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Pete Legg is such a genuine, humble guy yet there he was at the pinnacle of aviation: an F-14 pilot.

Just flicking through KZread, saw a name I recognised and clicked on the video. Turns out I did my Multi Crew Cooperation course with Pete! Awesome guy to fly with.

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Nice!

Fascinating. What an achievement to go from enlisted to officer from tech to pilot.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

@jameswebb4593

4 ай бұрын

Before flying became all high Tech , it was not unknown for conscripts to become RAF pilots . I knew two such men , one enlisted for extra service , flew as co-pilot in Sunderlands , Hunters and finally Lightnings, The other flew Spitfires , Meteors and Vampires/ Venoms. He got out after the obligatory three years. I asked why having lived a dream . His answer may surprise you. When he looked at the photo of his draught , and saw how many were dead , he decided he wanted a longer future.

Imagine being in the USA in the 80,s flying the the F14 ,I don't think I could imagine anything better. Absolutely fantastic video.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

It would be a dream! Cheers

I served in VF-101 as a metalsmith from 1978 1981 and went on many "carrier quals". REALLY enjoyed your story Sir.

That roundtrip of the USA in an F-14 because hours have to be "used up" reminds me of a story from a Marinflieger Starfighter pilot in the 70s.......On Monday morning his squadron commander told him that there is a Starfighter with 4 external fuel tanks on the apron, ready to go....."Take it and come back on Friday noon with lots of crosscountry time!".......those were the days my friends....😅

Brilliant, I remember seeing a picture many years ago of Pete and Stu standing in front of their F-14 with Union Jack's painted on the canopy rail and wondering what it was all about. Now I know all these years later. Thanks for a great interview.

@BugattiONE666

5 ай бұрын

Please, please tell me this image is still available somewhere

@robertbaker8306

5 ай бұрын

@BugattiONE666 It must be nearly 40 years ago that I saw a black and white picture of Pete and Stu sanding in front of their Tomcat.

Fantastic! I can identify with Pete and his experiences because I was a US Navy A-7E pilot who had an exchange tour flying Harriers with the RAF on 233 OCU at RAF Wittering and 3(F) Squadron at RAF Gutersloh from '77-'80. Even brought back a "war bride", F/O Susan Tudor. Wonderful memories.

What a lovely, lovely bloke! I wish I had met him when I was in the air force (1976-1984, F4/Tornado). I only did a very short trip to the states in 1982 at Nellis AFB in Nevada (Red Flag) when I was in but enjoyed the American hospitality (and the weather & the ladies). I keep telling my wife that not every fighter pilot looks like Tom Cruise...I certainly don't. Cheers from a Chilly Otford, Kent, UK.

Sounds like you enjoyed your USN exchange as much as I did mine - great, great times for us both!! Good interview - well done!!

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Fascinating interview and the fact that he worked with the famous ''Hoser' Satrapa who infamously 'shot down' the F-15s in a 1v2 during the AIMEVAL/ACEVAL. The F-14 cockpit picture is actually an early test prototypes and not the actual production in-service F-14s since it is missing the two displays that were directly in front of the pilot.

How on earth's name do you find such marvellous people ready to be interviewed? What a wonderful man and a great interview! I must say, it seems you're getting better by the day as well. And you've been doing this for quite some time too. So, isn't it time for a 'best of' video, with some memorable moments from the last years some time?

Such a lovely chat. I love listening to Brits talk about American stuff

🇬🇧Loved this interview and what a classically humble guy who definitely has enjoyed his career and has many experiences Pete is clearly a very capable qualified professional yet he certainly doesn’t beat his chest in fact he’s quite self deprecating. Thank you for representing the British Armed Forces and making your mark across the pond.🇬🇧

You just know Pete would be great value on a night out!! Looking forward to the next installment gents!!

@Farweasel

5 ай бұрын

Got me convinced Where are we going?

@daveh1081

5 ай бұрын

Ha ha.....let's ask Pete and Mike.....first round is on me!!

This bloke is a master of understatement. He is one of the top-tier RAF pilots of his day. Many failed the TWU programme (RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire was another) that he quickly brushed over. Hells bells Dave Geldhill is mentioned too. What a story, He started off as an L Tech leading to an ONC in Electrical Engineering.

I read about toeser a long, long time ago. From what i read, he took one barrel from a 20mm vulcan and fabricated up some sort of arrangement to fire it. The breech or something exploded when he test fired it and it took out his thumb. Amazing to hear the story from someone that knew him.

