Lightning to Tornado F3 | Derek "Grinner" Smith (In-Person Part 2)

Grinner shares some more great stories from flying the Lightning, including firing the last 2 Red Top IR missiles against a Jindivik, plus what it was like transitioning to the Tornado F3 and what it was like fly.
Strap in and enjoy!
Watch part 1 • Flying the Lightning! ...
Filmed at www.nelsam.org.uk/
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[@a.n.7229]

One of the less obvious but important aspects of your interviews is the excellent sound quality. Thank you for properly micing your guests. It makes a big difference.

[@mikelastname]

Despite watching so many of these aircrew interviews, I hadn't appreciated just how much variation there was in a type - like hot and dry, NVG, etc modifications. Fascinating - thanks so much both of you.

[@burgerfeet101]

Spent many long shifts working on the radar embodying modifications getting it ready for Desert Storm along side many other RAF techs and civilian personnel. To say it was dogged with problems prior to this is a fair assessment. Great video.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@aerogray2500]

A terrific conversation!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@PhantomMark]

I will never forget the Airshow display of the Lightening at RAF Coningsby sometime in the 1980's , took off and went vertical, gone.........I don't recall another airshow ever being hosted at Coningsby after that weirdly...it was the last time I saw the Lightening fly.

[@bugler75]

Lovely editing to include the Lighting start ups. Thank you, Ian

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@austenpowers]

Great interview - saw a pair or Tornados giving a fantastic and long demo at Bournemouth Airshow about 12/13 years ago. Amazing display

[@kevinkennedy6362]

Outstanding... what an Awesome interview with Grinner! Just finished the Q&A visit with "Murph" about the F-15A in Guard service, now followed up with an enlightening conversation regarding the progression of the Lightning's twilight years into the Tornado's ultimate game changing significance and lethality. Love the RAF jets and am fortunate to have some very nice relics exhibited in my collection, including a fin flash of Tornado F3, ZG797, (1435 Flight, D-'Desperation'), among several other pieces proudly displayed. Thank you for always delivering a professional and highly appealing program! Top marks, Cheers!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thank you very much

[@comicmania2008]

What a great insight, much respect to this pilot! I'm an ex Raffie, ground equipment leckie, was at Coningsby 84-86. I remember we had the OCU hanger, and I believe amongst the 1st Tornados, though we were stop-gapping with Phantoms at the time, for QRA and so forth. The Tornado was riddled with radar faults, and I understand they had to remove the Marconi rig, and fly with a concrete block in its nose, to act as a counter-weight at the time. But, a great aircraft in the end!

[@glenleslie8087]

The famous Blue Circle Radar as we Avionic Techies called it. I went to Beauvechain, Belgium with Grinner and three other Groundcrew for the last static appearance for the Lightning in 1988. Needless to say he left Belgium with a rather low level fly past and beat up. Top Pilot.

[@philipbrooks402]

Part two, just as awesome as part one.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers!

[@Veagle-vz4tg]

The very last comment was interesting.... I had an opportunity to meet (over several hours one afternoon) a well experienced US Astronaut & Test Pilot who had spent a significant amount of time on secondment in UK and elsewhere. I asked him of all the aeroplanes he'd flown (and he'd flown pretty much everything...) what was his favourite aeroplane to fly? He said "you are going to be very surprised at my answer - The Hawker Hunter F6. I sure as hell wouldn't want to go to war in one, but that wasn't your question. It was an absolutely delightful aeroplane to fly"

[@andrewferguson3535]

Awesome interview Thankyou Grinner 👏

[@davidwallace5831]

Brilliant! Thank you - been waiting with baited breath for part 2!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ianwright8927]

Smashing conversation very interesting man to listen to he’s a good man 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@Medge2sc]

I’ll be listening to this on my way to work tomorrow

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@rickculpin]

Great Interview Grinner and I've learnt so much! Very disappointed you didn't go for the full explanation of blip track analysis in part 1 🤭 IADS 90 was 5 Sqn F3. I recall, @mike111 you gents were taken aback at the low level speed of the F3. It maybe worth saying, after the strange comment by @clydecessna737 (with both Cessna and 737 in title!) that military men across all branches have their own favourite munition of war. Whether a Ship, plane, tank or rifle. Thing is, we trained to kill using these munitions of war and our lives depended on us getting the best out of them. Thus, we had to have loyalty to type.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@migalito1955]

This has been a fabulous interview, thanks to all.....

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@marcusott2973]

Much awaited, much appreciated looking forward to excellent insights as always.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Enjoy.

[@julianneale6128]

Fantastic chap, with Fantastic stories!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@caterhamsuperlightr81]

Fantastic interview… thanks both 👍

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks for watching.

[@moochoman9948]

Quality stuff, as always!

[@stephensykes7793]

I arrived on 23 Sqn in November 88 as a Corporal rigger. The F3 during those early days was a horribly unreliable aircraft. It wasn't unusual to come in on day shift to see a Rects. board full of unserviceable aircraft. I also worked the longest night shifts I ever did during my time in the Service. Coupled with the never ending exercises to get the Squadron and Station worked up and declared to NATO, it was a challenging time. However, morale was good due in no small part to a fantastic group of people.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Sounds like it was a tough time/transition but as you say, great people make it worthwhile.

Very interesting Interview, thank you.

[@thefrecklepuny]

Great stuff as per usual. The Lighting is a surprisingly large fighter.

