Air Marshal Cliff Spink CB CBE RAF (Ret)

Air Marshal Cliff Spink CB CBE RAF (Ret). Photo by Chris Cannon

Meet Air Marshal Cliff Spink CB CBE RAF (Ret)

Cliff's long flying career with the RAF started at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire learning to fly the Jet Provost, followed by the Folland Gnat and the Hawker Hunter. Cliff's first posting to a Squadron was to 111 Squadron flying the Lightning F 3. He also flew with 56 Squadron on the Lightning. Returning to to 111 Squadron in later years flying the F-4 Phantom at Leuchars, and later becoming Officer Commanding 74 Tiger Squadron with the F-4J variant of the Phantom operating out of Wattisham. He then became the Station Commander of RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands where he flew the Phantom, C-130 Hercules and Sea King helicopters.

In 1990 Cliff converted to the F3 Tornado and was soon detached to Saudi Arabia as the Tornado Dhahran Detachment Commander in the Gulf War, back in the UK as Station Commander at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire Cliff carried on flying the F3 Tornado and also the Spitfires and Hurricanes of The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Cliff retired from the RAF in 2003 and has continued his long flying career at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, flying such aircraft as the Spitfire, P-51 Mustang and the Messerschmitt Bf 109. As well as classic jets such as the T33, Sabre and the Hunter.