I went through the RAG in 83--84 and flew with both you and Stu. Great memories, especially of Hoser! Ryszard Zadow VF-32/VF-43

@benjaminperez7328

4 ай бұрын

SARGE! Loved “Pop Gun!” Big fan of Mooch & his YT channel! Cheers, Sir!

@richardz5837

4 ай бұрын

Those where good days! :) @@benjaminperez7328

Fantastic interview! You had great back and forth allowing the interview to flow instead of constantly interrupting him like so many do. F-14 Tomcat “Anytime baby!”

@Aircrewinterview

Ай бұрын

Many thanks.

Lovely partnership US UK

1000 hours in three years! He must have gotten very comfortable in that F-14.

You have so many great interviews but this was one of my favs.

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Cheers

What a fabulous interview and recall from clearly a well seasoned flier ... wow and all the toys he got to play with. Many many good days (and nights) at the office.

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Cheers

Fantastic interview, this gentleman must've been a hoot to work with

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thanks.

Fantastic interview and what a lovely chap! 👍

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Most excellent! Really enjoyed this one.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers, Karl.

Brilliant interview!

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

From Hosers book, that exotic Dancer in Oceana was called "Tasha"

Loved listening to Pete. What an amazing experience he had out in the states back then !

What an interview. Entertaining from start to finish.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Great interview. Thought I recognised the Sea Harrier and Hawk. Boscombe museum is local to us. A fantastic place to visit.

The definition of Living the Dream

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Indeed.

Very informative interview. Wonderful!

Was sat in that Hawk yesterday! Great venue for an Aircraft interview

Brilliant interview… well done both.

What a top bloke and what a top interview 😊 thank you both for this up load so enjoyed regards😊😊👍👍

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Most excellent! Let's have more "stuff like that"..😊

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

More to come!

I was in VF-101 IWT shop 88-90. We had some Brit pilots there at the time as well. Great guys!

Leggy took me flying whilst I was on XXV(F). Such a humble guy!

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Lucky git!

Great stuff 💯🥰

Great dude! Just shows how much fun you can have in the service!

Fantastic!

That’s been a fantastic video, thank you very much, I didn’t know that there was any RAF pilot, that I admire, that flew the unique F14.very interesting, this Sir explained so naturally that it is feel like having a conversation with an old fantastic friend

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Many thanks!

Fascinating interview. Thanks 😎

I knew Pete legg, from my Virgin Atlantic days, and always got on with him very well, even though i was the Enemy, as in Crew Scheduling, there were a couple of other Names in this vid, that i also knew well, also, some of the Photos were from one of the VA Pilots as well

Brilliant interview - fascinating. Thank you!

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Superb interview cheers lads and look forward to pt2😊

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Fantastic interview Mike 👍🏻.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Thank you for keeping these stories alive.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for listening

Cool interview

Fascinating great post

Another brilliant interview 👏

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Fascinating!

Great storytelling!

Excellent episode

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Awesome interview!!! ❤

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Great interview. I realy enjoyed listening to a British pilot talk about the F-14 and his time in the states.

What a career! Fantastic interview

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Cheers

Fantastic interview!

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Cheers

What an amazing story, thank you for posting, sad thing is, it probably wouldn't happen today.

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Pete is fantastic.

What a wonderful humble guy! Very informative, Tremendous interview. well done! Flying a Tomcat superb!

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Fantastic :-). Brilliant interview.

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

One word, fantastic!

@Aircrewinterview

3 ай бұрын

Cheers

Amazing... incredible that you could join the RAF as an apprentice tech, and graduate to flying fighters, and then get posted to the US flying the coolest jet of the era! Only in the 1970s/80s I suspect....

Delightful man.

What a legend. I had heard about RAF exchange pilots but to hear it first hand is awesome. Great content, definitely gained a sub from me 🤙

what a cool guy

16:15. Leggy sure was a handsome chap. I bet he cleaned up at the NAS Oceana O Club!

Being non military, this stuff is brilliant.

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Cheers

What a legend!

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Sure is.

What a great bloke, and flew in a fantastic era.

Pete, if I may borrow a phrase from Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' .......... *You lucky, LUCKY ________d* Another great video too few folk seem to have picked up on YET

I'm just sorry that he didn't have a good kilt story when he started in on the uniform thing at 40:00. That was hilarious!

Loved the interview Pete. Regarding the Gnat, give me a gallon of olive oil and a crowbar and I’ll get you in to it!

