Interview with Air Marshal Cliff Spink on his RAF Career

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Air Marshal Cliff Spink chats about his RAF career flying the Lightning, FG1/FGR2, F-4J(UK), Tornado, Spitfire, and Hurricane.
He also includes his speed record from London to Edinburgh in the Phantom.
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Опубликовано:

27 окт 2018

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Комментарии : 146

@g8082246 5 лет назад

I was on 56 Sqn in Cyprus and Flt Lt Spinks, as he was then, was as much a gentleman and super pilot then as he is now. A pleasure to see and listen to the interview. Well done.

@robertkettle6801 4 года назад

I had the absolute privilege of being taken up in a Spitfire by this lovely man.I will never forget that day and the wonderful time I spent in his company.

@fin3572 2 года назад

Getting to the rank of Air Marshall whilst keeping current on so many different types and marks is a text book lesson on how to squeeze every drop out of a career. Lovely to see a chap, who defines 'experience', still get the schoolboy grins out of a Merlin start up. From one former military pilot (AAC), this was fascinating stuff. A man, you would never get bored sharing a beer or three with.

@welshparamedic 5 лет назад

Kudos to Air Marshal Cliff Spink "If god gave me one last flight it would have to be the Spitfire!" Well said.

@nutsackmania 2 года назад

magnificent

@AVMamfortas 2 года назад

What a privilege to have this gracious man give us such a lot of his time for this interview.

@GARDENER42 4 года назад

What an absolute gentleman & what a fantastic career. Thanks to all who put this together.

@andrewlavey6992 5 лет назад

My "big boss" when I was at 11/18 Group Headquarters at RAF Bentley Priory.

@Jabber-ig3iw 3 года назад

27 years flying warbirds and he can’t stop grinning every time one takes off in the background.😁😁

@roadie3124 3 года назад

What a lovely sense of humour he has. Someone who can joke about needing a responsible adult to stop him from doing something wrong gets my vote. The other thing that impressed me was that nearly every assignment he had was a great time of his life. No wonder he did well.

@doronron7323 5 лет назад

Being well into my 60's it's rare I'm impressed. Listening to this brief re-cap of this man's experience left me truly green with envy. A pilots pilot. Eric 'Winkle' Brown was another special aviator. Unusually. neither had the normal Brit trait of being snobs. Impressive and refreshing.

@gazza2933 4 года назад

Doron I have found through working with RAF aircrew that most are 'down to earth' guys (and gals).

@bahoonies 3 года назад

@@gazza2933 That's been my experience too from the highest to the lowest rank. There was only one exception and it has to be said that the other RAF boys who had to work with him didn't like him either.

@gazza2933 3 года назад

@@bahoonies 👍🏻

@roadie3124 3 года назад

I've found that British snobs tend to be people who feel uncomfortable in their skin. Very successful people tend not to be snobs.

@gordon7470 2 года назад

Great interview. Great to see Cliff Spink still flying. 1st met 111 Squadron 1971, then 74 Tigers. Best wishes to A.M. Spink!!👍👍

@Aircrewinterview 2 года назад

Cheers Gordon. I think he has now hung up his flying boots.

@benters3509 5 лет назад

Seems like a lovely man. I've seen him on other videos, and he always seems to have a smile for people. His opinion of the Lightning was refreshing - at odds with other armchair warriors (usually from the USA) who love to state how useless it was. Personally, I prefer to listen to his opinion!

@johnscott1013 3 года назад

@samrodian919 Год назад

Especially one who had 1300 hours on them!

@andymckee53 5 лет назад

I met Cliff at the 100th anniversary of Bleriot's crossing and he was scheduled to fly a Spitfire. As it turned out there was a fault with it so he had to cancel but I got to speak with him and he was kind enough to let me sit in the Spitfire. Great guy. i remember he kept saying "I'm just a lucky boy". You most certainly are Cliff.

@theralphster8492 5 лет назад

Another excellent interview, what an illustrious career and yet he comes across as modest man...so jealous of the aircraft he got to fly.

@samrodian919 5 лет назад

What a brilliant interview, such a stellar career Cliff has had, and an ex Halton "brat" to boot! After all his flights in so many types he give the Spitfire the ultimate accolade of his favourite aircraft, just wonderful.................... watch this space..............I am sure there will be more!