[@davidsmith8997]

Yup, another great interview. I didn't know that the last models of the F-3 carried the AMRAAM and ASRAAM. Combined with JTIDS and the radar, that would make for a potent interceptor at the time.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Great to hear you enjoyed it.

[@toucheturtle3840]

17 tonnes of thunder😁

[@grinner2916]

@davidsmith8997 Yup, it finished service with all that plus the NVG capability so quite a potent interceptor BUT it was considerably lacking in performance at medium to high levels - that was something they clearly couldn’t fix, however, employed using sensible tactics it could give a good account of itself. I never flew with AMRAAM as I left just as it was being introduced but did fly with ASRAAM for a few years.

[@nidgem7171]

*Large* is an F14 Tomcat ... you can hide a Lightning behind one except for the tip of its tail fin.

[@hamish1065]

@grinner2916 Great interviews, thank you for sharing your anecdotes with us. Might the Nav in your 1000 hrs champagne photo be one KH, who spent most of his time a bit further north? If so, I knew him further towards the end of his flying days, when he had less hair but still a big toothy grin.

[@johnhudghton3535]

1998-1999 was Op Desert Fox. I was in PSAB (RAF Als Khazi sic) at that time. The F3's replaced the GR1A's there in Feb 99.

[@johnmorrison27]

That was brilliant thank you 👍

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jetaddicted]

My father went from the F-104 ASA to the Tornado ADV; he had no kind words for the latter but keeps loving the former.

[@historiadaaviacao.4274]

Eu amo o Tornado F.3 adv é uma de minhas aeronaves prediletas da guerra fria e anos 90❤

[@stanleybuchan4610]

5 Sqn 78-83 and got two flights. Amazing experience and some great detachments.

[@toucheturtle3840]

Fantastic😁

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers!

[@toucheturtle3840]

@@AircrewinterviewWhat pains me is the fact that not enough young people will watch your content. I grew up in the 70’s & 80’s. It seems to me now that we are losing our heritage. Sold off to the highest bidder😐

[@hypergolic8468]

@@toucheturtle3840 MRSA - Merged Reorganised Sold Abroad!

[@mikeF111]

Awesome anecdotes. Wonder if Grinner knows who took the F3s to Malaysia early 1990?

[@Aircrewinterview]

He was on that det:)

[@mikeF111]

@@Aircrewinterview then we may have met. 15000’ north of Singapore in a flat scissors😀

[@grinner2916]

I was on the det to Malaysia in 92. I know the ‘Round the World’ including Malaysia and Oz was in 88 - not sure about 1990.

[@mikeF111]

@@grinner2916 in 90 there was a sales pitch detachment of GRs and F3s. Can’t remember which squadrons. It’s a pretty canned exercise but it was a lot of fun. Only place I ever got into more than 1 turn unbriefed DACT. And lots of great “airfield attacks” 😉 Missed our 92 IADs trip due family illness unfortunately. Really enjoyed your interview. Cheers 👍

[@melkarentownend7434]

@@mikeF111 It was 27 Sqn GR1's and 5 Sqn ADV, I was on that detachment on 27

[@nidgem7171]

He hesitated to name his favourite aeroplane longer than most of the folk watching his accounts You might as well admit it - Soon as the question was voiced, you said *'Lightning'* didn't you? 😋

[@andrewhenly9057]

We still have a northern and southern QRA.

[@jeremyrichards8327]

The picture of the F6 Lightning after the double live firing is not of a 5 Squadron aircraft of which you were a pilot?

[@grinner2916]

Well spotted. I was on 5 Sqn until November 87 when 5 Lightnings disbanded. Along with the others who were to remain until the end, I moved to XI Sqn and saw my time out on the Lightning there.

[@jeremyrichards8327]

@@grinner2916 I have some pictures taken at Binbrook around your time there.There was a good spot near the peri track at the Thorganby end. There were tents amongst the spotters congregated there. Would you not fancy a Typhoon flight?

[@glenleslie8087]

We went to Beauvechain in1988 in support of you with 11Sqn,staying in the Brussels, I wonder if you remember the trip? @@grinner2916

[@clydecessna737]

Why can't anyone tell it straight? The Tornado ADV was junk and the IDS could have been done by an updated Buccaneer. The MRCA was a lie.

[@simonpugh1894]

Well, according to this interviewee, the F3 was a very capable aeroplane. He should know as he had over 1000 hrs on it. I think that's telling it pretty straight.

[@daveh1081]

Tell us more mate.......how many hours did you get on the F3?

[@grinner2916]

2993 hours.

[@ohboy2118]

​@simonpugh1894 I think what this interview shows is that even the pilots who flew the Tornado have different opinions on the aircraft's performance. Another interview on this channel described the Tornado as awesome down low then not great between 2500 > 5000ft (approximately) and then good up high. I got flamed in another comment section for recalling that because someone didn't agree. It fascinating hearing different opinions.

[@daveh1081]

@grinner2916 Sorry grinner.....that was meant for the guy who was trashing the tornado. I was just wondering why he's "informed" enough to make those sweeping statements! Brilliant interview by the way! We could have been contemporaries......except I failed oasc twice!! Best Dave

[@starfish370]

Please change that awful musical intro/ outro of your videos! Multiple times of asking!!!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Do you understand the phrase “my house, my rules”?

[@mstevens113]

Don't like it then don't listen. Simple.