Robert Stanford Tuck

Well, here’s my initial list of programmes for suggested possible DVD release:

Spitfire – 1976
Colonel Culpepper’s Flying Circus – 1980
Reaching for the Skies – (Series) 1988
Bombers – 1979
Chopper – (a Horizon on the history of the helicopter )- 1983
Woomera – 1989 (A history of the Australian facility C4)
Spacesuit – 1990 (C4 – A history of high altitude pressure suits)

Some of these I taped off TV at the time and still have but it would be nice to have them in top quality DVD format).

Originally posted by Eric Mc
The BBC has a wealth of documentary material going back about 40 years which should really be released on DVD. There are a host of programmes I either remember or video taped myself (from 1981 onwards) which deserve to be shown again or released to the public to buy.

If they should do that, I would run to the store to get my example! Nice idea Eric. 😉

J.V.

The Spitfire documentary was made in 1976 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first flight. It is narrated and hosted by Raymond Baxter – who else – and has been repeated many times over the years. There is a nice sequence where Tuck and Galland are demonstrating dog-fightiing techniques, each holding what looks like the Airfix 1/24 scale models of the Spitfire and 109 respectively.

More recently, clips from this documentary have been showing up in a UK History documentary series called “Weapons of World War 2”.

The BBC has a wealth of documentary material going back about 40 years which should really be released on DVD. There are a host of programmes I either remember or video taped myself (from 1981 onwards) which deserve to be shown again or released to the public to buy. I would much prefer to watch re-runs of some of these programmes rather than endless repeats of “Only Fools and Horses” or “Some Mother do ‘Ave ‘Em” (i will make exceptions for “Dad’s Army”, Fawlty Towers” or “Black Adder”).

Eric,

Ah yes, that’s the one. That title brought it all back. Thanks!:D

Yes, I remember the comparison with Colonel Sanders – difference being that Sanders was real, Culpepper wasn’t. And I recall the Tibbets interview now too.

I think they also said that all their aircraft were caplabe of firing their weapons and one of the main aims in setting up the CAF was because they considered the real Air Force wasn’t capable of seeing off a Rusky attack, wasn’t it? So they created the fifth largest Air Force in the world simply to defend themselves – a bit like Dad’s Army! I’d love to see that again someday.

And the documentary that you mention Stieglitz sounds brilliant. Can you recall the Spitfire doco’s name? They should release more o these old documentaries onto DVD. I might have to have a word with my very good friend in the BBC marketing department who is on the team of deciding what gets released… Maybe I can enthuse her to persue a few aviation releases. Anyone else got any good aviation titles they’d like to see released? It cannot hurt me asking her.

Dave – I have that Conferderate Air Force video, although it is not of great picture quality. It was made by the BBC and was called “Colonel Culpepper’s Flying Circus”. It was shot at the 1980 “Airsho” and was narrated and introduced by Mike Wooldridge. It features quite a few famous pilots, Paul Tibbets, Adolf Galland, Bob Tuck etc and is most enjoyable. In fact, it inspired me to go to the following year’s airshow. The most famous person I met there was Ensign George Gay, the sole survivor of the Devastator squadron shot down in the Battle of Midway. He told me he had the best view of the battle, clinging to a seat cushion in the middle of the Pacific.

Wooldridge is slightly tongue in cheek about the whole thing – the funniest comment he makes is that the charicature drawings of Colonel Culpepper, rather than resembling a Colonel who might declare war on left wing, pinko liberal types or bad guys , is more like the Colonel who declared war on chickens (he has a point).

I also seem to remember Pink Floyd featured heavily on the soundtrack.

I found a old videotape at home.

In 1976, the BBC made a documentary about the development of the Spitfire. In this program, several spitfire pilots talk about there experiences with this historic aircraft. Robert Stanford Tuck is on this program and he is talking about his experiences flying with a captured Me109 in simulated dogfights wit the Spitfire. He explains the characteristics of the me109 while standing next to Douglas Bader. Bader explains the flying characteristics of the Spitfire. The conversation Tuck-Bader takes a total of 10-15 minutes.

