Description
Book SynopsisAs a very young boy in the Second World War the seeds were sown to fly in the blue sky. Terry made up his young mind with great determination to reach for that sky in a ‘Spitfire’. He joined the RAF as a pilot but twists of fate caused him to become a nuclear bomber pilot. It was RAF policy not to change from that complicated role to another and yet he pushed for change; became an instructor and as a display pilot he made his final move to the single seat air defence Lightning. He instructed on the Lightning and commanded two squadrons. Terry’s original dream came true and he reached the pinnacle of his ambition but it was complicated in a way that he had not envisaged. There were dangerous incidents, the loss of friends, the 31 moves of his family and the politics associated with senior rank. At the outset he had not understood the demands of a Cold War or the need for him to sail the major oceans of the world with a sea-going admiral and become his intelligence officer. The eventual compensation was a promotion and a two year tour on a tropical island with his family.
Table of ContentsPrologue; Part 1 The Making of the Pilot: 1 Born into War; 2 A Beating and Gritted Teeth; 3 Into the Air; 4 The ‘Spitfire’ Quest Begins; 5 Canada; Part 2 Bomber and Instructor Pilot: 6 Love is Found but the ‘Spitfire’ Dream is Fading; 7 Flying into a Cold War; 8 Dream Gone and the Cold War Rages without Me; 9 Instructing but Back to the Cold War; Part 3 Fighter Pilot: 10 A Dream Comes True; 11 A ‘Top Gun’ Squadron; 12 The Navy Loses its Carriers: I go to Sea; 13 To Run a Second Squadron is a Unique Honour; Part 4 Wings Clipped and Real Life: 14 My ‘Spitfire’ Ambition has been Achieved at a Cost; Epilogue.
