkman graduated top of the class. You either have the ability or you don't.

[@jonoedwards4195]

Great Series Cybertron. Beauty Mate.

[@johnjones-ch5sh]

The emergnce of McCrea as the focus of the series emphasised for me the technocratic nature of the job. Hard work plays a role too. And he wasn't a 'wat o' type either! I hope he did well.

[@georgeorwell100]

john jones he went on to fly phantoms

[@forsdykemontague1017]

@@georgeorwell100Thought it was Bucaneers?

[@Stoicijnsestemmen]

I've got the book to this, good stuff

[@rabbamonkey]

hopping along... Gobble gobble...smashes the beasts head in

[@deeremeyer1749]

It takes over 2 years of "flight training" before anybody bothers to find out if a "trainee pilot" can read a map and/or fly IFR?

[@persilbran]

"You're not going to go to war with a w*nker on your wing". Certainly hope not!!!

[@deeremeyer1749]

You should hope not to go into war period but the British seem to be addicted to creating conflicts and preventing peace at all costs as long as other people are paying the price for it. So its understandable when they take that at some point they'll be "going to war" again behind somebody else doing the actual fighting and dying and sacrificing FOR THEM for granted. God forbid any "former" or "current" British "possession" ever become truly independent or otherwise reveal just how much of a warmongering paper tiger incessantly starting fights they don't want to finish the "British government" really is.

[@tonyhaynes9080]

@@deeremeyer1749 Whilst I appreciate the act of freedom of speech, I, probably like many on here, feel that you ought to check your facts first. The only conflicts in the last 47 years, were not caused by the Brits. Falklands was to restore the democratic choice and right to the islanders, after it had been illegally invaded. Gulf war was in response to the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, and was an international coalition. Afghanistan was in response to 9/11, also a coalition force. Kosovo was to prevent the civil war leading to total genocide and was yet again an international lead coalition. The action taken by the British and international coalition forces have, apart from in Iraq and Afghanistan, restored peace and the legal government in various countries. Of course, if you care to have an opinion that differs to mine, then thank people in the forces that spend a vast period of their lives protecting your right to not only have different views, but have the right to voice them.

[@seltaeb9691]

@@tonyhaynes9080 think he's American which makes it laughable on the warmongering front!

[@12345fowler]

"The sheeps didn't liked it either..." HAHA brillant british humour !!

[@Biggles2498]

Lancasters were never brought down to 50 feet under Wing Commander Guy Gibson ! The height was 60 feet achieved by 2 experimental strobe lights taken from a Film Theatre set to coincide at correct altitude !

[@joebrown8886]

Not quite true, there are reports of transit to and from the dams with a Lancaster at around 50' following a river or canal and another Lancaster passed it by flying underneath. There's also other stories about how low they flew.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Chastise Read, The Attacks Outbound.kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqupqXaYlNuJps0 28:38 & 37:45 minutes onwards.

[@georgeorwell100]

Roy C Horton we’ve all seen the film.

[@JonHuhnMedical]

"You're not gonna go to war with a wanker on your wing."

[@Biggles2498]

The Pompous Controller gives Student Pilot Generator failure inducing Pan Pan call ! He did exactly the same with Tornado crew subsequent ! very predictable !

[@redginge4840]

500 miles per hour at 250 feet - You would not crash you would atomise They have got to be slightly mad.

[@Supertechnonerd634]

24:08

[@seltaeb9691]

Funny that, when I in the army qualified & got my stripes, did I get a vicar blessing them, no chance!

[@rockstarJDP]

This series is great, but my God, the music... whoever hired the soundtrack composer needs their head and/or ears checked.

[@daviddelaney6757]

Yes but back in the early 80's this music was viewed as extremely modern!

[@Scoobydcs]

i did laugh at that haha

[@timwhiskerd2133]

8.00 Monty Python

[@christiansfortruth5953]

That music must have come from the BBC Radiophonic workshop. Its awfull.😅

[@dieselscience]

"...GOBBLE gobble..."

[@JamesWilson-gw2ij]

Absolutely no support from these instructors. Should be ashamed of themselves

[@elta6241]

Those were the times. Brutal and unforgiving.

[@SuperEdge67]

It’s the RAF not the Womens Auxillary Balloon Corps.

[@ArkhamKnight-o6r]

We have a tanned Donald trump in this series

[@ianmuir6784]

Smug instructor

[@wildone106]

25:11 now they would be reading from the Koran

[@RayhanAhmed-qr3vz]

It’s too strict we’re it’s pathetic

[@reaper378]

did you read what you had typed before hitting ?

[@Laidback61]

...and in English please !!