Interview with Chris Bolton on the Royal Navy F-4 Phantom - Full

Chris Bolton chats about his time flying the F-4 Phantom from HMS Ark Royal.
He includes his time flying the Phantom with the RAF and also the Hawker Hunter in Bahrain.
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www.aircrewinterview.tv
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[@mookie2637]

"You land with a 40 inch extension. On the aircraft, that is..." This man is a genius.

[@aroj745]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this subtle comedic gold🤣

[@samrodian919]

What a great interview, he's so interesting and fucking funny! The 40 inch extension but on the aircraft had me pissing myself lol

[@RickClifton]

I was a Catapult and Elevator Technician aboard the U.S.S. Independence (CV-62) when we cross-decked RN Phantoms and Fairey Gannets (Odd ducks, for sure). Very interesting seeing the dark blue/grey RN Phantoms w/ their Omega symbols on the cats next to our white diamond backs. A treat for us to witness this... I also recall seeing our ship recover French Crusaders... All very exciting even for a seasoned 20 year old with a Med Cruise already under his belt.

[@mickleem]

Loved this interview Really interesting stuff

[@olanrewajuihenacho178]

Was absolutely riveting. What a character! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👍🏿🇬🇧

[@kevinphillips9408]

Fantastic interview

[@ventureza6348]

Brilliant interview, comes over as a pilots pilot.. A masterclass in how to use the F word properly with timing and skill.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Venture ZA634 glad you enjoyed it. It sure is, I wasn't expecting it when I was interviewing him!

[@steve24447694]

Aircrew Interview

[@dougdauer5562]

I was a f4 wso in the 80s, then did varks in the 90s...lv this!

[@troyledbetter6597]

Chris is a great narrator with a distinctive style! I have seen this video several times and never get tired of hearing it.

[@yurinator4411]

He sounds like he's reading something from a book he wrote.

[@tedzehnder961]

What an entertaining way to hear about a first time carrier landing.

[@paullumley8291]

Superb brief Chris !

[@cmarnold78]

This was awesome. Really enjoyed it. What I find hilarious is the free and easy access of a bar on the UK ships. Unimaginable for the US - With a 5.5 pint limit (not a target :) )

[@andrewfranklin7773]

Another great RAF Phantom interview. Chris Bolton is a classic.

[@martentrudeau6948]

Chris Bolton what a character, only in Britain, he's very colorful, genuine and a real human being doing a dangerous job, and living life to the fullest. Thank you for the interview and his entertaining and humorous stories.

[@SimDeck]

What a great character. Could listen to him all day.

[@benlewis2475]

What a legend.

[@jonvicsison4895]

Thrilling listening to his first carrier catapult and landing! Chris Bolton is a great story teller, more from him please!!!

[@randyhavard6084]

This was a great interview. I'd like to sit down and have a couple of beers with this man to hear more about his flying career.

[@acb7074]

Smashing interview.Thank you.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thank you

[@darbz2k]

What a legend, they don't make them like this anymore!

[@timothylowe8327]

Loved this one! Well done that pilot. 👍🍻

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks

[@howegav]

This man is refreshingly colourful. More from Mr Bolton please. He's as cool as a cucumber, and yet not stuck up. So very interesting. I really enjoyed that. 6 thumbs down so far, must be from those Russian "trawler" crews.

[@colintwiss]

Respect to him. I was on Ark Royal from 1971 to 1975 in two assignments down in the Boiler and Engine rooms. I would spend most of my off time on the Goofing Deck on the Island watching the flying. Phantoms for me are the sexiest looking aircraft EVER built. Watching a jet on re-heat at night was awesome. Watching them hit the splash target.I was always in awe of the Pilots. I wonder if he remembers us pushing a Buccaneer off the back end as the airframe was condemned. I wonder too if he remembers us in Barcelona when some idiot drove a tractor off the back end. I was part of that as I was being taught how to drive one and the guy showing me how to do it properly drove it off the back end. I never did see Barcelona we were in BIG trouble. LOL Those were the days my friend.

[@brucemerrett6842]

Thanks for mentioning the Barcelona tractor incident....We laughed about it at the time...and the story went that the tractor was still going round in circles on the sea bed in the harbour when the Ark put to sea again,,,..I was on 892 at the time...I think we went on to Malta with a stranded American Phantom on board & because that was potentially politically awkward it got repainted with 892's Omega on the tail. Happy memories of special times.

[@englishelectric]

Brilliant. What a great bloke!

[@B1900pilot]

Very interesting and also enjoy his wit and humor...Anyone flying Phantoms of the Ark Royal is deserving of our respect.

[@RabbitSQN]

That gent is a Legend! Great interview!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers!

