BBC documentary Series Fighter Pilots 1981 complete Episode 7 - Sport of Kings
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@kcross435 жыл бұрын
It's been great to watch this again after 37 years! When this was aired I was in my 1st year in the RAF - I am about to enter my 39th!
@SuperMageo4 жыл бұрын
What is your job in the RAF?
@Biggles24984 жыл бұрын
Were you Pilot or Navigator ?
@chipfireАй бұрын
Get some time in! 😂
@EThree37 жыл бұрын
A lot of people hate the theme tune, I love it. Reminds me of watching this with my dad all those years ago when, as an ex-airman, he inspired me to join up! Miss you dad. x
@robd21845 жыл бұрын
Good call, series inspired me into aviation too, watching this as an 8 year old in 1980
@philohara25215 жыл бұрын
Yes I'm partial to that tune as well.😁
@jumb0j0ck5 жыл бұрын
Vangelis, I believe. Inspired me no end and I ended up going Hercs like Martin Oxborrow.
@DrTWG4 жыл бұрын
The tune is great and so appropriate with it's ethereal intro moving into the anthemic and hymn like phrases . It would have sounded so modern , synthesizer music hadn't been around that long . I wonder if it was done by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop / Ron Grainger (?) .
@joeldiggle18913 жыл бұрын
Don't mind the theme, but the music used in this TWU phase was hardly dynamic for fast jet air combat, certainly not 'Too Gun' Sexy!
@jackharrison677123 сағат бұрын
This series just gets better as it progresses; and all too soon, we enter the final episode. Thanks again. Thanks also to the veterans, for their service and comments. My late brother was RAF during the 1970s,, as Fire & Rescue, His postings included RAF Gan, Kinloss and Odiham.
@alanmayes851 Жыл бұрын
I served 30 years in the RAF, for 8 of those years I worked at a Tactical Weapons Unit (TWU). During that time I witnessed many pilots under training, many I met again further on in my career. I had nothing but admiration for these highly skilled aviators who worked very hard to complete this phase of their training.
@888ssss10 ай бұрын
i was a fighter pilot. i started with the hunter and then the lightening, then in 1983 the gr1. it was great.
@loquayrocks10 жыл бұрын
This was fascinating for me, my brother joined the Irish Air Corps in 1978 and was a commissioned pilot in 1980, so was going through something similar at the same time that these guys were. He is now a Lt Col. and is in charge of the military flying school in Baldonnell. Very proud of him!
@mrFalconlem Жыл бұрын
What did they fly Piper Cubs?
@allybally0021 Жыл бұрын
@@mrFalconlem Not a big fleet....but high quality people.
@Ingens_Scherz11 жыл бұрын
Took a little time, but I found out that John McRae fought in the first Gulf War in 1991 as a Flight Lt in Buccaneers. When Tornadoes were being shot down rather regularly on low level sorties against Iraqi airstrips, the Buccaneers were brought in as laser guides so the Tornadoes could fly higher. McRae flew several of those sorties. Rumours are that he was still in the RAF in 2006. I don't know if that's true and can't find any references to his career after that. Well done him!
@davidhumphreys70353 жыл бұрын
If he's still in in 2006 he'll be spec aircrew or reserves.
@Nucleotide53132 жыл бұрын
You could have a look in the London Gazette. Promotions are listed in there.
@richardvernon3172 жыл бұрын
He was instructing on a University Air Squadron a few years back so he would have been in the Reserves. Robbie Low retired as a Wing Commander and CO of a Tornado Squadron. My Brother met him at a function at RAF Lossiemouth's Officers Mess a few years ago where he was an Instructor on the Tornado simulator with Colin McGregor, Obi Wan's Brother!! My Brother said Robbie was a really nice bloke.
@digitalradiohacker Жыл бұрын
Imagine being able to visit your old employer: "The tornado chaps were taking a bit of a walloping see, so the brass had them stay nice and safe up at high altitude, and we went in with the lasers, what?" What an absolute boss.
