We were tasked with doing
And if you've seen the film
there's a few sequences
I know more than one of my mates over on
was desperate to meet Angelina Jolie
So there's there's lots of sharp,
who's going to fly what.
And who's going to meet her
and who's going to get the signature
and who's
And yeah, jog on , you got
But, yeah, that was fun.
Jog on, you’ve got no chance.
John served as a Senior Officer/Navigator in the Royal Air Force from 1995 to 2015. His proudest work involved flying with MERT.
The Air Force being the Air Force, they make you practice with things not working.
I looked over my shoulder to see 40 smiling faces
The Jet that was underslung just.. took off.
To have John Craven bumping around as you fly people from field to field, yeah, that was a different day out.
You could see the concern of the faces around you, people in the know.
I think the fact it's here and so many people can come see it is, is great and it is quite weird.
I don't know if 617 saw it or saw the funny side, but I thought that was quite clever.
The thought of being done for speeding while on a MERT shout caused a little bit of interesting language in the car.
It's like camping without a tent, but with a 60ft helicopter instead.
The Army, they say it's one of the best sounds because they know that they're being picked up and taken home.
It's not hard to see why you get the myth and the legend and the general affection, which sounds weird for a lump of metal, but it's, it's probably not too far from the truth.
Sometimes the banter gets a little bit too pointed, a little bit too serious and unfunny.
To this day, absolutely delighted, honored, pleased, privileged. All those cliched words that that I had the chance to do it.
I was a squadron boss for two years at a time when my guys were doing about the toughest job that an aircraft has been asked to do.
I think everyone who joins the military at some point finds himself wondering what it would be like to be tested under proper conditions