[@henryspiteri8138]

Very well documented of an aircrew experience in the RAF and RN and his visits to other countries including Malta. Cheers from Malta.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Great to hear you enjoyed it, Henry.

[@welshparamedic]

I ACTUALLY LAUGHED OUT ALOUD..GREAT INTERVIEW, TOP BLOKE!

[@Aircrewinterview]

He was a great laugh on the day!

[@ghostdog688]

I love his explanation of in flight refuelling

[@jimbrown5268]

Thanks Mike. Chris seems like a genuinely top bloke, would love to have a beer or two with him

[@robertgraffham6440]

I recall one time when 892 were tasked with "Q" and a RAF equivelent friend of mine (from 43 Sqdn) asked me "Where are your Kites"? After the alarm went off! I informed him that "Our Cabs" were already in the air!! We had set a new record for launch speed! It happened that our aircrew were actually in the "Q" cab in the shed, setting the switches when the alarm went off! :-) Ahh! Crabs God Bless Em? And Protect us from them? ;-)

[@warrenchambers4819]

Dam if this isn't my new favorite interview I LOVE THIS GUY! Running F at at rollin doughnut I lost it right there.

[@tomthumb2057]

All the interviews are outstanding... But this one takes it to another level of great!!!

[@Aircrewinterview]

tom thumb thank you very much.

[@thefrecklepuny]

Once again a very informative and workman like effort! Perhaps the most humorous interview so far as well! Easy to forget these days that the F-4 Phantom was a naval multi-role fighter and that Britain operated them as such! Would be interesting to hear a French naval aviator talking about flying another classic, the F-8 Crusader!

[@Aircrewinterview]

It was indeed, he was a great interviewee! Thats a good call and it is certainly one on my radar.

[@ianstewartaviation2634]

Outstanding interview could listen to this gent all day long, a plus for me his first flight in an Auster from my local airport👍

[@blairboyle1972]

I know Chris from way back. good to see the same sense of humour. We lived in the same block in Hong Kong. Great interview, Chris and very amusing with terrific anecdotes. Best wishes, Blair

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers, Blair. He certainly does, plus a lovely bloke.

[@Dilious31]

Fantastic interview and what a great guy! Ark was my Father’s first ship so it was great to hear about life onboard. Thank you for sharing!

[@brickfan]

Heard a little from Chris yesterday at the unveiling of the ex RN RAF F4 Phantom at the Ulster Aviation Society in Northern Ireland. Very informative and interesting.

[@Penguinracer]

Chris is definitely a natural raconteur! I loved this one!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@motorcop505]

Outstanding interview! All of your interviews are great, but this was exceptional. He had quite a variety of experiences and was most humble. Wonderful choice for the subject of an aviation interview! Keep up the great work!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much! great to hear you enjoyed it.

[@robw3027]

Many thanks Mr. Bolton- just a great interview.

[@PhantomMark]

Had to go ashore with a 40in extension, the airplane of course......hahaha what a character :D Love it, great interview :)

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks mate :)

[@gustavorocha78]

Greetings from Brazil! One of the best aviation channels! Congratulations.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much and thank you for your support from Brazil!

[@georgeorwell100]

What a great career. Definitely had the best of times. Always loved the Phantom. Ours were faster & cleaner than the yank ones. We shoehorned two RR Spey 202s into ours.

[@terrysmit4629]

Wrong.

[@UncleBoratagain]

@@terrysmit4629 Agreed, better s.f.c and runway performance but few turbofans can match the J-79 turbojet for altitude and speed!

[@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM]

@@terrysmit4629 : Right

[@markbradley2367]

Very enjoyable interview, quite strange to see the airfield at Portimao.. my local! but haven't had time to investigate any flying opportunities there. Didn't know retirement was going to be so busy( villa renovating )43 years flying, difficult not to miss though. My airline career was in no way as exciting as yours though still loved it. Hopefully trip over you in a bar sometime ...in this little corner of paradise.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Mark.

[@lindabolton3037]

Thanks Mark. We’re living in Luz. I used to fly from Portimao, but due to the Great Plague, my license has lapsed due expired medical. Where are you living?

[@markbradley2367]

@@lindabolton3037 Hi, for some reason your email went to junk! Shame about the flying must have been lovely cruising around here . I hadn't appreciated that one could actually fly from Portimao ie take off AND land, I thought you always had to jump out during the flight! We moved out here in December 2017, and bought a fairly run down villa that is about 4 km north of Paderne. I was communting back to the UK until retirement in Sept 2019. As I mentioned in my first post, have been very busy with the renovating, but it should be coming to an end (Portuguese)' soon'.....might even have our pool back before summers end . We absolutely love it out here despite the odd challenge or two...