Just as a slight correction, when he was talking about the wing sweep mods, you zoomed in on the emergency wing sweep handle. The actual thing he was talking about is on the right throttle, there is a four way switch on the bottom (top was radios, middle was air brakes, bottom was wing sweep). If you do a image search for F-14 throttle, you will see what he was talking about. :)

This geezer has had the best experience, in the best job, ever!

@Aircrewinterview

4 ай бұрын

Sure did!

@garethjohnstone8662

4 ай бұрын

Mate, I would supply the beverage of choice for as long as necessary if you supplied the memories, any time, any where! @@Aircrewinterview

Great!

Wonderful interview. And all from an Apprenticeship.

@Aircrewinterview

Ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Cheers.

Hosers 20mm story was that he had been given a 20mm barrel as some reward for a gunnery feat. And he was trying to get the 20MM round to fly faster and further to bridge the gap with the Aim 9 shortest distance. He did that with Teflon coating and some say it was adopted later (though I cannot find any proof of that) Hoser did indeed blow his Thumb off, and it was Snort who talked Hoser in doing the Toe Transplant surgery. Because "What Toe would not love getting out of that smelly boot into the sunshine?" Hoser did the surgery, and it failed The Second Big Toe was then transplanted and it worked. Hosers party trick was to run his "thumb" through a jar of peanut butter and ask bystanders if it smells like cheese The Toeser Callsign never stuck. You can see Hoser in the video below, not too long before he retired because he felt his reaction time had degraded. kzread.info/dash/bejne/ip52ubqDqqven6w.html

He says :Fantastic' a lot but with that lifestyle and set of experiences who wouldn't!!?

@31:48 .. I've found myself instinctively moving my head forward to get a "better look" at something miles away. If he does it, then maybe I'm not actually insane.

Thanks

@Aircrewinterview

5 ай бұрын

Thank you very much.

Really love this discussion. Was hoping to become a NFO (RIO) when in NROTC at the University of Virginia in the late 1980's. Absolutely loved the F-14. Knew everything a civilian could know about it. But it was meant to be... Thanks for your talk.

I'm pretty sure Tooser shows up on a news report in the US in the 80's flying aircraft during brush fires in the US. From memory California S2 Trackers if I remember correctly.

@AA-xo9uw

5 ай бұрын

Toeser

Stood in water up to my ankles at Fentress. We were supposed to deploy a mobile radar, but rain brewed up. As we waited for permission to call it off, a very embarrassed, young officer tried not to look at us. Marines have a way of talking back without talking back.

"Load up, you'll need a navigator to get around" 🤙

The Marines were slated to get F14 aircraft, I was stationed at PT. MUGU in Vx4 and our X0 was a Marine col. 1973 to 1974?. Dates might be a little off.

@AA-xo9uw

5 ай бұрын

Strong armed into buying it in exchange for getting the Harrier. Schlesinger finally got them out of the deal and those aircraft ended up getting sold to Iran.

Time stamps would be nice. Love the content 👍

@johnnunn8688

4 ай бұрын

Why would time stamps be nice? (Whatever they are 🤷‍♂️)

When did Pete do CARQUAL w/ VF-101? He mentioned "1982" and "three years." USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) went in the shipyard for about a year sometime in 1984 and came out late spring 1985, right after I reported on board. So I might have been on board when he did his CQ. My four years on JFK were a great experience. Get video, I'll have to watch more. (My channel has some personal flying videos w/ IFR, soaring, and aerobatics.)

Does anyone else feel like he's just talking to YOU.

Probably NASA Whidbey Island in Washington State? Although it would have been rare they supported F14’s - they were/are EW/ASW/Strike base.

@dictumfactum7784

4 ай бұрын

He was talking about his duty station at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach.

Sadly, I heard that Hoser had passed away ….

Great interview (again) - just sorry to report that Joe "Hoser" Satrapa died in December 2022.

@AA-xo9uw

5 ай бұрын

17 March 2019

Now there is a character -

I actually never knew there was anyone in the RAF that flew Tomcats. I feel kinda dumb not knowing this information lol. It makes sense there’d be at least one guy on exchange.

RAF. Must have meant Rowdy And Fun in Pete's day! Not surprised he was too big for the Gnat trainer. l think I'd have been as well. That plane looks like a toy on comparison with other types!!!

I was RADTECHG - electronics tech ground RAAF.

@stephenpage-murray7226

5 ай бұрын

Yep, same here

@PeterOZ61

5 ай бұрын

@@stephenpage-murray7226 7/89 RTC RAAF School of Radio Laverton, Graduated Dec 1990.

do you get fries with that?