Tuck stated that the Me109 was as good as the spitfire in 1940. Only the spit had some strong points (fast turning) while the Me109 could dive better. Also he found that the installation of guns firing trough the proppeler was a advantage for the Me109.
The disadvantage for the Me109 in 1940 was (as Tuck says) the limited fuel reserve and its task of close protective formation flying with the bombers.

Also Johnnie Johnson is speaking about the spitfire on this program.

Originally posted by SteveYoung
The only thing I can add to the responses above, is that on or around the 13th of August 1982, Bob Stanford Tuck was present at RAF Manston again, this time as the Reviewing Officer for the final parade at our Air Training Corps camp that year.

He was ushered along the front rank of cadets by Flt Lt Jones RAFVR(T), occasionally stopping to speak to some of the youngsters and ask them where they were from, how much they had enjoyed their stay at Manston, etc.

I’m delighted to say that, as the smallest and youngest at the time, I was lucky enough to be one of those that he spoke to. I can’t remember what he said, but I’ll never forget the first (and so far, only) time I met one of The Few.

Thanks for sharing that wonderful story.

Steve

My Dad used to have a video, which unfortunately he no longer has, which was a early or mid 1980’s programme about the Confederate Air Force in the USA. I think that perhaps it was a British or even Australian made documentary, not sure, but it wasn’t American. In it they chatted with some of the founders and members, and it had Tuck and Galland together at one of the big CAF airsows, and they were interviewed too.

I recall the show featureed bits on Fifi, the first Mustang in the CAF and its owner, showed the HE111 and also the Pearl Harbor demo, etc. It also followed a new bunch of Colonels being sworn in.

It was a great programme, and I could kick him for giving it and several others of his aviation video collection away – they are what got me into aircraft and ultimately into the Air Force when i was a teen. At least I managed to get some off him, like A Perfect Lady and some RNZAF docos.

The only thing I can add to the responses above, is that on or around the 13th of August 1982, Bob Stanford Tuck was present at RAF Manston again, this time as the Reviewing Officer for the final parade at our Air Training Corps camp that year.

He was ushered along the front rank of cadets by Flt Lt Jones RAFVR(T), occasionally stopping to speak to some of the youngsters and ask them where they were from, how much they had enjoyed their stay at Manston, etc.

I’m delighted to say that, as the smallest and youngest at the time, I was lucky enough to be one of those that he spoke to. I can’t remember what he said, but I’ll never forget the first (and so far, only) time I met one of The Few.

“Can I have 3 of the Spitfires please Mr Tuck?”

“Ach! You must have ze Messerschmitt it is better armed mit der cannonens”

“But the Spitfire can out-turn those cannons and shoot you in the backside old boy”

“Not if ve are in ze sun in ze 109s”

“our RDF would pick you first and we’d split up up old bean”

“it vas not so good for zat in zer battle as vot you vas zinking”

“Give me a Squadron of Spitfires Hermann – didn’t you say old chap?”

“But, But, Ze 109s are CHEAPER!!!”

“Umm, I think i’ll have the Spits actually, you Jerries did LOSE, after all…”

“I recently noticed in another thread a photo from an old article about the movie BoB that shows Bob Tuck and Adolph Galland hunting together.”

Tuck and Galland became great friends after the war,they even went into business togther for a while as sales brokers,selling military-surplus and light aircraft.I’m not sure how long this lasted,but IIRC it was a short-lived venture.

Hi srpatterson,

Here some details of Robert Stanford Tuck post war life:

Tuck escaped from prison in february 1945 and returned to the UK in April 1945. He ended the war with 29 victories.

Tuck received his final decoration, a DFC (US Air Force) on June 14th 1946. Post war, he flew with Vampires and Gloster Meteor. He retired from the RAF and active service on May 13th 1949 as a Wing Commander at Coltishall.

In 1978, a Me109 was found with the remains of Lt. Wemer Knittle. After invertigation, it was decided that Tuck shot down this plane. So in 1978, Tuck got a total of 30 victories.

Robert Stanford Tuck died on May 5th 1987 at the age of 70.

Greets,

J.V.