Fighter Pilot collection - the 80's BBC series

[speedy]

Imagine growing up close by to a busy airfield and all your life you wanted to be a pilot. School holidays were just crammed of leaving the house in the morning and taking sandwiches and binoculars to watch your free airshow everyday. Then one day in the early 80's the beeb airs a series called "Fighter Pilot" and your absolutely beside yourself with excitement and anticipation; nothing else matters. The series finishes and you have all the incentive you need for school and the road ahead to become a pilot..........

That story was me and all through my childhood years and into adulthood I remember the programe and even the theme tune, alas the dream didn't turn out and it still niggles me today. I've been model making since I can remember and I like to think hopefully I've got better over the years and manage to fire out some decent blobs of plastic. So the old VHS has been converted to DVD and I've got my reference material and the original book from 1981, still in decent condition despite house moves etc... the spark has happened and at SMW 2012 my shopping list was the Heritage JP3, the Aeroclub JP5, 2 x Italieri Hawks and old faithful Airfix Buccaneer, along with some aftermarket support as I wanted this to be a goodun. I couldn't get hold of John's JP5 but discovered this FLY JP5 and the project has begun.

As the New Year came and went the project bench is cleared for the run of 5 kits which I'm now against the deadline as we've decided to move house; so I have to get this done. I watched this DVD & the youtube clips for hours getting this right so I'm sure I've bumped up the viewing figures on his posts . I've modelled the actual aircraft that the John McCrea was shown flying or passing the tests in. There is no footage of the JP5 & McCrea so settled for Martin Oxborrow's aircraft .

The JP3 at Linton-on-ouse:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234935514-jet-provost-mk3a/?hl=speedy#entry1251285

The JP5 at Linton-on-ouse:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234935706-jet-provost-mk5a-linton-on-ouse-1980/?hl=speedy#entry1253453

The Hawk at Valley:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234936448-hawk-4-fts-raf-valley-1980/?hl=speedy#entry1265046

The Hawk at Brawdy:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234938901-raf-hawk-234-sqn-1980-brawdy/?hl=speedy#entry1297715

The Buccaneer at Laarbruch:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234938078-raf-buccaneer-15-sqn-laarbruch-1981/page-2?hl=speedy#entry1288452

So now I have completed the line up and I'm pretty pleased with all of them and collectively it does look good, to the extent if I finished modelling now I'd be pleased. So a couple of photo's as a collection:

So there it is. A BIG thank you to Dr Evil & Selwyn for your help along the way and I've been invited to display them in the Salisbury model shop for a bit, lastly if they ever get to discover this the likes of John McCrea, Martin Oxborrow, Robbie Lowe.

Steve.

Edited May 4, 2013 by speedy

[Miggers]

I remember that series,it was brilliant,so this is a very fine tribute to the aircraft and all

that took part in it.

Very well done speedy.

Now then,are you doing the follow up?,"Test Pilot" was it?

Based at Boscombe's ETPS,that too was fascinating.

If memory serves,there was an Italian pilot flying the Bucc named Marco Zefferelli !!!!.

There was also a Hong Kong pilot flying an Army Lynx.

[speedy]

I remember that series,it was brilliant,so this is a very fine tribute to the aircraft and all

that took part in it.

Very well done speedy.

Now then,are you doing the follow up?,"Test Pilot" was it?

Based at Boscombe's ETPS,that too was fascinating.

If memory serves,there was an Italian pilot flying the Bucc named Marco Zefferelli !!!!.

There was also a Hong Kong pilot flying an Army Lynx.

Thanks very much, remember that as I worked there at the time and I'm told I'm in it (albeit a 2 second piece). That's not on the cards but I've actually done them all already.

Steve.

[G-VIZZ Flyer]

I remember that series,it was brilliant,so this is a very fine tribute to the aircraft and all

that took part in it.

Very well done speedy.

Now then,are you doing the follow up?,"Test Pilot" was it?

Based at Boscombe's ETPS,that too was fascinating.

If memory serves,there was an Italian pilot flying the Bucc named Marco Zefferelli !!!!.

There was also a Hong Kong pilot flying an Army Lynx.

Close, it was a Marco Zuliani if my memeory serves me right, must dig out the DVD excellent series.

[Iain Ogilvie]

Brilliant!!!

That series had a big effect on me too - it confirmed in my mind that I *really* wanted to do what I'd dreamed of doing since age 4 - we must be a similar age!

Sadly I was binned on eyesight (and subsequently for civvie licence - until recent years when I was able to at least start flying for fun) - but Fighter Pilot left a huge impression...

IIRC there were some interesting 'tuition' techniques used during the JP training

Iain

[Shaun]

Fine collection, you can view the series on youtube-

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fighter+pilot+tv+series&oq=fighter+pilot+t&gs_l=youtube.1.6.0l10.15271.24341.0.29458.21.12.3.6.7.0.145.1135.9j3.12.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.CrIPYjiP01o

Well done on completing you project

Shaun.