@Aircrewinterview 4 года назад

Glad you enjoyed it :)

@pauldg837 4 года назад

For someone to be such an accomplished pilot, how incredibly humble he is.

@Keyswiz71 5 лет назад

Wonderful interview. Cliff is the former Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps, and held in very high regard by all former ROC personnel and loyally attends the ROC Association gathering every year.

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Cheers Justyn.

@mkmdexplorationparanormal5610 5 лет назад

Awesome interview, loved his stories and in detail, a true gentleman and Airman, I could listen to Cliff all day ☺ brilliant interview Mike ! Well done

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks Mike!

@brianlloyd4796 3 года назад

“I only went to mid 60’s.” Fantastic!!!

@mike.47 4 года назад

My son and daughter were in 1287sq ATC at Wattisham when 56sq and 74sq were flying Phantoms there. Happy days.

@thatguyfromcetialphaV 2 года назад

I saw him flying a Spitfire over the final Waddington air show in 2014. I was really impressed with the piloting. I never met him but what a lovely man.

@versatec1 5 лет назад

You can tell these pilots are so content as they ard so accomodating....facinating❤

@roypowell3450 11 месяцев назад

What a man!

@tkb818 2 года назад

Really enjoyed learning about Cliff Spinks career, wonderful memories thank you for sharing them

@davidharrison7875 2 года назад

I like the registration of the Spitfire that taxied out at the end of the clip, SW-A. Spitfire With Attitude.

@timwingham8952 3 года назад

Wonderful, and as the Phantom is discussed an adorable Tiger Moth trundles past in the background. Aviation heaven. Thank you.

@stephenupton6705 5 лет назад

Thanks for another great interview Mike, what a fantastic flying career Cliff’S had 👍

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks Stephen.

@malcolm9994 4 года назад

Such a modest gentleman with a fascinating career. Superb interview.

@Aircrewinterview 4 года назад

Cheers! Great to hear you enjoyed it.

@stevec6232 2 года назад

Nice sunny day at Biggin Hill! Great interview thanks Mike!

@Pissedoffinpearls Год назад

Cliff Spink was at JHQ as a Wg Cdr working for Mike Shaw (Gp Capt Air Def?) I was the Visits and Protocol Officer (Org 1c 1) or “Org 1c 1c 1c 1c 1 as SASO referred to me. Cliff Spink was the project officer for a couple of high powered visits, and he was a really good guy. Having been at Coningsby prior to JHQ, I was fortunate to know quite a few Phantom pilots. Blagged a trip in a Lightning and a Phantom while I was there. Cliff Spink was easily one of the nicest.

@davidruddick3346 5 лет назад

What an enthralling man,could listen to him all day,fascinating!

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Great to hear you enjoyed it, David.

@tectorama 5 лет назад

What a fantastic career he's had.

@JaySmurkzTV 2 года назад

forreal

@alancollard8939 5 лет назад

wonderful interview, what a career ,and what fun he is having now

@chewiepeanut 5 лет назад

Awesome stuff as always. Also major props for dealing with the wonderful audio interruptions (though that Fire Engine....)

@acballen2613 5 лет назад

Mike, this is perhaps the best interview yet!

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks very much :)

@Oktafly 5 лет назад

Great interview! Pleasure to watch!! Great job and bring us more!

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Cheers. Plenty more to come!

@Cubcariboo 4 года назад

"Fundamental Physiological Problems" haha. Outstanding turn of phrase!

@samrodian919 3 года назад

Yes! The world falling out of your fundament! lol

@caractacus22 Год назад

Al Deere, who I knew, was a loveable man. Oh! What a leader.

@nigeh5326 5 лет назад

Great interview really enjoyed it thanks

@cg7025 4 года назад

Great interview. What a career Sir.

@kkhan1425 4 года назад

I graduated from Pakistsn Air Force academy but interesting similarity with AM in which I started in the AF at 15 and as an Apprentice.

