RIP John Blake

Sad news. I think I always enjoyed an air display more when John Blake was commentating.

Much respect and RIP sir.

Roger Smith.

John was 1 of 2 commentators at airshows I ever found worth listening to, along with Jerry Mead there hasn’t been anyone come anywhere near to their standard of commentary!!!!!

R.I.P John

No? What about Roger Hoefling? I loved his commentaries.

Briefing pilots at Tablada circa April 1968.

Brilliant image – really captures the atmosphere!

Thanks for posting!

As many have now said of one of the very best airshow comentators. Always worth listening to. Sadly never met him but sounds to have been a great “character”.

When I heard his voice, always reminded me of my Dad….also a John Blake.

Planemike

John was 1 of 2 commentators at airshows I ever found worth listening to, along with Jerry Mead there hasn’t been anyone come anywhere near to their standard of commentary!!!!!

R.I.P John

R.I.P John

Only knew him through my late father, they did a number of sorties from White Waltham to France in the early 60’s with Proctor V GTC! One day at Deuaville the battery was low on charge, John was tasked with operating the mag switches then grabbing the engine on the throttle once it fired. My father had the unenviable task of swinging the prop which he described as being like a meat cleaver!. Despite a number of attempts she would not start. A passing French airman enquired as to the problem my father explained the battery issue and he proffered his services. John then waved his arm (less hand) from the open cockpit door and shouted go carefully it got me (the prop) this morning!! The Frenchman lost a degree of facial colour and decided prop swinging was not for him. That by all accounts was John all over, ever the practical joker.

Sad news, another one off passes 🙁
His voice as others have said is that of the airshows of my youth. I seem to remenber that as kids we wiuld be left by John as dad displayed and would not dare utter a word!!! RIP John you will be much missed and always remembered.

A true gentleman and a wonderful commentator and racconteur.

I am however surprised he lived to such a ripe age. The late, great Neil Williams was allegedly after his blood after John’s commentary on Neil’s crash at Biggin Hill in a Stampe… “He’s taken it behind the hangars….. …and left it there!”

He’ll be sadly missed.

My memory is misty but it may well have been John I recall at the awards dinner at PFA Rallys sketching the day’s events on the white linen table cloths.
R.I.P.

I remember John well as the commentator at the Bembridge (IOW) Air Shows in the early ’70s. A great man with a great sense of humour and a true professional.
Thank you John. May you Rest in Peace.

The voice of the airshow. R.I.P

Attending my firsrt airshows at Biggin Hill in the late 60s and early 70s, I always enjoyed his commentary and I was always fascinated by his tales. These days, airshow commentaries seem to be banal and inane and irritating but John Blake’s (to me, in those days) were of a different nature altogether. I met him in the Officers Mess for an evening “do” at Biggin Hill around 1974-ish and he spent a good hour talking to me and, I recall, bought me a pint. Later, out of the blue, he sent me a whole bunch of ahistoric viation photographs that he knew would interest me. A charming and thoroughly gentlemanly gentleman.

Sad news indeed, a real character without doubt. I always liked his style of drawing, and hope the Guild of Aviation Artists will pay him some form of tribute at their next exhibition.

I’m pretty sure he had an involvement with the Battle of Britain film, planning and briefing some of the aerial sequences.

Briefing pilots at Tablada circa April 1968.

Image:- Simon Morrison.

It was yesterday and today that all his books and memorabilia are being auctioned, the object being to secure his final days.

How ironic.

Moggy

lovely guy….met him at the 30th anniversary of the BoB film blue skies

We shared a few pints at The Squadron in the evening after a Fighter Meet back in the 80s.

What a lovely bloke, and for me the epitome of what an airshow commentator should be, telling you the stuff you couldn’t see with your own eyes. The background, the context, the anecdotes.

Great respect to the man.

Moggy

John was a Total Aviation Person who always made you feel that it was a pleasure for him to talk with you.
A Fellow of the Guild of Aviation Artists (There are very few)
A racontuer, and fine presenter.
Thank you for being part of our world John.

I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago now at Sywell whilst I was assisting the judges at an aerobatic competition. (My father was his assistant – was helping a Concorde pilot.) He was an incredible gentleman and quite a character.
R.I.P. Mr. Blake, it was a pleasure and honour to have met you.

Such a shame! Loved his commentary style.
R.I.P. Mr Blake