@jonmcgee96565 жыл бұрын
I was at Brawdy 1977 - 1982 and as a Cpl I was part of a small team that was tasked to travel to RAFG for a week to maintain a single Hawk that was fitted with a rear-facing BBC camera (where the Aden gun would normally be fitted). A lot of the aerial footage was taken by the Hawk. RAF Brawdy, happy days! I went back to Brawdy, Eng Ops after a seven year absence due to postings to Valley, Coningsby and BAe Dhahran. During my handover "walkround" I knew more people at the base than the guy I was replacing...…..they'd all managed to stay there! Oh yes, Arc Light, I had a divvy moustache too.
@as6807833 жыл бұрын
I spent two weeks at RAF Brawdy in the summer of 1983 or 1984, as an ATC cadet. I remember a USAF F1-11 squadron being based there and flying every day.
@pinopino10863 жыл бұрын
Thank you John McRae for taking us in this 'capsule of time' back in the days! This is the second time I'm watching this. First in 2013 and again in 2020. Fascinating! Hope you are fine and doing well..
@jmcw96327 ай бұрын
amazing stuff, enjoyed all the episodes, ty for uploading
@peteg38269 жыл бұрын
Thanks for posting.
@2000Ajjet11 жыл бұрын
Thanks for posting this series...I remember it as a kid for the fighter jets, now looking at this, understanding the 'human' face of the service. Respect! When this came out, the RAF really did have a defined enemy in the USSR, so different now.
@249346373 жыл бұрын
40 years later, those same Tu-95s are still doing the same incursions into UK airspace, and the RAF is still going up to see them off LOL.
@JamASharpe11 жыл бұрын
Cracking series. I remember this from when I was a nipper. Thanks for sharing
@mmichaeldonavon11 жыл бұрын
Probably the best flying video I've seen on the web - was very interesting. Thanks, N-6395T
@SimDeck5 жыл бұрын
I probably walked past the chap who got posted to RAF Laarbruch many times when I was a kid. I was an RAF brat at that time and lived on that camp for 3 years looking up to the sky watching Buccaneers fly every day. Then later Tornados.
@jonmcgee96565 жыл бұрын
At 13.15. The George pub in Solva where JM shared a house. We used to drink in there and chuckle to ourselves when the student pilots used to try and impress the local girls with their tales of derring-do and their demonstrations of the pilot's "hand -jive" (re-creating the pre-sortie briefings (but without the aircraft training aids), as shown at the start of this episode)
@wayneschenk55122 жыл бұрын
Fantastic stuff remembered watching it as a kid convinced to take up flying as a career.
@petermitchell63483 жыл бұрын
Ah Laarbruch! Had 2.5 wonderful years there.
@moelfre33511 жыл бұрын
John McRae was my hero when I was a kid. He was a cool guy. Absolutely loved this Series especially the RAF Brawdy episode. I spent many occasions watching those Hawks fly over our West Wales village. Cheers John. Hope your keeping well Sir. By the way- Chalky White's Hair is awesome. Cheers. 80's RAF tashes- those we're the days.
@notreallydavid11 жыл бұрын
Love to know what they're all doing now. Great to see this again - seems so long ago, yet so recent. Thanks, cybermega.
@wayneschenk55122 жыл бұрын
Martin Oxbra is on aircrew interview.
@musicjuly3415 Жыл бұрын
The music gives me goosebumps.
@glenbeavis11 жыл бұрын
Laarbruch spent 3 years there in the 80's.. great vid remember this from when i was a kid,
@Relax243710 жыл бұрын
Very nice thanx for uploading....now I remember why I became an commercial pilot instead of military:)
@Biggles24983 жыл бұрын
I agree as I also find RAF Air Bases very depressing places !
@woooster71 Жыл бұрын
I missed this series first time around.. I’d have been 8 in 1980.. John McRae drives a TVR. Proper pilots car that 😉 I had 7 TVRs in my time.. Blackboards, OHPs.. brilliant 👌🏼😄
@sirwalterkissmecrack11 жыл бұрын
Interesting, thanks
@TarnishUK3 жыл бұрын
Cor! RAF Brawdy, my first ATC annual camp in 1986. 28lb Practice Bombs going on there too, five years after my camp and into my apprenticeship I was doing the SEM to our CBLS 100s to remove all the 28lb fuzing and wiring after the RAF binned them of in favour of the 14kg.