[@Dave68Goliath]

He looks like an older Tom Skerritt in Top Gun

[@taxus750]

Fascinating, thank you very much for the upload. I would have been in my early teens when Mr. Bolton was attached to the RN on HMS Ark Royal but because my old man was on the MoD Police launches at HMNB Devonport and we lived in SE Cornwall (RAF St. Mawgan wasn't far away) I can remember my fascination with RN/ RAF F-4s, Buccaneers, Nimrods.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@johnleyland338]

Wow,,, that was an amazing experience. Listening to such an amazing man.....

[@Schenkerflyingv]

One of the best interviews given by a pilot I have seen

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Ian!

[@Ecthaelyon]

Superb, superb video. Many thanks for this interview.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Ecthaelyon You're very welcome

[@iain075]

Just discovered your channel. Really superb, good detail, anecdotes and a lack of hyperbole. Great!

[@Aircrewinterview]

I hope you enjoy our content!

[@adamskinner5868]

really enjoyed hearing that perspective, the experiences of a young guy joining the RAF in the 60s and flying off carriers for the RN in the 70s. He tells it well and good on him for leading an interesting life, wish there was more detail but for a 1 hr chat that was great. Thanks

[@Aircrewinterview]

+Adam Skinner glad to hear you enjoyed it, Adam.

[@chrisbolton3635]

Adam Skinner Thank you for your kind comments. I’m a little long in the tooth now.

[@garyfuzz2434]

Running fuck at a rolling doughnut.That could be the funniest analogy I’ve ever heard👏🏻😂

[@TheDarwiniser]

excellent as always, especially the Navy aspect.

[@showtime112]

Absolutely love this guy. And the channel itself is a discovery!

[@phillipneal9289]

Really enjoyed watching that. Keep up the good work

[@garythgeorge1]

What a man. I envy his abilities.

[@simonrichardson5077]

What an interesting guy,i could listen to him all day!

[@arkroyal2wa1]

There,s a saying in the Royal Navy...never volunteer, I broke that golden rule only once when I volunteered to be fire suitman on the "Ark" 71/73. Having known then what Ive heard here, I probably wouldn,t have bothered. Great interview.

[@Backwardlooking]

Yes!. That’s what my father told me and why unlike some of his shipmates he survived and stayed on the ship where he was sent by the Royal Navy in W.W.2.

[@stephenupton6705]

Fantastic interview, very interesting and funny pilot. I could listen to his story all day 👍😁

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad to hear this, Stephen!

[@jcheck6]

Great interview! I can attest that the Brits really like to drink. When station in Germany (me USAF) we had a sq exchange with the Brits. Great fun.

[@DowntheJunction]

What a belting interview and what a fascinating chap to listen to.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers mate!

[@marklawrence8517]

What an interesting Guy. Great interview.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers.

[@TheSound0fLegends]

I think I've found my new phrase when things are difficult to do.

[@N75911_]

Hearing how hard it was to get bombs on target back then makes me realize just how advanced CCIP bombing is in modern aircraft. Let alone laser guided bombs.

[@morg2204]

Watched this several times. I think it's one of your best videos together with your Roy McIntyre collaborations. Any scope for a live Q&A with Chris Bolton on the cards?

[@Pow3llMorgan]

"Fit like a robber's dog". It doesn't get much more British :P

[@colderwar]

It's nice to see that tradition is being upheld - all film of British military aircraft built prior to 1980 must contain a ladder and a bicycle. Obviously the bloke with the flat cap and the bucket is off screen, together with the boffin smoking a pipe :)))

[@acballen2613]

mouth of a sailor, fabulous storyteller!

[@markgriffin8158]

Chris is a great story teller , brilliant interview. My father, Colin Griffin , passed away 4 weeks ago. I’m guessing he was in 892 at the same time as you ? Let’s hope you’ve got more stories to tell.

[@lindabolton3037]

Thank you Mark. I knew Colin from shore time at RAF Leuchars. I very much enjoyed his company and admired him for his wisdom and sagacity. A rare calm person in a storm. Vale.

[@markgriffin8158]

Thank you for your kind words. His funeral is today and will be attended by a number of his Fleet Air Arm friends. I hope you are well. M

[@Jordan-182]

Great interview as always. Thought I recognised the backdrop, this is at skydive algarve. I’ve done a lot of skydiving there and work for their sister dropzone in Lincolnshire!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers mate.

[@martynwilliams8526]

One of the very best, would love to buy him a pint!

[@lindabolton3037]

Thank you. Could we stretch to 2 pints perhaps?

[@steviespaind4307]

they´re all good, but this one was great. thanks.

[@gnashings]

if you had 12 hours of this i'd be watching the whole thing. This man is my hero. And I'm pretty sure could still kick my ass and steal my girl.

