Flight Lieutenant Mike Cooke RAF (Retd)
Died 12th January 2007
Mike Cooke, from Old Catton, joined 74 (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Horsham St Faiths (now Norwich City Airport) in 1958 as a young first tour pilot flying the Hawker Hunter. In 1960 he moved with his Squadron – the Tigers – to nearby RAF Coltishall which had a longer 7,500’ runway to accommodate their new aircraft, the English Electric Lightning F1. The Lightning had a 60 degrees swept wing and was the first aircraft in the RAF that was able to easily sustain supersonic level flight.
Mike, who was the 74 Squadron IRE, was also soon a member of the 9 aircraft Tigers formation aerobatic team which represented the Royal Air Force at the Farnborough and Paris air shows in the early 1960s.
Hanging in to a diamond nine aircraft formation while it looped and rolled was no mean feat for the young pilots who averaged about 23 years age. Compared with the Hunter, the Lightning was very powerful, twice as heavy and had considerable inertia. The wing tips used as reference points to hold formation position were well aft of the normal field of view.
In 1963, 56(F) squadron took over duty as the RAF aerobatic team, again with Lightnings. With his earlier experience Mike was assigned to this new team at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. During a practice show over his home airfield on 6 Jun 63 two Lightning’s collided at low level. One of the two aircraft managed to land safely, but the aircraft that Mike Cooke was flying was out of control and he ejected from the aircraft. His parachute opened shortly before he hit the ground but in the process he became tangled in some of the nylon lines and he broke his spinal cord. Despite a helicopter transfer to hospital and many months at Stoke Mandeville spinal injury rehabilitation unit Mike became a quadriplegic and never regained the use of his limbs.
Undaunted, he settled into civilian life as a young man in a wheelchair and went on to build his own company Wensum Agency Insurance Brokers. Despite total reliance on one finger touch typing and a lever operated telephone he created a leading east of England brokerage specialising in motor insurance – all this long before the benefits of the computer age we now enjoy today.
Mike married Patsy Cumming in 1960 and shortly after his accident their only child, Simon, was born. Despite his profound disability Mike embraced fatherhood with typical enthusiasm, ensuring that his son learnt essential life skills such as how to bowl a cricket ball and cook a Sunday roast. He inspired all of his family in many ways and never regretted his time in the RAF. Some years later Simon served as a Doctor in the Royal Marines and his nephew Charlie joined the RAF each in part taking inspiration from Mike. Charlie is currently on exchange with the USAF flying Stealth fighters.
For more than 40 years Mike & Patsy made a good and happy life out of the adversity which had so suddenly befallen them. They appeared at air shows and met old friends. Each ran successful business ventures, and on their retirement to Catton Hall, in the village of Old Catton next to RAF Horsham St Faiths, they established yet another new and successful business around them, this time in property. These tremendous successes were true landmarks because, though the RAF and the RAF Benevolent Fund initially provided much help, the excellent life style they later enjoyed was due entirely to their own determination and hard work.
The sad news is that after surviving daunting odds for so long, Mike Cooke died on 12 Jan 07 at the age of 70 after a short spell in hospital.
Mike Cooke is survived by his wife Patsy, his son Simon and their Family.
Further dedications are made:-
Martin Bee penned a moving obituary which was published in the Daily Telegraph and Eastern Daily Press.
“Mike joined 74 (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Horsham St Faith in 1958 as a young first tour pilot flying the Hawker Hunter. In 1960 he moved with the squadron to nearby Coltishall which had a longer 7,500 foot runway to accommodate their new English Electric Lightning F1s. Mike, who was the squadron IRE, was also soon a member of the nine aircraft Tigers aerobatic team which represented the Royal Air Force at the Farnborough and Paris air shows in the early 1960s. Hanging in to a diamond nine aircraft formation while it looped and rolled was no mean feat for the young pilots who averaged about 23 years of age.
“In 1963, 56(F) squadron took over duty as the RAF aerobatic team, again with Lightnings. With his earlier experience Mike was assigned to this new team at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. But during a practice show over his home airfield on 6th June 1963 two Lightnings collided at low level. One of the two aircraft managed to land safely but the aircraft that Mike Cooke was flying was out of control and he ejected from the aircraft. His parachute opened shortly before he hit the ground but in the process he became tangled in some of the nylon lines and he broke his spinal cord. Despite a helicopter transfer to hospital and many months at Stoke Mandeville spinal injury rehabilitation unit Mike became a quadriplegic and never regained the use of his limbs.”
Henry Ploszek was part of the formation when the accident happened.
“Mike had been flying in the No 3 position to Jerry Cohu, who was leading a Front Five Ship practice on a fan break from crowd front at Wattisham. On the break the brief was for Nos 4 and 5 to turn 60 degrees outwards followed by Nos 2 & 3 on a 30 degree split, followed by a rejoin at crowd rear. As Mike turned his port wing swept up under No 5’s (Mo Moore’s) belly, knocking Mo’s dummy Firestreak off, which landed in the married quarters, but in the process damaging Mike’s port aileron which led Mike to loose control as he pulled up, and so he ejected.
