This documentary follows a handful of British pilots as they go through the elite training necessary to become the country's finest Air Force aces. For almost the whole of 2002, 208 Squadron was host to a BBC documentary team as they followed the progress of one of our courses from Ground school through to the end of the Tactical Weapons training on 19 Squadron. Combat Pilot was broadcast nationally in early 2004 and gave a detailed insight into the Squadron’s activities at the time and a valuable historic record.
Episode 1
Dec 1, 2004
For the first few weeks, the pilots are concerned with learning the basics of their aircraft, with their cardboard cockpits. The pilots are dragged through water to simulate a parachute being caught in the swell; this is emergency training.
Episode 2
Dec 8, 2004
This is the pilots' first experience of 208 squadron and centers around their respective first flights in the Hawk. Dave fulfills his childhood dream and flies his first fast jet. Rich shows us the progress board that every pilot is on.
Episode 3
Dec 15, 2004
This episode begins with Lewis talking about his recurrent problem of airsickness, which requires him to leave RAF Valley and attend a clinic to help cure his airsickness.
Episode 4
Dec 22, 2004
April 9, 2003, statue of Saddam Hussein is pulled down in Baghdad. Dave is about to take his final navigation test, which he passes and advances onto the last part of the course board.
Episode 5
Dec 29, 2004
This episode focuses on the weapons training of the pilots, mainly Rich and Dave. In this episode, we see dog-fighting and other areas of combat, including defense and other aerial maneuvers.
Episode 6
Jan 5, 2005
The pilots fire live ammunition, of the pilots we have been following, Dave is the first to go through this level of weapons training, this is not entirely new to him as he has seen combat before as a navigator.