@danwallis475211 жыл бұрын
Don't speak shit abut them until you realise what they've been through to get where they are. My uncle was a fighter pilot from this era. He lived on an army base on benefits. He didn't go too a grammar school or private school, but he slogged his guts out and learned and trained to get where he did. And i can see both sides of the picture. My other uncle was a para. I have a huge amount of repsect for the both of them, so think before you speak.
@stevesayer40452 жыл бұрын
Not everyone cut out to fly like these guys very brave men.
@Sagewitchevensong7 жыл бұрын
That music......Christ.
@thunderpussy89567 жыл бұрын
I know.....up there with cats shagging, babies screaming and Katy bloody Perry!
@Scotscan4 жыл бұрын
Diabolical.
@forsdykemontague10172 жыл бұрын
Of all these guys I only bumped into Rhod Smart who was back coursed at Henlow IOT. He obviously passed and went onto to fail flying training and ended up as Nav!
@juancarloslopezrodrtiguez47874 жыл бұрын
Me encanta el Hawk, es uno de los mejores aviones de entrenamiento básico avanzado del mundo, además de ser muy versátil, se puede usar como caza, y aunque no sea supersónico,, si que es un avión bastante maniobrable y ágil, con lo que puede poner en serios apuros a otros cazas, además de este fenomenal aparato, existe una versión monoplaza, que está equipada con radar, sistema de navegación inercial, la variante monoplaza del Hawk, recibe el nombre de Hawk MK 208.
@adamw29116 жыл бұрын
I've always maintained technical ability is only 40% of what you bring to the table. The rest is guts, determination and the absolute will to succeed through adversity.
@Biggles24984 жыл бұрын
Adam W : As Napoleon once asked his Generals " Are you lucky" also helps Old Boy ! (En Francais)
@planejunky11 жыл бұрын
So the code for the door is 541, so the access won't be so restricted then then ha ha ha!!! I bet they changed that soon afterwards!! Seriously, thanks for posting up this series I really enjoyed it. =)
@sicknote1558 Жыл бұрын
Funny I noticed that as well 🤣 😄
@beagle76222 жыл бұрын
Wasn’t there another series where they had video inside the cockpits of Jet Provosts & the instructor’s gave the students absolute hell . One of the main Students shown went to Hercule’s I believe.That was a fantastic series of programs, but I found the instructors over the top.
@grahams76978 ай бұрын
What do you know about military flying training? I assume from your comment, that you have experience in this World??
@MrSkid197011 жыл бұрын
rob lowe,instructor on TWCU at honington during my time.
@woodchuckandfox7 жыл бұрын
Mad skills Respect
@archerry64572 жыл бұрын
After 8 episodes, I think the film gets over the fact that McRea is a barrel of laughs and would defo be top of my party invitations.
@gsmdo88369 ай бұрын
🤣😂🤣
@toomanywaystofall4 жыл бұрын
Fighter pilots in fast movers...A cut above!
@wbcfns11 жыл бұрын
Great video - thanks for sharing it. Shows you need an aptitude to fly in the air force, more than anything else. You can't buy your way in - if you can't fly there's no disguising it.
@timgosling61893 жыл бұрын
1TWU and Hunter FGA9s, and Paul Field; there're a few memories. How was your first trip in the Lightning Paul? This was of course the episode that had all single officers confined to live in the Mess for their first 18 months rather than living out in this totally un-officer-like manner, hurrumph, hurrumph. Happy days!
@quickpickle9 жыл бұрын
14:40 enjoying a smoke during brief time lol
@James-gf9jl3 жыл бұрын
Yes, nice to see the tabs on.
@adrongoddard747910 жыл бұрын
I wonder if he noticed that it was harder and harder to fit into the cockpit with the amount of chips he was putting away. Should of gone to fly Hercs straight away, a lot more room in the cockpit for expansion :D. Thanks for posting, this brought back a lot of memories.
You can't be a decent fast jet pilot in the RAF without a really bushy moustache, preferably with little curls at the ends. Something to do with aerodynamics.
@Biggles24983 жыл бұрын
What happens if a Student Pilot doesn't want to fly fighters but wanted to fly say C130 Hercules or in that day VC10 ?
@Biggles24988 жыл бұрын
At 3.35 that Gentleman closest to Cameraman is he Mark Pead I served my Cadetship with at Sea ? He always wanted to be an RAF Pilot ? I got accepted as Navigator but said no.
