12 Facts About Tim Thorn

Tim Thorn entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell as a flight cadet in September 1961.

Tim Thorn graduated with his pilot wings in 1964 and on completion of the Advanced Flying Training he was selected to become a flying instructor straight out of training.

Tim Thorn represented the RAF at Rugby and played for Blackheath Rugby Club.

In May 1966, Tim Thorn ejected from his aircraft following a mid-air collision with 4 other aircraft in which two aircraft crashed onto the outskirts of Nottingham.

Tim Thorn represented Great Britain in the bobsleigh at the 1968 Winter Olympics, Grenoble, France.

Tim Thorn was the first and only jaguar pilot to achieve one hundred percent air-to-ground strafe scores on no less than seven occasions, four of which both Aden guns of 60 rounds each fired simultaneously achieved 120 hits on Nordhorn range, West Germany and the other 3 with a single Aden gun firing 60 rounds achieving 60 hits on each sortie.

Tim Thorn was awarded the Air Force Cross in December 1982.

Tim Thorn was posted to the Operations Directorate in the Ministry of Defence with responsibility for future RAF air to ground weapons which included the development of a new nuclear weapon.

Tim Thorn next held an appointment at the Training Command HQ before attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in London during the year 1990.

Tim Thorn held this post until March 1993 when he became the first air commodore to be appointed the Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment whilst holding the post of Director of Fire Services, and Head of the RAF Strike Command Provost Branch.

Tim Thorn is renowned for his '9 lives' after surviving 10 major airborne emergencies:.

Tim Thorn was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant in 2003.