The Pilots

As you are about to see, I have listed ALL the pilots that officially flew with the various GIN / Blades incarnations. I have also listed the Solo Aerobatic Reps where known. These guys often flew with the team to the shows, so whilst not an official integral part of the team, they often flew together.

If you know any more information about team members or if you know the whereabouts of any team members, please feel free to "Contact me".

The teams members were drawn from the QFI's based at Linton-on-Ouse. Upto 1969 there was a Navy presence at Linton & the team was a mixture of RAF & RN pilots. The Navy left Linton in 1969, so after that only RAF pilots flew in the team.

Most instructors rarely stayed more than a couple of years at a training station, this lead to a continuously changing team. Team members flying more than 1 season with the team was the exception rather than the rule. Also due to the fact that instructors could be called apon to take up an active front-line role at short notice, sometimes pilots were posted away from Linton mid-season. This also caused some line-up changes during the season.

In the early 60's it's a little unclear how the teams members got picked, but from some time in the mid 60's the instructors could volunteer to fly in the team. From January onwards test flights were made to decide who would join the team that year. These flights were usually done with previous team members as a passenger to asses the suitability of the "volunteer". Having decided on the team members, the serious training then started.

Linton GIN / Linton Blades Pilots

Year	Team Name	Leader	#2	#3	#4	Reserve	Solo Aero Rep.
1961	GIN Section	Flt Lt Ron Corck	Lt Carl Davis RN	Flt Lt Hugh Rigg	(1)
1962	GIN Section	Lt Carl Davis RN	Flt Lt Robbie Robinson (2)	Flt Lt Hugh Rigg	-
1963 - 1st 2 shows	GIN Section	Flt Lt Robbie Robinson (2)	Flt Lt Bob Holliday	Flt Lt Hugh Rigg	-		Pete Jarvis
1963 - rest of year	GIN Section	Flt Lt Hugh Rigg	Flt Lt Bob Holliday	Flt Lt Terry Thornton	-		Pete Jarvis
1964	GIN Section	Flt Lt Terry Thornton	Lt Simon Thomas RN	Lt John Carver RN	-		Pete Jarvis
1965		Flt Lt Norrie Grove	Flt Lt Doug Smith *	Lt Pierre Cadoret RN *	-		Pete Jarvis
1966		Flt Lt Norrie Grove	Lt Mike Todd RN	Flt Lt Doug Smith	-		Pete Jarvis
1967		Flt Lt Jim Burns	Lt Keith Harris RN	Fg Off Brian Todd	Fg Off Eric Hemson
1968	GIN Formation	Flt Lt Mike Collin	Flt Lt Richard 'Mac' Mackenzie-Crooks	Lt Dave Brittain RN	Flt Lt Pat Kiggell	Fg Off Brian Todd
1969	Linton GIN	Sqn Ldr Sid Edwards	Fg Off Al Colesky	Fg Off Joe Whitfield	Flt Lt Dave Waddington	Flt Lt Dave Coldicutt & Fg Off John Bishop	Tim Allen
1970	Linton Blades	Flt Lt Dave Waddington	Fg Off Dudley Carvell	Flt Lt Dave Coldicutt	Flt Lt Joe Whitfield	-	Flt Lt Alick Nicholson
1971	Linton Blades	Sqn Ldr Bob Turner	Flt Lt Dudley Carvell	Flt Lt Denis "Nobby" Grey	Flt Lt Alick Nicholson	-	Flt Lt Owen Hammond
1972	Linton Blades	Sqn Ldr Duncan Robinson (2)	Flt Lt Michael Hall	Flt Lt Peter Hood	Flt Lt Jon Buckler
1973	Linton Blades	Sqn Ldr Don Oakden	Flt Lt Mervin Fowler	Flt Lt John Anders	Flt Lt Jon Buckler		Dave Webb

* - I don't know which position these pilots flew in.

(1) An "honourable mention" should be made of Flt Lt Dick Fox who trained with the 1961 team but, unfortunatley never got to fly with the team publicly.
(2) Flt Lt Robbie Robinson ( 62 & 63 ) and Sqn Ldr Duncan Robinson (73) are the same person.

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