The Shepherd

[okikuma]

From the original short story written by Frederick Forsyth.

On Christmas Eve, a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home across the North Sea finds himself in peril when his radio and electric power cut 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.

The Shepherd Official Trailer (2023) John Travolta Movie HD

 

[XXavier]

Forsyth's story can be heard here: https://archive.org/details/frederick-forsyth-the-shepherd

 

[okikuma]

Forsyth's story can be heard here: https://archive.org/details/frederick-forsyth-the-shepherd

Xavier,

It was around Christmas 1975 when my Dad gave me a copy of The Shepherd to read. Frederick Forsyth's literary description of the young RAF pilot formed indelible images within my mind. I was quite familiar with the de Havilland Vampire. The same year, there were two flying examples in private ownership at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY). I would see the Vampires fly over my house often since I lived right under the downwind patterns of runway 16R / 34L. At the airport, I was invited by the owner to sit in the cockpit of one of the Vampires. The familiarity of the aircraft added to the images in my mind when I read the story, because "I was inside the cockpit" as the events unfolded.

Until about eleven years ago, I never knew of or heard of the CBC recording of The Shepard as narrated by Alan Maywood. Upon listening to that recording for the first time, the dramatic narration rekindled and solidified the original images my mind created so many years previously.

Certainly, I shall watch this new The Shepherd video by Disney when it is released on 1 December 2023.

Wayne

 

[okikuma]

When the first Vampire showed up at Van Nuys Airport, my Dad told me a story that during the war at one funeral service of his fellow squadron mates at the USAAF Bassingbourn Air Base, a de Havilland Vampire came across at low level, "buzzing" the airfield. The first time he saw a jet fly.

Wayne

Well known New Zealand warbird pilot Brett Emeny speaks to HAFU about his feelings of being able to fly a formation in his de Havilland Vampire jet alongside the recently restored WW2-era de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber.

A pilot's-eye view from the cockpit of the classic British jet fighter. In the full length version of this video programme, Brett Emeny, an experienced formation aerobatics pilot, takes the viewer on a walk around of his aircraft, followed by a cockpit tour. Multiple cameras provide coverage from in the cockpit, air-to-air, and from the ground as Emeny takes flight in his ZK-RVM, firstly in formation with another vampire, and then solo.

 

[WaspAir]

You don't see many jets with plywood cockpits these days.

 

[okikuma]

You don't see many jets with plywood cockpits these days.

And with Bondo too.

Wayne

 

[sparxfly]

When the first Vampire showed up at Van Nuys Airport, my Dad told me a story that during the war at one funeral service of his fellow squadron mates at the USAAF Bassingbourn Air Base, a de Havilland Vampire came across at low level, "buzzing" the airfield. The first time he saw a jet fly.

Wayne

Well known New Zealand warbird pilot Brett Emeny speaks to HAFU about his feelings of being able to fly a formation in his de Havilland Vampire jet alongside the recently restored WW2-era de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber.

A pilot's-eye view from the cockpit of the classic British jet fighter. In the full length version of this video programme, Brett Emeny, an experienced formation aerobatics pilot, takes the viewer on a walk around of his aircraft, followed by a cockpit tour. Multiple cameras provide coverage from in the cockpit, air-to-air, and from the ground as Emeny takes flight in his ZK-RVM, firstly in formation with another vampire, and then solo.

Sadly Brett Emeny passed away earliet this year. A very enthusiastic pilot with a nice collection of toys he was always happy to show and tell.
Some very interesting and hair-raising tales of checking out the Vampire in Switzerland.

 

[okikuma]

Hello Stuart,

The passing of Brett Emeny is very sad. As I understand, his passing was due to post-operative complications following heart surgery.

Back in 1990, I was in New Zealand and spent several weekends at Ardmore Airport visiting with members and looking over the aircraft of the New Zealand Warbirds Association.

Wayne

 

[okikuma]

From the original short story written by Frederick Forsyth.

On Christmas Eve, a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home across the North Sea finds himself in peril when his radio and electric power cut 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.

The Shepherd Official Trailer (2023) John Travolta Movie HD

Hello Everyone,

Last evening I watched the Disney release of The Shepherd. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. To be very simply blunt, the video presentation is a choppy "Cliff Note" of the original, detailed story.

The movie followed almost everything in the story chronologically but lacked the smooth transition from scene to scene as the story portrays in the reader's mind. There were some deviations from the original story. The young RAF aviator wanted to get home to be with a young lady. In the story, to be with his parents. The Shepherd (John Travolta) speaks to the RAF aviator by radio. In the story, The Shepherd communicates only using hand signals. In the story, after the young RAF aviator had landed, there's quite a bit of character interaction with plenty of dialog as the RAF aviator is trying to figure out who The Shepherd was. The movie had some interaction, but lacked the complete interaction to build up to the climax of the story.

Before anyone decides to watch the Disney presentation, take the time to read or re-read the story as written by Frederick Forsyth, then watch the video.

The Shepherd (A Christmas Tale)

The Shepherd (A Christmas Tale) www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_bLEqmBi0 Pour a Christmas pint mates, and settle in for one of the great aviation tales. Written by Frederick Forsyth and published in 1975, this novella tells of a 1950s RAF pilot trying to fly home to England for the holidays in a...

www.rotaryforum.com

Wayne

deHavilland Vampire cockpit. Note the lack of any simple backup / magnetic “whisky” compass.