FighterControl

Channel 4, Sunday 25th August

Guy trains to fly the fastest machine he's ever been let loose in - a classic frontline fighter jet - as he explores the origins and future of the jet engine


https://www.channel4.com/programmes/guy-martin-top-gun

The trailer showed him in a Strikemaster and a Swiss Vampire.

More like a Jet Provost 3. Not a Strikemaster.

raptor9 wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2024 9:26 pm

More like a Jet Provost 3. Not a Strikemaster.

BAC JET PROVOST T-52 '104'/'352'/T4 XS228 (G-PROV)


http://www.jetprovostheaven.com/jpt4/g-prov.html

Fair enough. I didn't pay too much attention and the foreign marks threw me along the wrong path. As I said it was only the trailer and I'm not a Guy Martin fan.

Nighthawke. With you on the last sentence.

Still to watch it all but the bit where he fired up the garage built jet engine was fun; one way to clear snow off your drive!

Even big jet tv got some airtime. Thought he had disappeared.

Vampires were used to clear snow from runways back in the day.

jamesg23 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:44 am

Even big jet tv got some airtime. Thought he had disappeared.

He has definitely not disappeared. Live streaming from LHR yesterday with over 80k views!

Will watch the programme once I have got through the week-end's very busy motor racing/motorbike racing. Looking forward to the Vampire part. Spent 45 mins in a T.11 from R.A.F. Shawbury as a 16 year old ATC cadet [64 years ago]. Still remember it very well!!.

ranger703 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 9:53 am

jamesg23 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:44 am

Even big jet tv got some airtime. Thought he had disappeared.

He has definitely not disappeared. Live streaming from LHR yesterday with over 80k views!

Least he has 80000 people to tell him what plane is landing or taking off then!

Still got this to Watch. Fell asleep right in the middle of it but did record it on my recording box...

jamesg23 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:33 pm

Least he has 80000 people to tell him what plane is landing or taking off then!

What makes you think those 80,000 are any better?

Guy can sometimes be a marmite kind of character, but I have to say this was a very good programme, where I didn't find him irritating at all. It was nothing spectacularly new, i.e if you've been around in aviation for a while you know how engines work and the history of Whittle etc. etc. BUT that wasn't he point, the jet engine he produced and the on boards and air2air's of the JP T52 and Vampire were superb, together with the instruction and detail around the manoeuvres performed. Big Jet TV was not really needed I think and as embarrassing as ever.

I actually disagree about the details about the manouvers. At no point was an entry speed ever mentioned, no mention of how many 'g's on the meter and only one mention of rudder in the air at all!. Found the actual flying part extremely simplistic. Basically, if you pull the stick back, the houses get smaller etc.,etc., Flying anything is much more difficult than it was made to appear. Only my opinion. Did like the photography.... but it as supposed to be about learning to fly a jet. Didn't do it for me.

Nighthawke wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:56 pm

jamesg23 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:33 pm

Least he has 80000 people to tell him what plane is landing or taking off then!

What makes you think those 80,000 are any better?

Fair point.

It was nice to see John Hutchinson, B.A. Concorde Captain looking fit and well in one of the cameos

raptor9 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 27, 2024 12:24 pm

I actually disagree about the details about the manouvers. At no point was an entry speed ever mentioned, no mention of how many 'g's on the meter and only one mention of rudder in the air at all!. Found the actual flying part extremely simplistic. Basically, if you pull the stick back, the houses get smaller etc.,etc., Flying anything is much more difficult than it was made to appear. Only my opinion. Did like the photography.... but it as supposed to be about learning to fly a jet. Didn't do it for me.

I don't disagree w.r.t. the level of detail, and simplification, of course yes it's a lot harder and takes the best pilots 2 - 3 years to reach that level. I viewed it with reference as to what can be achieved in a 90 minute programme, on a mainstream TV channel, and felt it had great videography and actually tried to explain (simplistically) some manoeuvres.

jamesg23 wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 26, 2024 8:44 am

Even big jet tv got some airtime. Thought he had disappeared.

Sadly still around...