RAF Form 414, Vol. 9

It is the beginning of 1981 but for me it was the conclusion of my first front line tour of duty. When my posting came I was devastated. I had been sent to instruct at No 4 Flying Training School, RAF Valley on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. A remote corner in the middle of nowhere doing a job I didn’t want. An F4 Phantom FG1 of No43(F) Sqn. The Hawker Harrier GR1. Survival Scramble. The A10 Warthog. The BLC Malfunction emergency checklist. Greek Gunboats! My posting to become a QFI loomed! My much loved Yamaha along with our poo coloured Rover! Climbing Mt Snowdon. Dave would perish during Exercise Red Flag when he crashed his RAF Jaguar avoiding a simulated SAM engagement. Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Mike Freer, Senior Airman Matthew Bruch, CC BY-SA 3.0, the USAF, the RAF and myself!