@phillipneal9289 5 лет назад

Great interview. Very knowledgeable chap &what a catalogue of aircraft flown. "What's your favourite aircraft " always a difficult one for pilots to answer,but for this man? Probably the most difficult thing you could ask. Insanely jealous

@markfarnon6742 Год назад

Great stuff - could listen to him all day!

@bensmith7536 5 лет назад

What a fantastic backdrop for yet another stellar interview ! !

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Cheers Ben

@bahoonies 3 года назад

Mike, I found this video while happily overdosing on videos about the Lightning. I'm very glad I did. It's a thoroughly enjoyable, informative and relaxed piece of well-spent time in the company of a fascinating and delightful gentleman. Definitely a video for my favourites and many, many thanks for it.

@Aircrewinterview 3 года назад

Thanks very much for the kind words, Damien. Really great to hear you enjoyed it.

@mickleem 3 года назад

Wonderful interview, just wonderful, thank you

@Aircrewinterview 3 года назад

Cheers Michael!

@67tomcat 5 лет назад

Wonderful- my favorite YT channel! Keep them coming please.

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thank you :)

@davidwebber8636 2 года назад

What a lovely bloke...

@allin4395 5 лет назад

Great commentary on flying fighters

@MattThornton87 2 года назад

Superb interview

@udowish Год назад

brilliant interview!

@Aircrewinterview Год назад

Thanks.

@adrianandkatrinadove203 5 лет назад

Wonderful interview...Such a gentleman and such flying achievement....Great to view....Thank you...

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Cheers!

@thefrecklepuny 5 лет назад

Looking good once again! Certainly has flown varied RAF types!

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

He was a great guest to chat to.

@albaviator 5 лет назад

Nice job on the interview. Greetings General

@simonrichardson5077 5 лет назад

Superb work chaps,thanks

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks Simon.

@juancastilla6001 4 года назад

Wonderful interview. Amazing stories.

@Aircrewinterview 4 года назад

Cheers Juan.

@DNModels 5 лет назад

Good video. Thanx!

@peterjeffery1975 Год назад

A true Gent and my old Stn Commander at Raf Coningsby whilst serving on BBMF.

@jackplugg4529 4 года назад

I worked on the Lightning Mk6's on 56 Squadron at Wattisham, and Cliff was one of our pilots. Funny thing is Cliff is now a mature gentleman, but I am still 21!

@charlottemace7510 Год назад

Would you have been at Wattisham in '79?

@joeblogs5163 2 года назад

He's my cousin, lots of great stories on the Internet about him, I was in 310 ATC Widnes, used to go flying at RAF Sealand. They had a Spitfire by the gate, it got removed some years ago, and renovated, and put his initials on it CRS, often flown in celebritions. He's on Wikipedia, had a few famially get togethers over the years, weres he's attended, real nice guy.

@henryh3800 11 месяцев назад

Great to see PT462 in the background or "Indy" as she is known. I was privileged to go up in her with Dave "Rats" Ratcliff in 2018 before her belly landing. One of the highlights of my life.

@Aircrewinterview 11 месяцев назад

Wow lucky man!

@davidl7888 5 лет назад

Nice job on the sound Mike.

@crazybrit-nasafan 4 года назад

Thank you for your service Sir. I honestly do hope you get your hands on an FW190.

@francisalanbeattie4458 3 года назад

Congratulations Sir

@bjjace1 2 года назад

another amazing interview

@Aircrewinterview 2 года назад

Thanks Matty!

@barryhumphries4514 Год назад

Cliff Spink, what a great man! He commanded 74 Sqn while I served at RAF Wattisham. I never met him, but he was well respected by everyone. I was a Runway Controller in the Runway Caravan and could see the difference between the F-4M and F-4J visually. The Spey reheat was amazing! The J79 not so much so. Somehow though, our J79 powered F-4s were not so Smokey as the US and German versions that I saw. 🤔👀

@kenjackson5685 Год назад

1st class...thanks for sharing

@flyingphobiahelp 5 лет назад

Brilliant!

@davidferrier5982 3 года назад

Although I was a Pongo, I met Him on many occasions when I was at RAF Bruggen on the Ground Liaison Ect I was piggy backed onto 20 Sq, (Jags) and he came to the Sqn many times. even made him coffee, and then met him again in 89 when he was Mount Pleasant Station Commander and bugger he remembered me. Great Guy, signed off on my auth sheets and had two trips in the Jag, not bad then for a Army LCpl.

