Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Peter Howard Langston b: 27 Feb 1924 r: 29 Mar 1977 d: 24 Feb 1972
AFC – 1 Jan 1953, QCVSA - 1 Jan 1957, US Air Medal - xx xxx xxxx.
Plt Off: 21 Jan 1945, Fg Off (WS): 21 Jul 1945, Flt Lt: 21 Jul 1948, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1955, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1961, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1966, Act A/Cdre: 30 Sep 1972?, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1973.
xx xxx xxxx: U/T Pilot, Florida
xx xxx 1945: Pilot, No ? Sqn (Mosquito)
xx xxx 1948: Attended, Central Flying School
xx xxx xxxx: QFI, ?
xx xxx 1950: Exchange posting, 82nd Fighter Interception Squadron USAF
xx May 1951: Exchange posting, 182nd Fighter Bomber Squadron, USAF (F-84 Thunderjets - Korea)
xx xxx xxxx: Pilot, All Weather Sqn, Central Fighter Establishment
xx xxx 1952: RAF Liaison Officer, Gloster Aircraft Co Ltd
xx xxx xxxx: Attended RAF Staff College
6 Aug 1956: Air Staff, HQ No 2 Group.
xx xxx xxxx: Personal Staff Officer to the Minister of State for Air
5 Nov 1962: Officer Commanding, No 31 Sqn. (Canberra PR7)
28 Feb 1966: Directing Staff, RAF Staff College, Bracknell
xx xxx xxxx: Attended, NATO Defence College, Rome
xx xxx xxxx: Directing Staff, NATO Defence College, Rome
26 Sep 1969: SASO, RAF Central Reconnaissance Establishment.
30 Sep 1972: Air Attache, Paris.
18 Aug 1975: Director of Operations - Air Defence and Overseas.
28 Dec 1977: Director of RAF Sport and Inspector of Recreational Grounds. (Ret'd)
Educated at Harrow, he completed his pilot training in Florida before returning to the UK where he joined a Mosquito squadron. Three years later he became a Qualified Flying Instructor and converted to Meteors.
In 1950 he was given an exchange posting with the USAF and flew F-84 Thunderjets with the 82nd Fighter Interception Squadron. On 8 January 8 1951, whilst flying to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, his aircraft suffered an engine fire. When he tried to eject, the he canopy failed to jettison, but he managed to open the canopy manually, turn the aircraft inverted and fall clear. His parachute had only just opened when he landed in the swamp region of Redchute Bayou, knowing this to be infested with alligators, he climbed a tree and remained there for two hours before being rescued.
Retired at his own request
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