Air Vice Marshall James "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF WWII, Spitfire Ace 

HERO, pure and simple.

What a hero.A man’s man.❤

Absolute legend of the skies!. Whenever i think of ww2, whilst flying sims or reading books about the pilits and aircraft my mind always thinks of him and his stories. Because i took such interest at a young age, when i was really still a kid i think listening to him pretty much created my idea of what a pilot should be, charasmatic and assured, but always ready to laugh, plays down what must have been moments we would class as pure terror as "a bit of bad business". He exudes confidence and that spark that only these legendary veterans seem to have always ready to correct an error etc, i just love listening to him, a proper hero! , its hard to quantify but hes burned into my mind thats for sure. I cant believe its been 22 years since he passed! I have taken every opertunity that came my way to watch his interviews and i suppose i dont want to think that he isnt here anymore. Thank god we can still listen to his stories and that people took the chance to interview him, and of course, all the veterans. It would be a tragedy if it was lost to time. Thanks to everyone who did these films, and those who have since released them to the internet etc Now new generations can learn of him (and others from ww2) and im sure it will fill them with pride and admiration just as it did for myself and my generation. Thanks "Johnnie" RIP

Honestly, JEJ is an absolute legend.

When the sound of a real phone rang in the back ground I swear I thought, he looked up as if to say, 'Not a Scramble is it?'. RIP Sir, your endeavors are the reason we can sit here and watch this amazing re counting.

We owe those men our Liberty. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿❤️👍🏻

Superb interview with a very special warrior of the skies, thank you.

Reading ' Wing Leader' at the moment. Highly recommended.

No nonsense here. Candid. That's how he enabled others to fight and survive. A true hero.

I need to listen to this at least twice more. A detailed account straight forward aiming at accuracy without either exagerration or excessive modesty.. Excellent.

Funny thing, I hadn’t seen this interview before. I worked for Johnnie as a young lad in the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust. I always marvelled at what a crap driver he was! And how we’d sit together interviewing people, and all he’d talk about was what the interviewee’s husband or parents did during the war, and he’d sit with his hand down his trousers, scratching like a badger, seemingly oblivious to it! Wonderful chap, wonderful stories. Had a chap called Bert Broadhurst as his sort of “lackey” or Batman in civilian life at Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust. Taciturn old chap, Johnnie used to fire him at least twice a day. Met Bader a couple of times, not personally, but Johnnie was still in awe of the guy. In later years I got my pilots licence and night, instrument, aerobatic rating, just recreational flying, and goodness knows I wish JEJ had been alive then, I’d have a slightly better idea of what he went through, and would have found him even more fascinating than I already did. Lovely to have shared time with him though. I’ve also been out for a pizza with John Surtees. Equally fascinating with many parallels!

His book is a superb read. RIP Sir.

Wow.Respect !Makes me proud to be able to call myself an English man!

What a superb man! His book is well worth a read.

The epitome of the English fighting spirit , I salute and thank you for your service and every other fighting man and woman who ever took the oath and fought for our once great nation ...

Excellent, very good interview well done thank you.

Wonderful interview, one cannot underestimate the bravery of these chaps. Sometimes it is thought to be a wholly British affair but of course the contribution made by pilots from the territories and other parts of the world including those exiled from German-occupied Europe were crucial.

Excellent interview of a great man. Lovely manners of interviewer must also be noted.

What a fantastic interview. Had all his marbles. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿❤️

What a great sense of humor. A man who has seen and accomplished a great deal. I have read his books but its so much better to here and see him. Thank you for the posting.

Hi David He was and still is a hero of mine, I used to make Radio controlled scale ,model aircraft, I built a 1/6 th model of his aircraft J EJ in midlife I fly fished in Derbyshire and learned that he fished on the same river, one day I arrived at the car park to see his Range Rover parked, J E J??? needless to say I did little fishing but spent most of the day roaming the banks to find him, he was the most charming man, a true Gentleman, I still feel so very privileged to have met him He does have a few books published, worth hunting for Kind regards Tony Hall

A really good interview of the great man. The interviewer was well prepared which helped.

At the time of writing this comment a fantastic mural on the side of a large terrace has just been completed, it really is impressive as was the man himself , it's in the town of Loughborough on the corner of Great central road which is where the train station is and still runs the steam locos , well worth a visit...

Absolute legend rip sir

'Greycap' briliant made my day..✌

The greatest Britain ever / may he rest in peace 👍

His comments on Buerling were interesting. He wanted to do what was done with Josef Frantisek. Make Franticek an honorary member of the Polish sqn, have him as a welcome guest, and let him free to hunt as he liked, after take off. It is great that people recognised great skills, and personalities that did not do well as team players. Pity Beurling did not get that chance. JJ says he felt B should have had that chance, but clearly, it never happened with JJ - and his successor reacted more inflexibly.

