English Summary/英文概要： Wyndham Ward grew up with a determination to fly whatever the odds. Starting out as boy mechanic in the RAF, he progressed to being a ‘Junior Joe’ fighter pilot in the iconic Hawker Hunter, despite making almost every mistake possible during air combat training. The Cold War threat loomed large, and Ward was transferred to operating high-speed low-level Buccaneers—a dangerous job—flying with the RAF and Fleet Air Arm on board HMS Ark Royal, where he eventually mastered hair-raising catapult launches and the art of shaky recoveries. Following active duty, Ward received an unexpected posting to the Red Arrows aerobatic team in a significant year—1979—when the Gnat was replaced by the Hawk.

This is the story of a lifetime in aviation, from eager youngster to strike formation leader, with an insider’s view into squadron life, the camaraderie of the mess, the howlers committed during training and the tensions of frontline duty during the Cold War. It reveals the inner workings of the Red Arrows during a year of exceptional pressure when, with new jets and a redesigned display, the nation expected something truly groundbreaking. Through it all, and onwards into an extraordinary career in civil aviation, Ward’s boyish enthusiasm never faded; this book is, above all, a testament to the joys of flying.

Wyndham Ward joined the RAF as a boy, progressing to fighter pilot flying Hunters and Buccaneers with the RAF and Royal Navy off HMS Ark Royal. In 1979 he was selected to join the Red Arrows, the year of the Gnat’s exit and the introduction of the Hawk. After his RAF career, Ward flew B747s and A340s for Cathay Pacific before being appointed royal flight captain to the Sultan of Oman, with responsibility for transporting heads of state around the globe. In the latter part of his career, following training in Toulouse, he held CAA and US FAA training appointments for Airbus and CAE.