Is ‘The Shepherd' the greatest story in aviation?

Stream date announced for aviation yarn ‘The Shepherd’ – have you seen the trailer yet?

The haunting tale of a young RAF Vampire pilot who is guided to safety by a ghostly Mosquito will be available to stream on Disney+ from December 1…

Despite the howler of a mistake with the de Havilland Vampire on the film’s official poster hopes remain high for the long awaited release of ‘The Shepherd’ — **Despite the howler of a mistake with the de Havilland Vampire on the film’s official poster, hopes remain high for the long awaited release of ‘The Shepherd’** DISNEY

On Christmas Eve, Freddie Hooke – a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home across the North Sea – finds himself in peril when his radio and electric power cuts out, leaving him stranded and running on limited fuel. Just when it appears his luck is about to run out, a mysterious good Samaritan guides him to safety…

**Is Frederick Forsyth’s ‘The Shepherd’, the best story in aviation?** KEY Collection

Based on the 1975 novella by acclaimed author Frederick Forsyth, the short film has been taken on by screen legend John Travolta (Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction etc) who is its executive producer. It’s written and directed by Iain Softley and stars Ben Radcliffe as the Vampire pilot who suffers a complete electrical failure while flying home on Christmas Eve in 1957. With the help of hand signals from a mysterious pilot flying a wartime de Havilland Mosquito, the young airman makes a safe landing. The film was shot on location in West Raynham, Norfolk.

Forsyth wrote The Shepherd for his wife as a Christmas gift, after she’d expressed an interest in ghost stories. The author, a former RAF pilot himself, opted for a setting away from the ‘traditional’ haunted house scenario – it is speculated that his tale may have been influenced by existing RAF folklore, though the inspiration for it has never been confirmed.