Johnnie Johnson Second world war fighter ace credited with more enemy 'kills' than any other British pilot Aug 1/ aug 6 2022 RAF CLUB Founded 1918 PICADDILLY LONDON I was at RAF CLUB TWICE for my daughter wedding to a British MD surgeon from London! I saluted with champaign to JJ at the bar bar with Churchill! JJ, with many other RAF legendary aces like Bader and Sailor Malan looking at their portraits and saying cheers!

He is a British version of PAF’s AC MM ALAM🎉

Interesting fact Mccudden WW I most victories and J Jonson WW II both joined the RAF/RFC as engine mechanics.

Take that phone off the hook !

What a chap!

Spits against 109s and fw190s bollocks ILL TAKE THE PILOTS 🤜 got bless our lads all day fucking long. They'll never out turn a spitfire! Beautiful

Need lenard Cheshire next 👍

As well as writing a few books himself Dilip Sarkar has also written a few great books on Johnnie and his life. Highly recommended The first one is called Johnnie Johnson Spitfire Top Gun Part One 👍

Amazing- loved it.

Great interview!

Dude wrote a few good books too. Highly recommend Wing Leader. His autobiography . I remember his account of duelling with an Fw 190 that turned the tables on him and had Johny running for his life. He saved himself by diving down on the ships off Normandy beach and hoped the AA gunners would save him, or kill them both. No quarter given, or asked for !

What a brilliant interview

Sadly, that generation is no longer with us.

LEGEND

I think I'm right in saying Johnnie Johnson had the highest score in the RAF in the second world war, a real hero and a gentleman. Thank you for posting this.

Since this interview much research has taken place regarding Bader's fate over France it is now firmly believed that he was shot down by a Spitfire , furthermore Bader knew this and was the real reason as to why he kept quite . It is also thought that his aircraft crashed into a small lake and why no wreckage was ever found which would have resolved the debate beyond doubt. An old friend of mine who was an engineering Officer at a Vulcan base where Johnny Johnson was OC , told me that he landed a Vulcan with the brakes on and burst all the tyres . He also added as to what a great man he was. I will endorse one point he made Southern Africa is a wonderful p lace , I now live in Thailand and wish I as rich enough to have homes in both.

I would say without any doubt that Nader would be completely overshadowed by Johnny Johnson.

An American pilot said he always felt that country boys that had been gifted riders, with 'good hands' (light hands), seemed to be the most gifted, natural pilots. He became an Ace, and was seen as a great pilot, but he said he started, feeling very uncomfortable. He said he labored with obsessive watching of all the readings, that it was a constant struggle and he was always worried he"d be culled, as useless - until eventually, one morning, he took off and suddenly, he felt he had become the plane. He almost only had to look at where he wanted to go, and all his actions were barely registering. Suddenly, he felt he was flying, and the plane was an eager horse, that seemed to read his mind. It was beautifully written . JJ seems to feel the top shooters were ex hunters. Beurling used to shoot homeless dogs for fun on Malta, for amusement My admiration shrivelled at that point. Gifted war hero, but I would not have wanted his company.

Great interview. Really enjoyed

Thank you this was very interesting I ve always in awe about WW2 and the fighter piolits the formations who flew to France and afterwards on DAY. I wonder those in the arm forces are very focused in what they need to do in their job wondering if that's a taught thing for arm forces personel or is it individual each person has it inside of themselves. Im always fascinated about WW2 and how those in the armforces work together as a team especially working with those fighters working with Europe for example the resistance. I would think being a individual type person you would see that as a positive quality in a person. Just thinking about the RAF Pilot said that people just did not get the Canadian pilot and thats a shame. 😀🙏❤

Excellent. I've ordered his book. Bless him.

Great man..great video thank you. Shame more people dont know about him. He shot down loads of FW190's I believe.

Someone answer that bloody phone!

A real Englishman

I used to fly with dicky dickinson and Jacky Jackson,

How is he not “Sir” Johnnie Johnson?

I can't find anywhere on the Web why his callsign was greycap. Does anyone here know?

This man epitomises most of what was ‘ Great ‘ in the Great Britain that was ! ! I well remember when it was announced in the News that , arguably , funny but utterly crude Comedian from Scotland was being awarded a Knighthood and - in the same sentence of the announcement. - Johnie Johnson was awarded a CBE. I think that ‘ come what Monster May ‘ was in Office at the time but this priority in values says it all ! Despite our being Little Brexit now ; do we really think that this vulgar Scotsman. - irrespective of how funny we think he is. - should have been given a Knighthood and our distinguished War hero Johnie NOT a Knighthood ? ! !

Get rid of the phone.