@richardallison54145 жыл бұрын
Did my Tucano FNT with John McRae - top bloke.
@pscary14 жыл бұрын
Richard Allison He was one of our flying instructors at the Elementary Flying School at Barkston Heath back in 2011/2012! Really nice guy and an absolute pleasure to fly with!😊
@robslade2571 Жыл бұрын
What was the code for that door again. 514.
@xoio12 жыл бұрын
Clearly also one of the prerequisites to being a RAF fighter pilot, is to have a tash & side parting.
@VIV29211 жыл бұрын
Yay for the Milkman flying fast jets(what a legend really the guy has just determination and hard work maybe if he was some type of grad/profession people be like yeah no probs goes to show that will and belief 90% of the battle is in the mind
@green823jade4 жыл бұрын
I wonder if the chap at 22:17 is Gary Stapleton the same who flew tornados during the Persian Gulf War with 15sq?
@snowman374th6 жыл бұрын
EARN! your wings.. You don't WIN your wings.
@allybally00216 жыл бұрын
Its all down to luck.....just like Bingo. Hence win. Flying is extremely easy.
@Cous1nJack3 жыл бұрын
How do you know if there is a pilot at a party? Wait two minutes they’ll tell you.
@James-gf9jl3 жыл бұрын
What do pilots use for contraception? Their personality.
@iphoneupdate3 жыл бұрын
Just here for the sound track
@wildone10610 жыл бұрын
22:21 uhm I now know the code to get into the op room in Germany
@as6807833 жыл бұрын
What I thought too!
@digitalradiohacker Жыл бұрын
John left school and had a job as a milkman, much to the amusement of his school masters. John applied to the RAF as a pilot (the cheek), much to the subdued chortles of the selection officers. John gave zero F's, mincing around in his sports car and chinning the mess off. John recieved a decent pass and went on to Buccaneers, and had the world stage been different, would been on its preferred alternative, TSR2. Up yours doubters. Up yours.
@HollomanUFOLanding6 жыл бұрын
And a couple of years later was the Falklands war, where the highly trained pilots of the RAF shone through.
@adiedonoghue16 жыл бұрын
HollomanUFOLanding RN pilots you mean....RAF were at Asi other than Blackbuck mission
@markwilson82996 жыл бұрын
That might come as a surprise to the Pilots of No 1(F) Sqn RAF who were providing Harrier Gr3's from HMS Hermes. :-)
@sabre22b5 жыл бұрын
Mark Wilson wow. Did not know that. Good point. Well made.
@garethmitchell81403 жыл бұрын
Adie...don’t be a plank. Besides flying the GR3 Harriers, several RAF pilots also flew Sea Harriers attached to naval squadrons. It only takes a little research before making such remarks.
@revanslacey4 жыл бұрын
6:42 "I would point out the social advantage because we farmers can be freer particularly at the weekend and in summer we can take a few weeks holiday."
@as6807833 жыл бұрын
Totally relevant points.
@thomasbrowne41152 жыл бұрын
I was hoping it wasn't just me who saw this, nice to know I'm not hallucinating!
@jonmcgee96565 жыл бұрын
At 3.01, good old "chalky" White, a top bloke, he was still at Brawdy 10 years later.
@allybally00214 жыл бұрын
Yep he was...with 234Sqn. Sound bloke.
@MrMungus111 жыл бұрын
Wanna bet :) For years most doors in the RAF had this code which was the default out of the box.
@ronaldtartaglia44592 жыл бұрын
Glorious where are the rest?
@billgates29038 ай бұрын
Everyone knows the code for the door now 😮
@The_Unintelligent_Speculator Жыл бұрын
Not a bump cap on in sight. The days.
@broadsworddannyboy11488 ай бұрын
OHP slides ....you gotta smile 😂
@CB-fz3li2 жыл бұрын
I bet the combination to the door is still 541
@sicknote1558 Жыл бұрын
😆 lol
@1903chrisholden5 жыл бұрын
are there any fast jet pilots on here willing to talk about their time / experiences on fast jets?
@allybally00214 жыл бұрын
......I think you need to talk about mustache wax...that might start some dialogue.
@xoio12 жыл бұрын
4:22 - Hawker Hunter!
