Flying Freestyle: An RAF Fast Jet Pilot's Story

by Squadron Leader Jerry Pook MBE DFC

During a twenty-five year flying career in the RAF, Jerry Pook has flown Hunter Fighter/Ground Attack aircraft in the Gulf, Harriers in West Germany, the supersonic Starfighter with the Dutch Air Force, the Harrier in Belize, Central America and the Tornado bomber at the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment where he trained German and Italian pilots and navigators.

Jerry had a long relationship with the Harrier Fighter/Ground Attack vertical take-off aircraft. This he flew in West Germany at the height of the Cold War operating from Wildenrath and off-base operations with Field Wing operations based in the fields and woods of the German countryside. Jerry saw action during the Falklands War when based on HMS Hermes and flying one of the few RAF Harriers in the Ground Attack role in support of the troops fighting ashore. He then enjoyed flying the American-built Starfighter RF 104G during a 3 year exchange tour with the Dutch Air Force - he describes the Starfighter as 'beautiful to fly, smooth and sophisticated, supremely fast and powerful - if you took liberties with it you knew it would kill you in an instant.'

After 3 years with No 1(Fighter) Squadron and again flying the Harrier he moved to the then new Tornado, flying in its bomber role. This he continued to fly operationally and in the instructional role for 13 years until grounded from military flying for medical reasons.

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

Reviews

[Spad53 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good book by Jerry Pook. This one is about all his other flying experiences, except for the Falklands war, see RAF Harrier Ground Attack: Falklands , which all aviation enthusiasts should read. But read this one first. For anyone wanting to be a fighter pilot, or like me wanting to have been a fighter pilot, it should be compulsory reading. You realise very fast that guys like Jerry Pook are in a completely different league to ordinary mortals like us. On the other hand he wasn't even normal in the RAF, he turned down the Red Arrows for instance. He starts with Jet-Provosts, then Gnats, Hunters and the Harrier. Instructing on most of them, because he (much to his disgust) kept getting creamed off to do tours as an instructor. After that he did an exchange tour on the Starfighter in the Netherlands, he really liked the much maligned Starfighter btw. ,before finishing off on instructing on early Tornados. All this gives the reader a great and unique insight in what they were like to fly, which is exactly what people like me want to know. He finishes off with a spot of gliding in the pyrenees, an area I know a bit, and I also did some gliding in my youth so I found that absolutely fascinating, and of course left me completely in awe.
So yes this is a genuinely awesome book!

[stuart rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

Real-life drama and what really goes on for those who can only admire pilots from afar. Great story teller.
Packed with lots of information.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight, especially to anyone interested in (military) flying, because this book is all about the life in the RAF (and a little bit in the RNLAF) in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and a tiny bit of the 90s. You have to forgive Jerry for sometimes using the same phrase more than once and occasionally jumping from one instance and occasion to another and back again, but after all most of his life has been/was spent flying military jets.

Nevertheless, up there among my favourites.

[Andrew Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jerry Pooh’s books are always a very enjoyable but slightly jaundiced read ! I love the technical descriptions and the flying information and in particular the fact that he was on the front line in the Cold War and indeed the Falklands !
For anyone interested or has a connection with the RAF this is a very interesting book and we’ll worth a read.