This story would be much better told by Brian, in Yorkshire-ese, but during the filming of “Flyboys” there was a scene shot at Copt Hall (flying from Stapleford), where the German Fokker Triplanes were supposed to strafe a column of French infantry. Brian was to fly the Breighton Fokker, painted red, and beforehand we walked the set with Brian, and Ray Hanna, and the other pilots. The special effects person told us that the lorries on the road would burst into flames when strafed, and Brian asked how high the flames would go. “10 to 15 feet,” was the reply, “should be no higher than that.”

I was circling overhead when Brian made the first run, and as he came to the lorries a ball of flame that must’ve been 50 feet high erupted in front of him, and he had no choice but to fly through it. Fortunately he came out the other side OK, and continued to make more passes for the cameras. Afterwards we could laugh about it, especially as he told the story as only he could.

And it didn’t make the final cut, although a similar shot did.

A great pilot, and one of the people who helped make our time in England so enjoyable.