@markelliott6485 Год назад

Great Boss was Sir Spink!

@hohocc1349 3 года назад

What a class act. Most impressive.

@Jabber-ig3iw 3 года назад

Fantastic interview and fantastic interviewer.

@Aircrewinterview 3 года назад

Thanks you!

@alzyerpal-TV 8 месяцев назад

Really interesting career and stories about the various types flown. I too enjoyed the reference to the Tucano being like a Hurricane Mk1, I've often wondered how modern prop trainers might compare to WW2 era fighters, performance wise ?

@rogerpattube 3 года назад

Great interview by excellent interviewer

@Aircrewinterview 3 года назад

Thanks Roger.

@GSP21 5 лет назад

A True Gentleman.......

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Haynes McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom Manual - amzn.to/2DM35jI

@trespire 5 лет назад

An amazing flying career & service to ones country.

Год назад

Very nice interview. I have to say the Lightning doesnt look very manouverable. So I learned someting today

@xfire7 2 года назад

74 , I was posted to Binbrook in 1980 to form the third Lightning Sqn. We didn`t have enough airframes , It went to the Phantoms , gutted .

@finchleyflyer 5 лет назад

Excellent interview. What a career, what a life flying so many varied types.

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks Peter.

@SteeleyGTi 2 года назад

Legend! 🙂

@Farweasel 3 года назад

And now I discover I, well, not wasted my life but allowed myself to be deflected from what I always wanted to do as a kid & a youth. But, youngest in the year, not the swiftest to pick up maths (I was in bloody hospital when the rest of the class were taught how to use log-tables) I was told repeatedly 'No, the RAF won't consider you for pilot training without Maths'. 50 years later Cliff Spink's says ~ 'Bit of a disaster at school really but ..............'

@chewyfoks1840 3 года назад

The 50's and 60's seemed to be a time of "Name a job and it's yours"!

@tobysmith2564 5 лет назад

Great videos I would love to see a video on John Beattie the Royal Navy legend 😎

@alancollard8939 5 лет назад

yes i agree i knew john when he was commander of the historic flight at yoevilton, heard all the a,mazin accidents he survived none his fault

@patriciabracken7546 5 лет назад

I have a real interest in aviation. Would love to visit a R.A.F. Base I enquired about visiting Scampton. They were all booked up. So I'm hoping to make it for next year. Sounds like he is a lovely gentleman. My favourites are the spitfire and the Lancaster bomber. 💖💕💞💓💗💝 👍👍👍👍👍

@samrodian919 5 лет назад

Patricia Bracken , if you ask maybe Air Marshal Spink could pull one strings for you..... Come on Cliff get her a tour somewhere ,preferably one of your old stations and guide her yourself

@nutsackmania 3 месяца назад

Thanks

@Aircrewinterview 3 месяца назад

Many thanks.

@ottohonkala6861 3 года назад

Top. Class.

@Aircrewinterview 3 года назад

Cheers.

@scotozz 5 лет назад

his comments re the Lightning intercepting U2's were very interesting

@88SPIKE 5 лет назад

I was at Wattisham too - good to see an ex-Brat at the top

@annagibson3413 5 лет назад

brilliant Stuff :-)

@Aircrewinterview 5 лет назад

Thanks Anna.

@raywhitehead730 3 года назад

A class act

@markboyle 4 года назад

He taught me to fly aerobatics in a Blanik glider 1973 in Cyprus. Ironically Blaniks were built in the Soviet Block

@victornalin 2 года назад

This fine gentleman might as well be the luckiest man that ever lived! 😄

@stewartw.9151 4 года назад

Interesting comment he makes about the noise that the pilot hears in a Hurricane or Spitfire. it is true, the smooth growl heard from outside is a cacophony of rough-sounding mechanical racket when inside the aircraft.

@tommyblackwell3760 3 года назад

So basically the Lightning was the impetus (along with Gary Powers' being shot down) for the development of the SR71. Learn something new every day....