Continuing the story of the Empire Class flying boat, Phil Vabre returns to tell us about how Qantas were able to continue operating services in the Far East as the war in Europe started to…
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38: Flying the F-105 in Vietnam with Maj Gen Russ Violett
Maj Gen Russ Violett (Rtd) had a 30-year career with the USAF, flying multiple types, including the North American F-100 Super Sabre (in which he had a 2-minute flight before punching out!) and the fantastic…
37: Classic British Jets Collection Open Day
On the 29th April 2023, the Classic British Jets Collection re-opened their doors at their Buntingthrope base for the first time this side of the pandemic. Dave Thomas and the team kindly invited me up…
36: The Many Bombings of Aachen with Dr Philip Blood
On the night of the 13/14th of July 1943, RAF Bomber Command returned to the German city of Aachen again. This time they were carrying what they termed an “arson load”. The attack created a…
35: Huey Gunships and Blackhawks with Mike Cusick
Mike Cusick was a Crew Chief on UH-1 Hueys and UH-60 Blackhawks in a career spanning five decades. Mike has seen everything from operating in the Vietnam delta to Afghanistan and Iraq, including flying into…
34: Len Deighton’s Bomber – The Historians
Len Deighton’s Bomber, both the original novel and the 1995 Radio 4 adaptation, have had a huge impact on both readers and listeners of the last flight of O Orange for decades. But how has…
33: Len Deighton and Radio 4’s Bomber – The Cast and Crew Reunion
On Saturday the 18th of February 1995, Radio 4 dedicated prime slots of its schedule for an unprecedented airing of an adaptation of Len Deighton’s Bomber. Aired throughout the day, at timings to coincide with…
32: The Battle of the Beams with Tom Whipple
The invisible radar war that took place over Europe is often misunderstood. While the RAF’s integrated defence system, which had radar at its heart, has entered the mythos, the German side of the tale has…
31: Winkle with Paul Beaver
The Real Tale of Britain’s Greatest Pilot
30: Hogs and The Black Jet with Jon Boyd
Lt. Col. (Rtd) Jon Boyd served in the USAF through transformational times. Joining in the late 1970s, Jon would fly the venerable Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, the Hog to those who fly her, before…