[jimbuna]

A really interesting and successful project...very nice indeed.

[woody37]

Lovely builds there Steve, they look stunning together

Certainly an inspiration for my plans

[gazza l]

What a fantastic collection, my favorite aircraft in the best looking schemes... in my opinion.

gazza l

[Greg B]

Really nice set of builds and a cracking idea for a common theme.

[Gav0909]

Cracking builds there. I wasn't around when the series was first on TV, but did find it on Youtube myself recently and thought it was brilliant.

As for Robbie Lowe, he was, until recently I gather, a reservist and clocked up his 4000th hour in recent years on Tornado.

[kiwitrogg]

That's brilliant, well done.

I've got the book and used it as reference but never thought of using it as the inspiration for a theme. About 2 years ago, a mate gave me the book RAF Today. It was printed in 1986, the year I left Halton for the big wide world of the RAF (well Pembrokeshire actually) and it's got pics of all the great aircraft we had at the time. I told my missus that I wanted to build at least one of everything in there.....the poor girl hasn't been the same since

[canberra kid]

Very nice indeed! That's a very good idea for them, well done that man!!

John

[tonyot]

Really excellent models and brilliant theme,.....the series Fighter Pilot made me realise that I`d never make it as an RAF pilot so I became a paratrooper instead......, too thick to fly an aircraft but dumb enough to jump out of one!! At least I `got my wings' and managed to fly quite a lot, although I didn`t land in many aeroplanes!

Its hard to pick out a favourite as I love them al, the paintwork on the JP`s in particular is immaculate and I have a big soft spot for the Bucc anyway but the Hawks do look fab,

All the best

Tony O

Edited April 30, 2013 by tonyot

[Leonl]

Brilliant collection, I, like so many here, had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot now all I fly is my desk!

[sean]

Fantastic collection, loved the series as well, made a big impression on me as a kid when I first saw it. Well done on a brilliant project.

Sean

[Westie7]

Fine collection, you can view the series on youtube-

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fighter+pilot+tv+series&oq=fighter+pilot+t&gs_l=youtube.1.6.0l10.15271.24341.0.29458.21.12.3.6.7.0.145.1135.9j3.12.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.CrIPYjiP01o

Well done on completing you project

Shaun.

Fantastic, my childhood back in an instant.

Have actually done no work today, Started watching this last night and continued right thru today.

Just a pity candidates today dont have the same variety of opportunities of aircraft type.

[F-32]

Bravo

[SimonR]

Stunning collection Speedy, brilliantly done and a great theme!

Cheers

Simon

[feifeitim]

A fantastic collection and a thoroughly fantastic project! I remember watching the original series too! I was at Biggin Hill going through the selection there when one episode was aired! Needless to say, there were many spotty erks crammed around the TV watching to see if we could get anything to help us!!

[andy wood]

What a great idea for a theme. I was RAF barmy when the series came out and can remember the pure excitment I felt when I saw the trailer for the first time and asking my mum if I could watch it. I so wanted to be a fast jet pilot (and I still do). I watched it with my dad (who was in the RAF at the time) and loved it. I watched the whole series the other week on youtube, and although I enjoyed it, it did stir up some mixed emotions. Of a dream never realised. Of a father no longer here. Of a realisation that the RAF is a shadow of it's former self. Although I did manage a stint in the RAF myself, it did'nt last sad to say. Still on the upside, the police was always a second choice as a kid and I managed that. Only 8 years to go before I retire from the plod now (and I will only be 51!). Thanks for such an interesting thread

[Latinbear]

This is a terrific little collection with a great theme. As with many others I was glued to the TV and also got the book for Xmas which I devoured in a day. I bumped in to this the other day which gives some follow up on John McCrea's career. Unfortunately the post by his son is seven years old

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/211424-bbc-fighter-pilot-series.html

[IrritableRabbit]

Wowowowowowow!

Great builds and nostalgia all rolled into one.

I remember watching that series avidly as a child. Totally wanting to be and failing to become any kind of pilot due that very silly eye-sight requirement.

But anyway... Speedy, all fantastic individual builds that form a great theme. Thank you for posting and also reminding me of a great program from my childhood that I'd completely forgotten about.

[Miggers]

Close, it was a Marco Zuliani if my memeory serves me right, must dig out the DVD excellent series.

That sounds more like it Vizz.

Both series really lit my fire,but the only way I can "fly" fj's is on the sim

Edited May 2, 2013 by Miggers

[B15OXO]

Fantastic models, and excellent detail! Thank you for making such a marvellous collection - only complaint is you spelt my name incorrectly!!! Kind regards, Martin Oxborrow - the other 'winner' from the series(!) I'm writing my Autobiography by the way,and the series will obviously get a chapter or two. Anyone who wishes to help with stories or reminiscences I'm on [email protected]