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Combat Pilot

Season 1 2004 - 2005

  • 2004-12-01T00:00:00Z on BBC One
  • 42m
  • 4h 12m (6 episodes)
  • United Kingdom
  • English
  • Documentary
This documentary follows a handful of British pilots as they go through the elite training necessary to become the country's finest Air Force aces. For almost the whole of 2002, 208 Squadron was host to a BBC documentary team as they followed the progress of one of our courses from Ground school through to the end of the Tactical Weapons training on 19 Squadron. Combat Pilot was broadcast nationally in early 2004 and gave a detailed insight into the Squadron’s activities at the time and a valuable historic record.

6 episodes

Series Premiere

2004-12-01T00:00:00Z

1x01 Episode 1

Series Premiere

1x01 Episode 1

  • 2004-12-01T00:00:00Z42m

For the first few weeks, the pilots are concerned with learning the basics of their aircraft, with their cardboard cockpits. The pilots are dragged through water to simulate a parachute being caught in the swell; this is emergency training.

2004-12-08T00:00:00Z

1x02 Episode 2

1x02 Episode 2

  • 2004-12-08T00:00:00Z42m

This is the pilots' first experience of 208 squadron and centers around their respective first flights in the Hawk. Dave fulfills his childhood dream and flies his first fast jet. Rich shows us the progress board that every pilot is on.

2004-12-15T00:00:00Z

1x03 Episode 3

1x03 Episode 3

  • 2004-12-15T00:00:00Z42m

This episode begins with Lewis talking about his recurrent problem of airsickness, which requires him to leave RAF Valley and attend a clinic to help cure his airsickness.

2004-12-22T00:00:00Z

1x04 Episode 4

1x04 Episode 4

  • 2004-12-22T00:00:00Z42m

April 9, 2003, statue of Saddam Hussein is pulled down in Baghdad. Dave is about to take his final navigation test, which he passes and advances onto the last part of the course board.

2004-12-29T00:00:00Z

1x05 Episode 5

1x05 Episode 5

  • 2004-12-29T00:00:00Z42m

This episode focuses on the weapons training of the pilots, mainly Rich and Dave. In this episode, we see dog-fighting and other areas of combat, including defense and other aerial maneuvers.

2005-01-05T00:00:00Z

1x06 Episode 6

1x06 Episode 6

  • 2005-01-05T00:00:00Z42m

The pilots fire live ammunition, of the pilots we have been following, Dave is the first to go through this level of weapons training, this is not entirely new to him as he has seen combat before as a navigator.

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