Squadron Leader Paul ‘Ernie’ Wise is now working full time with the BBMF, prior to taking command of the Flight from Squadron Leader Mark ‘Suggs’ Sugden in October. Until recently, his flying with the BBMF was exclusively in the Flight’s large aircraft, the C-47 Dakota and the Lancaster, but now he is also flying the BBMF’s smallest aircraft, the Chipmunk, which of course shares the tailwheel ground handling vices of the Flight’s larger aircraft. Whilst Ernie has considerable experience of light piston-engine aircraft as an instructor on the Grob Tutor from some years ago, his experience of the Chipmunk was previously limited to air experience flights as an air cadet.
On his second flight in a BBMF Chipmunk on 23rd July, Ernie’s instructor was former OC BBMF, Squadron Leader Mark ‘Disco’ Discombe MBE AFC, who previously served with the Flight from 2015 to 2021. More recently, whilst working with the Display HQ at RAF Waddington, Disco has been the BBMF Standards and Evaluation (STANEVAL) instructor on the Chipmunk. The flight in Chipmunk WG486 on 23rd July, providing instruction to Ernie, was Disco’s final flight as captain before he retires from the RAF.
Disco is to become the new Chief Pilot (Heritage) for Rolls-Royce based out of East Midlands Airport, charged with looking after, flying and displaying Spitfire PR Mk.XIX PS853 and the Harvard IIB. He will continue as their Chief Instructor, something he has done as a volunteer for the last three years, and will also take on the role of Head of Safety and Compliance for all of Rolls-Royce’s Flight Operations. Disco tells us: “The first RAF powered aircraft I flew, like many others, was the Chipmunk whilst in the Air Training Corps and after over 35 years’ service it was the last aircraft I captained as an RAF pilot.” When Disco formally retires from the RAF on 12th November 2025, it will be 36 years to the day from when he arrived in 1989 to start Initial Officer Training. He says, “For 36 years I have lived out my boyhood dreams and have loved (nearly!) every minute of it.”
