Air Vice-marshal Les Phipps
Fighter pilot who served in conflicts in Oman and Borneo and never passed up an opportunity to fly
AIR VICE-MARSHAL LES PHIPPS, who has died aged 88, had a wide variety of appointments as a Cold War fighter pilot and during his service overseas saw action in Oman and during the Indonesian Confrontation; he went on to work in the export aircraft industry.
The son of an iron foundry worker and an Oxford college cook, Leslie William Phipps was born in Oxford on April 17 1930. He left St James School when he was 14 and found a job with Oxford City Council. Joining the Air Training Corps, he gained his gliding certificate, and on being called up for National Service in 1948 was selected for training as a pilot.
In June 1951 he joined his first jet fighter squadron and flew the Meteor with 19 Squadron before being trained as a pilot attack instructor, also performing as a solo aerobatic display pilot. In 1956 he served in command of the RAF detachment at Aqaba in Jordan during the Suez crisis.
He remained in the Middle East for three years, first flying Meteors in the fighter reconnaissance role with 208 Squadron based in Malta before joining 8 Squadron at Khormaksar in Aden where he flew Venoms in the fighter ground attack role.
During a deployment to Sharjah in the Persian Gulf he saw action during the Battle of Jebel Akhdar when the mountainous strongholds of the rebels supporting an uprising were attacked with bombs and rockets.
Phipps’s return to Britain saw him converting to the Hunter before taking command of 19 Squadron, his leadership and efficiency being recognised by the award of the AFC. His above average assessment as a fighter pilot saw him posted to the Central Fighter Establishment where he developed tactics and trials with
the Air Fighting Development Unit and the Day Fighter Combat School.
After attending the Royal Naval Staff College at Greenwich, Phipps widened his joint services experience when he became wing commander operations at HQ 1 (British) Corps based in Germany. He did not allow this ground appointment to prevent him keeping up his flying practice, however, and whenever possible he flew Hunter fighter reconnaissance sorties with the squadrons based at nearby Gutersloh.
In 1966 he headed for the Far East to command the RAF airfield at Labuan in Borneo during the final phases of the Confrontation with Indonesia. A wide variety of aircraft and helicopters were detached to the base and he took every opportunity to fly them.
His return to the Britain saw him appointed to command 29 Squadron flying the supersonic high-altitude interceptor, the Lightning, from Wattisham in Suffolk. He formed the Lightning Display Team to impress potential buyers with the aircraft’s spectacular rate of climb and performance at high level.
In 1970 he was promoted to group captain and served on the senior staff at the RAF Staff College at Bracknell, an appointment which gave him the opportunity on most weekends to fly air cadets in Chipmunk aircraft at nearby White Waltham.
By early 1973 Phipps had gained wide experience as a fighter pilot and operational service in the Middle East. His appointment as Commander of the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force (SOAF) saw him in action again. His aircraft and helicopters supported ground forces and the attack squadrons of Hunters, and Strikemasters were often scrambled to support them.
One of his British officers, and a veteran of SOAF operations, wrote: “The SOAF Commander, Group Captain Les Phipps frequently visited the squadron from his office in the north. He flew operational sorties in the Strikemaster and would put himself on standby during his visits.”
After attending the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in 1975 he spent a year in Saudi Arabia in command of the British MOD team supporting the introduction of the Lightning into service with the Royal Saudi Air Force. After two years in the MOD as Director of Air Defence and Overseas Operations, he was promoted in March 1980 to be the Director General of Personnel Management, focusing on the recruitment, training and retention of front-line aircrew. He encouraged his staff to conduct effective talent spotting and career development of young servicemen and women. He was appointed CB in 1983.
After two years as the RAF Director at the RCDS, he left the RAF to join British Aerospace, first as Deputy Director of the Saudi Project, supplying Tornado and Hawk aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force, then as Head of Training Systems, providing training programmes and support to countries acquiring British military aircraft.
He retired for a second time in 1991 and invested his vast experience and talents in work for charities including the Prince’s Youth Business Trust; Camberley Association for the Disabled; Berkshire Association of Young People’s Clubs and Slough YMCA Job Club. He served as president of 459 (Windsor) Squadron Air Training Corps and was an Associate of St George’s House, College of St George, Windsor Castle.
Phipps was also an RYA Yachtmaster and taught sailing and navigation. He owned several boats until his seventies when he gave up single-handed sailing and acquired a “gin palace”, or “stink boat” as he called it. Most years he sailed for two weeks from the Solent to the River Deben, where he entertained on board, and in some style, his many friends in the area.
A religious man with a small ‘r’, he found peace as a communicant and Friend of St George’s Chapel, Windsor. His instruction to family and friends concerning his memorial service was: “Have a good wake and move on.”
Les Phipps was unmarried.
Air Vice-marshal Les Phipps, born April 17 1930, died March 3 2019