@Biggles24984 жыл бұрын
I flew one(under supervision) as a PPL and they are easier to fly than a Beech 33 !
@elizabetharmada53358 жыл бұрын
their jobs are big responsibility for them,very serious jobs,specially if they assign at war,probably all of them are not smiling
@Mavermick17 жыл бұрын
The milkman's a bit of a moaner. First not enough holidays and now he works harder than everyone else. Wish he'd have driven his milk float to the greener field.
@SKYLANDBAK7 жыл бұрын
LiveSteamLMS - From milk float to high tech fighter jets, you've got to give him some credit for the huge leap of self belief...From delivering gold top milk to bombs & missiles is a huge career turn around...I think he successfully found the greener field...
@welshparamedic6 жыл бұрын
he is nearly 60 now!! lol
@adamw29116 жыл бұрын
Unless you have done ten weeks of basic military training then you've no right to judge any of these guys.
@stewartw.91514 жыл бұрын
Jobsworth!
@davidhumphreys70353 жыл бұрын
@@adamw2911 10 weeks? They were Officers and undergo significantly longer basic training and then there's almost 2 years flying training. 10 weeks is the modern RAF Basic training for the Other Ranks, back then it was 6 weeks.
@eatthisvr611 жыл бұрын
the milkman done good! i wonder if he ever went on to tornados?
@sabre22b5 жыл бұрын
I don't think his personality would fit in the cockpit.
@Biggles24983 жыл бұрын
A Milkman who had 11 "0" Levels ! I scraped 8 !
@homoKaliptus11 жыл бұрын
what did they become now ?
@737Adventures12 жыл бұрын
more lika a comb-over!
@phmwu73683 жыл бұрын
11:18 sportscar TVR Griffith 400
@xoio12 жыл бұрын
LOL :-D
@digitalradiohacker Жыл бұрын
I would point out the social advantage because we farmers can be freer particularly at the weekend and in summer we can take a few weeks holiday. Aparrently...
@MrMungus111 жыл бұрын
No. Some are but most join as Navs
@HuasoPodrido9 жыл бұрын
so the door code is 541!
@phill633vgs6 жыл бұрын
I used to just pick the three shiniest buttons...
@epowellrob4 жыл бұрын
And we keep all the keys for the planes in the kitchen drawer (the one under the kettle)
@Biggles24983 жыл бұрын
In high terrain would it not help to set QFE to zero at highest point within 20miles for safer terrain clearance ? Forgive my naivety but it was just a thought !
@archerry64572 жыл бұрын
Yeah and then flare about 700m above the runway. Genius.
@Biggles24982 жыл бұрын
@@archerry6457 I think that is somewhat unfair as a Fighter Pilot would reset his terrain clearance by QFE as informed by Controller at Military Airfield being landed at ! For Civil Pilots like me (retired) this is essential at Airfields for example Bogota which is a staggering 2640 metres above sea level made worse by high terrain just behind them or in the negative sense landing at Rotterdam or in that vicinity thereof -4.6 metres with a negative Sea Level correction. However you sound like a very experienced Fighter Pilot or Navigator so I will withdraw my comment soon.
@archerry64572 жыл бұрын
@@Biggles2498 so you're naive in your first post but a retired civil pilot in your second. Make your mind up, sir. 😉 Edit: why would my not being a pilot necessarily preclude me from understanding this? Your messiah complex doesn't wash. Pilots don't have the monopoly on atmospheric pressure.
@Biggles24982 жыл бұрын
@@archerry6457 I did both Navigator Military and Pilot Civil plus was a I Ship's Navigator prior to both so I do have a thorough working knowledge of atmospheric pressure. I was taught in the first place by a top Meteorologist so can you draw on paper a picture of how a Precision Aneroid Barometer to show how it works too ?
@Biggles2498 Жыл бұрын
@@archerry6457 THEN Reset QFE before joining Circuit is what I thought would have been common sense.
@geoac4 жыл бұрын
Wow. A Hawk becomes a Jet Provost! I was stationed there 75/79 and NEVER saw that! What I DID see was a "Hero" namely Douglas Bader fly in as a Civilian and become an arsehole!
@mjspice1003 жыл бұрын
That’s not the first time I’ve heard that particular individual referred to in that way…
@Biggles24983 жыл бұрын
@@mjspice100 He treated Ladies like shit ! The War Films with Kenneth Moore portraying him as a Gentleman is BS !
