Fighter Pilot

by Colin Strong

Thirty four Royal Air force pilots compete for six jobs as fighter pilots. Based on the BBC television series.

Genres: Aviation

216 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1981 this book-of-the-TV-series was an account of contemporary life in the RAF, following six hopefuls from their initial interviews at Biggin Hill all the way to the fast jet stream. Now it's a fascinating document of a time when war with Russia was a constant threat and you had to wear a collar and tie in the Officers' Mess. Bonus unintentional LOLs are the cadet named Al Stewart and the description of nuclear test drills in West Germany in which hooters go off at the base: 'there are hooters at the Married Quarters too'.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot, with only a few reservations keeping it from being a full five-star read. I liked that it did not feel empty. Even when it was simply entertaining, there was enough craft there to make it satisfying. Colin Strong gives it enough control and personality that it feels like more than just a premise on a page. There were moments I wanted a little more depth or sharpness, but the strengths comfortably outweighed that. Four stars because I enjoyed it and would happily recommend it, even if it stopped just short of being a favourite.