Golden Wings and Navy Blue is the story of the author’s experiences as a Fleet Air Arm pilot during World War 2. There are very few books available written by such people, and because of this omission the book provides a fascinating insight into the life and times of a Fleet Air Arm pilot. John details his experiences flying fixed-wing aircraft and early helicopters, as well as his time spent as a trainee pilot and his service in various parts of the world abroad HMS Victorious. John’s squadron had the distinction of being the first British one to operate from an American carrier, in this case the USS Saratoga; he also had two months operating from RAF Manston over the English Channel. Later he spent time with the Service Trials Unit where he flew an assortment of different aircraft before joining the first helicopter course to take place in Britain. Throughout this fascinating story he emphasises his extraordinary luck by not only having interesting appointments, but also by managing to avoid injury or worse.