@ryandewar7440 Жыл бұрын
Met Bader when I was very young. Complete tosspot. Absolute shit to the majority of people around him. Arrogant twat.
@simonhellier72813 жыл бұрын
Based on this doc it seems McCrae can fly but his negativity makes me surprised that he made it.
@cooking2311 жыл бұрын
so all navigators are failed pilots.....
@allybally00214 жыл бұрын
Not true......some Navs retrain as pilots too.
@Biggles24984 жыл бұрын
They most certainly are NOT ! It's suitability that's all ,many Navigators DO become Pilots ! Some Pilots are not allowed to fly without a Navigator as they can't cope. The highest ranking Navigator in The RAF is an Air Chief Marshall assuming he is still alive.
@petercallaghan98516 жыл бұрын
Yes, free the farmers!
@supergeek017710 жыл бұрын
I did a google search and first link to come up was "John Macrae was a pilot in the RAF until depression forced him to give up flying and eventually his 19-year RAF career altogether." first hit on the list if u type in "john mcrae raf". Very sad if thats actually him thu but i suppose you could see traces of it in the doco in terms of his pessimistic attitude =(
@markp57374 жыл бұрын
He's a real estate agent now days
@tonkerdog12434 жыл бұрын
markp5737 where
@pinopino10863 жыл бұрын
Linked in says Colchester! It's him because on his CV is mentioned RAF pilot until 1997. John if you read this.....I hope your doing well! I enjoyed the series back in the eighties.
@paulmaggs32128 ай бұрын
I reckon smarter people do get to be a bit cynical as they see through a lot of the bullshit.. I can see why that could lead to depression…
@Ian897111 жыл бұрын
@SpitfireSir
@Wilfire196111 жыл бұрын
Ah, but for Hitchhiker's Guide, really, really cheesy synth music was just right!
@Biggles24984 жыл бұрын
4.24 Some of these Pilots need a bloody haircut !
@TarnishUK3 жыл бұрын
1980 enough said.
@Michaelmbz11 жыл бұрын
That's exactly what I thought too! It should be rock & roll - not a church organ! :-/
@38mariner Жыл бұрын
24.31 caught me
@andrewlofthouse7121 Жыл бұрын
'We're in the quality versus quantity game'. Wow. Fast forward to 2023 and the numbers we mow have in our armed forces. More true than ever!
@HollomanUFOLanding6 жыл бұрын
Btw, the statement near then end of the film about a pilot knowing one word of Russian - his target in Russia - was, of course, a joke. The pilots would be the last to know the destination of their weapon, for obvious reasons.
@davidhumphreys70354 жыл бұрын
Utter bollocks, they would take their planning pack into a locked room and regularly study the strike package.
@ProfessorPescaАй бұрын
My old man was on Buccaneers in Germany in the 70s and absolutely knew his target.
@oliverwilson79037 ай бұрын
plotting a bombing raid on 'Welsh Extremists' Plaid Cymru lol! Do you think the RAF have updated their mission sets since then??
@rabbamonkey10 жыл бұрын
Chip pan
@Ingens_Scherz11 жыл бұрын
BBc Radiophonic Workshop at its worst!! It did incidental music for virtually everything in those days - and it all sounded the same (awful!). The best example of its work is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981).
@SKYLANDBAK7 жыл бұрын
ludocrat - The music was atrocious & had no correlation to fast moving jet aircraft whatsoever, which would have been the best approach....I think the composer was trying to capture the spirit of the RAF, but failed miserably...They should have expanded their budget & hired Jean-Michel Jarre...The music would have been memorable...
@cpoppeli11 жыл бұрын
They all have mustaches.
@rabbamonkey10 жыл бұрын
Ha ha Welsh extremists!
@yesitsvish Жыл бұрын
we farmers?
@UncleSpunken11 жыл бұрын
You've got a massive chip on your shoulder mate.
@anthonyhamlin1078Ай бұрын
Sigmas don't care if you think they have a personality or not
@bishopdante11 жыл бұрын
Hehehe welsh extremists. The fashion back then was bad!
@w1nchester328 ай бұрын
i don't think that theme tune is going to win many prizes