Forsyth aircraft?

[Aardvark]

Hi, everybody!

(Aircraft by which Frederick Forsyth flied during service to RAF?)

In discussion of the Vampire to scalemodels.ru
http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2320&start=280
novella by Frederick Forsyth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Forsyth

was mentioned "The Shepherd".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shepherd

In passing it became clear that Frederick Forsyth joined the RAF and was a jet fighter pilot
according to English Wikipedia

According to the Russian Wikipedia

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82,_%D0%A4%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA

dates of its service 1956-1958 are mentioned.

Interestingly by what plane Frederick Forsyte and in what squadron flied?

Somebody can explain something?

Probably someone has photos of planes in which it flied?

B.R.

Serge

P.S. I looked for search in a forum all mentions of Forsyte.

I read this topic:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932052-vampire-in-forsyths-the-shepherd/?hl=forsyth
Everywhere mentions of the novell, but words on what Forsyte flied during service to RAF

Edited November 4, 2013 by Aardvark

[Work In Progress]

He was only in the RAF for a short time, I believe for a two year period between 1956 and 1958. The only type which I can say with certainty that he flew was the Vampire. Obviously he must have come up via a selection of the usual training types but I don't know exactly which ones.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Work In Progress

[tonyot]

I`ve never heard of that one but I`ve just ordered a copy as I love a good ghost story!

I know an ex Vampire pilot who was flying back to the UK from RAF Wildenrath for an exercise when his engine cut out over the sea and he had to glide to the British coast and carry out a wheels up forced landing on a football pitch outside a school during a football match!! He said it was `rather scary' or words to that effect and he has a pic of his Vampire sitting on its belly on the football pitch (surrounded by tree`s!) with the local bobby guarding it and all of the school kids clamouring for a look at this silver thing that appeared from the sky!

Good luck with your quest,

Tony

[Test Graham]

This suggests that he was one of the rare National Servicemen to get into pilot training. I have read the book, but don't recall any clue. By 1958 this will have been a two-seater as RAFG units would have changed to the Venom. However, remember that he was a writer of fiction, so everything in the story may be from whole cloth.

[Glen T]

The Shepherd is a great short story one of my favourites, apparently he wrote it as a Christmas present for his wife who liked ghost stories.

Glen.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Glen T

[vampiredave]

Tony, is there any chance you can put up the picture of the crashed Vampire as it sounds interesting?

Dave W

[tonyot]

Tony, is there any chance you can put up the picture of the crashed Vampire as it sounds interesting?

Dave W

Hiya Dave,

I`m really sorry but it isn`t mine and I`m not allowed to post it online, however it should be appearing in another book that I`m writing about the RAF in Germany!!! If you send me a PM with your e mail addy I`ll send a copy over to you though,

Cheers

Tony O

[The original Kit Builder]

I read that book years ago. It's pretty good and something of a departure for Forsythe.

According to the story, the aircraft is a Vampire, but I don't recall any mention of variant, though after nearly 40 years, I'm not surprised.

If you intend modelling the tale, you'll also need a Mosquito.

Chris

[Don McIntyre]

Similarly, it was Richard Bach's "Stranger to the Ground" that got me to build Monogram's F-84F. Another great aviation read, IMHO.

[Aardvark]

This suggests that he was one of the rare National Servicemen to get into pilot training. I have read the book, but don't recall any clue. By 1958 this will have been a two-seater as RAFG units would have changed to the Venom.

He was only in the RAF for a short time, I believe for a two year period between 1956 and 1958. The only type which I can say with certainty that he flew was the Vampire. Obviously he must have come up via a selection of the usual training types but I don't know exactly which ones.

Interesting from Frederick Forsyth Biography on "The Unofficial Frederick Forsyth":

http://www.whirlnet.co.uk/forsyth/

He started work as one of the youngest pilots in the RAF at the age of 19, serving from 1956 to 1958.

The Ukrainian Wikipedia writes that Forsyte in 17 years obtained the license of the pilot!

I too think that it probably flied on the Vampire, but on what and where?

B.R.

Serge

[Duncan B]

There was another thread on the book about Christmas time last year, I went and got the book on the back of that and it was a very entertaining read.

Duncan B

[stevehnz]

According to the link in Aardvarks post above, "The Shepherd" is set at Chritmas time 1957. The edition I have shows illustrations by Chris Foss which show a single seat Vampire, FB5ish, though with rounded wingtips, bulleted fins & a curious looking canopy which looks like a narrowed single seat T22 type canopy with a screen, opening central section & fixed rear with central frame. The Mosquito in the picture showing the Mossie overflying the airfield after the Vampire has landed looks like a FBVI to my mind but with shrouded exhausts, so maybe a NFII though the camo looks like day figher rather than the wrap around MSG night figher camo.

Steve.

Edited to say that reading it still gives me goose bumps.

Edited November 7, 2013 by stevehnz