Blimey Jon, until now, I never did quite understand where you disappeared to for all those months. Happy memories of extraordinary times in St. Andrews. A

I’m humbled listening to this incredible story, and Jon’s gratitude and recognition of all the other trades and ground crew who contributed to his successful escape, survival and rehabilitation.

What a story and what a teller of, and well done interviewer for letting the Man speak. Thanks for letting us here it and thanks to the very long roll call of peeps who did stuff to ensure that you made  it back to tell us about it, great that you mentioned them too.

An amazing story. I remember it being on the news in Scotland. Glad everyone got out

Hell of a story!  USAF F-4 WSO with 2,000 hours.  Loved the MB MK VII seat - never used it.  Also loved having Control Stick and Rudder Pedals.     Simple matter of fact I had to take the aircraft from the FUF on the range at night as the aircraft was rolling through 60 degrees of bank while he was changing switches.  On another occasion I recovered the airplane when the FUF went blind from a rapid decompression at 40,000 feet.   What would have happened had I not had controls?  We will never know.  Also flew the jet repeatedly to give the FUF a break on long missions and took over in the weather and in formation when the FUF got 'the leans'.   We had Command Ejection of the R/C/P any time the FUF ejected.  A Command Selector Valve in the R/C/P  could select Command Ejection of the F/C/P if rotated.  This was a Crew Coordination Briefing item for all missions.  In over 1,000 sorties I only had a scant few FUFs tell me NOT to rotate the handle.   Most felt that if it was bad enough for me to go, we would sort it out on the ground!
Spent one night in The Mess at Leuchers (sp?) .  A real class act.  I was blown away when I noted all the artwork presented to The Mess on the occasion of the retirement of many officers.  When I retired I hoped to start a tradition and presented the Nellis Officer's Club a framed  piece of aviation art with a plaque appropriately engraved .  I failed.

Martin Baker have a reputation of being the best ejector seats in the world. It’s testament to how good they are when other nations buy Martin Baker ejector seats for their own aircraft. The US Navy was a big user of them and to be honest the F-35 is an American product, so for a Martin Baker seat to be selected for the F-35 rather than an American seat says a lot.

Amazing story, what a guy.  Thanks for sharing this 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

A big day out…That’s one way of putting it!! Incredible story & details 👍

Great episode, I was locked into it the whole time!

Brilliantly told! What an experience....

What a story and what a story-teller! Amazing!

Hell of a story, but made absolutely stellar by a delightfully detailed and descriptive storyteller - Herbie’s a natural and seemed to make life easy for the interviewer, who provided the occasional encouraging nudge. You’ve a real talent for finding enticing stories and delivering immensely engaging one-on-one interviews with the guys who lived them. The result is just outstanding. Thank you.

Over the years I've heard a fair few ejection seat stories but that was by far the most interesting, I suppose because of his explanation on what led up to the event and then his very personal experience thereafter.  Thanks for sharing.

Fascinating, Herbie is a great storyteller.

i was on 43 when it was f3s,,,   groundcrew,,,  so i really get this story,,  and i was dumped in the sea outside belfast and rescued by a wessex to having been volunteered in my absence for air sea rescue training,,  it was so cold i pissed myself as soon as i hit the water having been pushed out of the wessex at 20 ft,,,  watching the loady scim over the waves directing himself by using various bits of his body was amazing,,,  bang clip gone,,,  then the slow rotation looking up at the chopper,,,
newer lost an aircraft in my time in the raf but i do remember a state one when at leuchars where a 111 f3 took off and got stuck in a uncomanded roll and they banged out,,  was told the pilot had his mobile on him and called the CO while floating down,,  the nav was in fact a lecky sgt just hitching a opportunistic ride to leeming where he lived as the jet was overweekending there for an excersise at st mawgan,,    111,,, always crashing jets,,,  happy days,,,

Great interview, and interviewee! Thanks.

Amazing story and storyteller. It’s really nice to hear Herbie’s appreciation of the other roles that keep the RAF flying. Safety Equippers (Squippers) Armourers (knuckles drag on the floor 😅) and Fairies (guess the trade!). I served at Leuchars in the 90’s, amazing place, people….and beer calls. OMG, what a place to be when you’re young. Great interview and can’t wait for the next one! Cheers from a Fairy….the best trade 😂

Amazing - thank you for such a fine story so brilliantly told.

Good lord, what a fantastic account.
Wonderfully told, with typical humour, only found in the services and overall, with incredible humility.
I'm nothing to do with the RAF myself, but when I was a young lad,  my uncle was Group Captain of 111 back in the late 70s / early 80s. I was privileged enough to look around Leuchars and later Coningsby. I've never lost my respect for the RAF pilots and Navigators, and similarly, I never lost my love of the Phantom.
Thanks again.

Great interview/story telling. Glad Herbie made it back to provide the insight into what it's like to bailout and end up in the drink. My dad had a great story about being pushed up, in a storm cell to coffin corner. High speed buffet/Low speed stall. The prospect of ejecting into a thunderstorm was not something he really wanted to do. With Herbie's ejection at low altitude, I was amazed that there was an instant when he considered riding it in. A riveting story!