Laughter-Silvered Wings



John Pascoe-Watson

ISBN 978-1-907235-01-0

276 pages

Black & White illustrations
Paperback





John Pascoe-Watson’s autobiography ‘On Laughter-Silvered Wings’ begins with his first taste of aviation in a ‘five bob flip’ in a de Havilland Rapide biplane piloted by none other than (Sir) Alan Cobham. Inspired by John Gillespie Mage Jnr’s famous poem, it describes his early years as an Air Cadet before joining the RAF via Cambridge University Air Squadron in 1945. It gives an excellent account of fast jet flying training at the time, which might be compared to the role of today’s 208 Squadron. However, undoubtedly, the greatest appeal of this marvellous book will be Chapter IV, which gives a full account of John’s service on 208 (FR) Squadron in the Middle East between 1948 and 1950. It is a riveting read, which includes the infamous attack by the Israelis on 7 January 1949, and the reader is left to marvel at John’s exploits, which are replete with derring-do and personal flair. As the book’s own introduction laments: ‘Sadly, many of the episodes described in this exciting book would be court-martial offences in the modern RAF’.


After 208 Squadron, John served at the Central Gunnery School and 226 OCU before he joined Ferranti in 1955 as a test pilot. The book covers these periods in entertaining detail as he worked on the development of air-intercept and terrain following radar, flying some 26 types varying between Dakotas and Buccaneers. It is a highly-recommended and absorbing read. An excerpt of Chapter 4 of the book is included in the Spitfire / Hurricane / Lysander section of this Website in the Articles section of the Anecdotal Histories.

Click on the photo of the book cover above to read a PDF copy of Chapter IV of John’s book about his service on 208 Squadron (this will open in a new window).

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First printing 2009

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Bibliography 208 Squadron Excerpt from John Pascoe-Watson's Autobiography - On Laughter-Silvered Wings.pdf