Nick Forster

Pilot, veteran, husband, father.

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BBCr4today @JustinOnWeb I disagree with the Beta male comment above. I've met CDS & believe him to be a good man with formidable intellect. Don't confuse carefully calibrated words with lack of resolve. He has to tread a difficult line where being outspoken risks losing influence with politicians.

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Where did you get the extra hours beyond your training? I heard you were flying at Leeming but I didn't think it was on "The Ton?"

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan I was there, taking a break from A Level revision. A grotty day but I seem to remember it cleared up just enough for your departure - in the vertical! 😈
My 81 Yr old father still talks about it!

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Staff (retired) travel?

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Amen brother. 🙏

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan #flywithnigel 😉

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Too close for both missiles AND guns, pressing for the FOX 4!!! 🤕🇯🇵

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@richieliddell @RAFBBMF I think F-4 Phantom, possibly Lightnings before that.

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@RAFBBMF Loving the cowboy boots with the DJ. RIP "Major." 🙏 😔

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan What was the reaction amongst the Lightning & Phantom Forces to the film? I knew I wanted to be a fighter pilot, so I loved the flying/music/plot as a 16 year old, but what about the guys actually doing the job?

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan SR-71 for me! Can you imagine flying the A-12 given it was a single seater?! Mach 3 performance with engines prone to "unstarts" - now that's high workload!

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan "Bulldogs!" USAFE F-15 tour at the height of the Cold War must have been the business. Mind you, Wildenrath/2 ATAF on the F-4 must have been cool too! It's interesting how the RAFG & UK F-4 sqns had different emphasis & TTPs, understandable given the diff operating environments.

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@16meatballs @clark_aviation Agreed!

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan The story made me laugh. He must have thought, "Oh f#ck, you've got to be kidding me!" when he got red(s) on selecting gear up. A good solution though. The Victor crew must have been thinking, "crazy Lightning boys, now I've seen everything!"

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Found it, same book. And now the pilot is no longer anonymous! 😉

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan This man! From your book "Last of the Lightnings."

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Supposed to be a sweet jet to fly but you don't hear much about it...

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Read "Flying Freestyle" by Jerry Pook. It's a great account of Cold War flying including the early days of Harrier GR1 & GR3 in RAFG. It mentions encounters with the Lightnings from 19(F) & 92(F) Sqns on CAP at the Gutersloh MATZ boundary!
https://t.co/nYbuqmrILu

[Nick Forster @NickForster7]

@BlickyIan Ohoto the result of AAR jousting? I imagine most contacts in the Lightning were "pressure plugs" close to BINGO fuel for the spokes div...