Confessions of a Phantom Pilot

Description

'The Confessions of a Phantom Pilot' is the true story of a young RAF pilot who gets his dream to fly the old dirty workhorse fighter of the Cold War. From the first flight where he thought the jet was trying to kill him, through to his final trip of leading eight aeroplanes on a front line fighter squadron, you will relive his thoughts, feelings and anxieties as he stumbles his way through each flight relying on a bit of skill and a lot of blind luck. In essence, it is a love letter to the Phantom from a star-struck boy who felt like he was way out of his depth at the beginning of their affair. You will share stories of the outrageous drinking culture that was a major part of Cold War front-line operations, and marvel at how he didn't do himself some serious damage either in or out of the cockpit. This is how it feels to be a front-line fighter pilot - the triumphs and the disasters are all laid out here in a completely open and honest way as the author looks back with a certain sense of nostalgia and mild embarrassment. What a blast though!

Tug Wilson grew up in North Yorkshire, and in 1985 his dream came true, joining the RAF to fly fast jets. He was selected to fly the mighty Phantom for his first tour. After raging around for 3 years at the front line, Tug became a tactics and flying instructor on the Hawk. Following this, he was extremely lucky in securing an exchange tour with the US Marine Corps flying the F18 Hornet in California. His final flying tour was on the Tornado F3 before a heart condition curtailed all his fun. He now tells flying stories for a living!