[@67tomcat]

That's awesome and spot on! Great guy; I've watched/listened to this one 6+ times.

[@Road38910]

Bloody gorgeous Chippy behind him.

[@paulbestwick2426]

Very good story teller.

[@hondansx1000]

Every now and again I interact with him on Twitter about various aircraft stuff, lovely guy who i'd love to meet in person one day. Defo would buy him a beer or two

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is a nice and funny chap.

[@Twirlyhead]

I'll never look at a doughnut the same again. Yet another great interview. Setting new standards on the Web.

[@Aircrewinterview]

I thought the exact same thing! Great compliment, thanks very much :)

[@Z1PP00]

XD

[@davidporter8366]

Most likely "caught" him a few times I was operating the arrester gear(DAX) on the Ark during this period. Recognised most aircrew by their boots, my windows were at deck level. Wonder who the guys were with Shamrocks on their boots. Cross decking was a pain for us, Americans would hit the deck and go on afterburn just in case they missed a wire. This led to a lot of "overstrains" requiring the wire to be taken out of service for checks. Best job I ever had. Ex Badger.

[@chrisbolton3635]

Our SOP was full cold power on hitting the deck. This avoided “whispering bolters “

[@paulnorthard488]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. My father was a Fleet Air Arm pilot and I wonder if their paths crossed. Bob Northard was Commander Air of Ark and later Yeovilton where he returned as Captain in the early 80s. I met Sheppard as a kid!

[@chrisbolton3635]

Paul Northard Thank you Paul. I remember your father “Wings” very well. I think he took over from Jack Worth. Great days.

[@paulnorthard488]

Yes, Jack Worth rings a Bell. Dad died in 2007 and Mum last year. You may remember Peter Redpath, he came to Mum's funeral and looks in fine fettle for his age.

[@swtruckerpv]

Really good interview Mike 😎👍

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Paul!

[@lookythat2]

Best interview yet.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks mate.

[@chrisbolton3635]

Thomas L Thank you for your compliment. Preparing for that interview brought the memories flooding back.

[@hive71recordinz89]

Talk about master class, what a bloke

[@finchleyflyer]

Outstanding, great character and some great stories.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks again, Peter.

[@lloydscott4322]

F 84 fighter

[@NoName-ds5uq]

Great interview of a true character, thank you both! The topic of cross decking makes me wonder though, landing the USN Phantoms on the British carrier may not be a problem, but how would they go being launched from that carrier without that extra nose wheel height? Would it just be a case of reducing take off weight?

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thank you.

[@fouloleron2002]

What a wonderful man!

[@johnodonnell2138]

Great interview mike.

[@Aircrewinterview]

john o donnell Thanks John.

[@tectorama]

Great video, what a marvellous life he's had.

[@chrisbolton3635]

He’s still having it! But rather more sedately.

[@chrisbolton3635]

Still having it!

[@simonrichardson5077]

Great video,thanks

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Simon.

[@hughesja1975]

Quality as usual Mike

[@Aircrewinterview]

hughesja1975 thanks once again.

[@dionlindsay2]

"close and open watertight shutters a bit" - I'll remember that next time I'm worried!

[@thexpatplanner]

The relatively small Ark Royal managed to have 12 Phantoms and 14 buccs, wow. Will we ever see 26 British F-35’s on Lizzie, I wonder?

[@paulyflyer8154]

What a fantastic guy. I don't drink but I'm sure he could turn me into a hard-core alcoholic in a village pub in no time at all.

[@brucemacallan6831]

What a great youtube channel this is.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Bruce!

[@jeenakattadige2187]

Very interesting, congratulations, its great 👏👏

[@willo996]

Pure charisma.:)

[@nme70002143]

Brilliant interview, what a life!!!Thank you 🍺👍

[@michaelamos4651]

Absolutely brilliant character Z0

[@nicholasroberts6954]

No "Disdain" here, mate . . . I'd happily swap this for 24 hour mainstream drivel TV, anyday. Again, this series is absolutely wonderful. Non-stop accounts of military airside, for an hour , . . with super dits, which you can't dispute are on the money. These blokes are a huge historical repository. IMHO, the human face available to this form of presentation, beats the audio-only, official type of historical record keeping, done by the BeeB and IWM, hands down.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much! I’m really glad you’re enjoying them and appreciate the effort that it takes to create them :)

[@billl605]

What a super guy, kind of reminds me of John Cleese.

[@davidboardman7827]

aircrew interview gets better and better

[@Aircrewinterview]

you're welcome David - we're striving to improve all the time :)

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers David :)

[@davidboardman7827]

1 like aircrew interview because its not over top like the american stuff.all the pilots are down to earth and you do a great interview

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks again :)