Prince William flies Tornado style
Flying in a Tornado fighter / bomber must be a daunting experience after piloting the immense carthorse of the skies, a Chinook helicopter.
Photo by an amateur from a mountain top with William circled
The Tornado GR4 specializes in low-level flying under the enemy radar. Pilots are trained in lonely spots like the Lake District in Cumbria and the Highlands of Scotland.
Yesterday Prince Willam was taken on an 80-minute sortie as part of his acclimatization course in the flying service.
An RAF source said, “We’ve taught the Prince basic flying skills, but this was showing him how we actually fight an aircraft. There were no diversions for any sightseeing. Prince William experienced first hand the combat teeth of the RAF. His flight gave him a clear understanding of the complexities and demands of flying the RAF’s fast jet aircraft on the frontline.”
We hear he tried to wave to Kate Middleton, but by the time he’d raised his arm he was in Scotland. [Joke -- I think]
Judging by the people I’ve spoken to about his exploits in recent weeks, William seems to have come out of it all very well. Most people admire him for his spirit and sense of adventure.
So some stuffy top brass went red in the face and harrumphed for England — no doubt for the benefit of the politicians. But I don’t think that was reflected lower down in the ranks of the RAF where the real work is done.
As a new Knight of the Garter he outranks any Air Marshal on all fronts.
What a splendid post John. William is now experiencing what RAF teeth pilots have been doing and are doing in operational areas at present. He is to be commended for his guts in doing it. He can now give a two fingered salute to the DM, RAF top brass and all the politically correct yobos who would not have his courage to do it. A pty he was not able to give Kate a wave though.
I am filled with admiration for what he has done, it will certainly something good to tell Kate, and dare I say to his children.
ps the two figered salute was given by English bowmen to the defeated French soldiers at Crecy and Agincourt and is appropriate for William as a knight of the garter as the first knight was the Black Prince..
By Royalist on April 25th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
ps I suppose William sat in the 2nd pilots seat, do you know John if he took the controls for any time?
By Royalist on April 25th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Probably not, Royalist. Of course that’s not to say the pilot didn’t let him take the controls at a higher altitude than 250 feet.
By John on April 25th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
What a wonderful achievement for Prince William! That is an immense and very complicated piece of machinery to manage, especially at those altitudes and speed! Well done, Prince William!!
RAers–the Daily Mail has incredible photographs taken in 1919 when the first tinted film became available. The shots are really remarkable and show the WWI Victory parade in London, a cottage and it’s inhabitants in Cornwall, Picadilly Circus in 1919, a cobblestoned street in the village of Saint Ives in 1919, a photo of the Thames boating docks and a wonderful photo of people boating on the Cherwell banks with the towers of Oxford in the distance–all taken in 1919. There is also a shot of a quiet residential London neighborhood in that same year. The photos are charming, do take a look at them.
By Gigi on April 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
As a new Knight of the Garter he outranks any Air Marshal on all fronts.
John, I thought Knight of the Garter was simply an honorary title?
By Arthur on April 25th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
A Garter Knight is a member of the highest order of chivalry. It is not a political or an academic honorary since it is solely in the gift of the Sovereign. Perhaps John meant that as the second in line to the throne and a Garter Knight, he outranks any Air Marshall. If you go to Google or another search engine and read the Wikipedia article on Garter Knights, it gives a list of the persons who have had that honor bestowed upon them in the past. The list is a veritable who’s who comprised of the most powerful people in Europe.
By Gigi on April 25th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
thanks for that clarification gigi - also do we think this chinook thing has blown over…lets hope…
By coni on April 25th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Wonderful pictures, Gigi.
By John on April 25th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I wonder how long before DM gets this story, what the tone of the report will be and how negative the comments will be?
By Royalist on April 25th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
DM was the first one to publish that story
By Me on April 25th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Gigi, my favorite picture is the one of Fleet Street with the dome of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in the background. Where have those civilized days gone?
By Arthur on April 25th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I thought the same thing, Arthur. Also, how idyllic is the scene of the photo taken of the couple boating on the banks of the Cherwell, with Oxford towers in the distance. I could walk right through the frame into that photo, like Mary Poppins, and live there!
By Gigi on April 25th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Arthur, Fleet Street went to Wapping and left the unions behind. Bad relocation but good methodology.
By John on April 26th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Dm has a story today about Prince William flying a WWII bomber. I’m glad his time with the RAF includes some history lessons like that– it certainly will give William something to talk about with RAF veterans of that war.
By Evelyn on April 26th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
And he couldn’t land a Lancaster bomber in Kate’s field.
By John on April 26th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
DM for once produced reasonable reports of Prince William flying in a Tornado followed by a historic WWII Lancaster bomber that took part in many sorties over Nazi Germany. There were no negative comments this time as Prince William flew in an assortment of RAF aircraft to aclimatise himself with what air warfare is all about, something he needs to know when he becomes head of the armed forces.
So you politicqally correct critics it was taxpayers money well spent, well donePrince William
By Royalist on April 26th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Has anyone seen the article in the Daily Mail about a gyn for Kate in Clarence House.
By Grandma828 on April 27th, 2008 at 1:55 am
Ahem… here’s one place where a typo does make a difference. It’s a GYM we’re talking about (not a gyn - gynecologist).
Thanks for the heads up, Grandma828– it’s a Katie Nichol article, which is usually a good source. She says that Kate has had a private gym installed at Clarence House. Kate and Pippa work out there regularly; William and Harry use it on occasion, too.
The article also says that William will be at a dinner event on Thursday, and he has the option of bringing Kate with him. It will be interesting to see if that’s true, and if he brings her. Of course, now that it’s been suggested in the media, he probably won’t. It would be nice if he did.
By Evelyn on April 27th, 2008 at 4:10 am
LOL Evelyn! You are absolutely right. I don’t believe I would find too many pieces of workout equipment I could use at a gyn and what equipment they do have would probably be cold.
By Arthur on April 27th, 2008 at 4:21 am
Sorry about the typo guys. My apologies.
By Grandma828 on April 28th, 2008 at 12:04 am