”I was flying in the practice in No 4 slot. On my reversal I saw a ground explosion followed by a pilot in his parachute. I continued my turn towards him and on flying past him noted that he was hanging lifeless in the chute and did not move even upon landing in a field. I managed to direct the rescue vehicles to the field, as they were primarily heading to the smoking crash site, as well as trying to return to the Station on receipt of a message that part of the aircraft had crashed in the Married Quarters. The medics finally arrived and ATC informed me that Mike was alive.
”He was taken to the Station Medical Centre, where his injuries were assessed, and then transferred by civilian ambulance, travelling at 5 mph under a Police escort, to Ipswich Hospital. On the way Claydon Level Crossing was kept open, closing down the London-Ipswich-Norwich main line for a period. He was later airlifted by the RAF helicopter to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.”
Continuing with Martin’s tribute:
“After a long stay at Stoke Mandeville Mike returned to Norwich. Undaunted, he settled into civilian life as a young man in a wheelchair and went on to build his own company, Wensum Agency Insurance Brokers. Despite total reliance on one finger touch typing and a lever operated telephone he created a leading East of England brokerage specialising in motor insurance – all this long before the benefits of the computer age we now enjoy today.
“Mike married Patsy Cumming in 1960 and shortly after his accident their only child, Simon, was born. Despite his profound disability Mike embraced fatherhood with typical enthusiasm, ensuring that his son learnt essential life skills such as how to bowl a cricket ball and cook a Sunday roast. He inspired all of his family in many ways and never regretted his time in the RAF. Some years later Simon served as a Doctor in the Royal Marines and his nephew Charlie joined the RAF, each in part taking inspiration from Mike. Charlie is currently on exchange with the USAF flying the F117. Simon now practices medicine in Norwich.
“For more than 40 years Mike & Patsy made a good and happy life out of the adversity which had so suddenly befallen them. They appeared at air shows and met old friends. Each ran successful business ventures and on their retirement to Catton Hall, in the village of Old Catton next to RAF Horsham St Faith, they established yet another new and successful business around them, this time in property. These tremendous successes were true landmarks because, though the RAF and the RAF Benevolent Fund initially provided much help, the excellent life style they later enjoyed was due entirely to their own determination and hard work.”
Mike’s funeral was held on January 25th at St Margaret1`s Church, Old Catton, Norwich. The service was an emotional and moving one. As is so often the case in these instances, all who attended probably learned so much more about Mike as an individual beyond their immediate experience of him. What came across the strongest was the incredible love of the family for Mike and he for them. We all knew of the courage and dedication shown by Patsy in dealing with the awful accident but of course that was borne out of her absolute devotion to him and the knowledge that he was as devoted to her.
Tiger David Jones` address summed up precisely what the RAF meant to Mike.
“I served with Mike as a pilot on No 74 Squadron. I’m deeply honoured that the family trust me to try to put Mike’s time in the Royal Air Force into perspective, and mindful of the fact that I will never be able to do justice to such a great man – a true giant amongst men. I first met Mike in August 1958 when I was posted to No 74 Squadron – which was then based at RAF Horsham St Faith, now of course Norwich Airport. Mike had been posted in several months before me and was already well established on the Squadron, but he immediately extended the hand of friendship and introduced me to all the other pilots, at the same time letting me know all their various idiosyncrasies. Which as a new boy is incredibly useful information.
“In those days virtually all of us were bachelors. We came from all corners of the UK and beyond. One of our number was from New Zealand. But Mike was unusual in that he had lived in Norwich for some years. His local knowledge was invaluable to us all as he knew the locations of all the best pubs and dance halls!
“Mike became a talented Hunter pilot and in 1959 became the top scoring pilot on the Squadron firing live ammunition against an airborne target. His skills were recognised and he was soon selected to become an Instrument Rating Examiner. And he personally checked me out on two occasions.
“74 Squadron moved to RAF Coltishall in 1960 and was re-equipped with the English Electric Lightning – the first Squadron to receive this wonderful new aircraft. The Lightning had double the performance of the Hunter. The Hunter could just go supersonic in a near vertical dive whilst the Lightning would happily go supersonic in a steep climb. Mike was one of the first pilots on the Squadron to go solo and in doing so became the first Flying Officer in the RAF to be truly supersonic and join the 1,000mph club. Going solo for the first time in a Lightning is an unforgettable experience. I remember Mike telling me that he just could not believe the power and performance of the aircraft. I, at that stage, still had this experience to look forward to.
“74 Squadron being the first Squadron to fly this aircraft, it was soon required to perform at the Paris Air Show and at Farnborough to show the world that England could still produce world class aircraft. Being part of a diamond nine aircraft formation while it looped and rolled was no mean feat for the young pilots. And one of these young pilots was, of course, Mike. Then in 1963 No 56 Squadron at RAF Wattisham took over the mantle of being the RAF Display Team. Mike was one of the pilots posted in to assist them with their new task and our paths diverged.
“I shall always remember his modesty and his fine sense of humour. He was wonderful company.”
The cemetery at Old Catton lies at the very end of the Norwich Airport runway and no better place could ever have been found for Mike to rest. The flypast by a 2 Squadron Tornado after the Last Post had been sounded was absolutely splendid. It was fast, it was low and it was over the heads of the funeral party. It was a beautiful afternoon weather-wise and tears sprang to many eyes when the pilot pulled the stick back and did a near vertical climb, afterburners glowing, just as Lightnings did.. It was exactly what Mike would have done for a colleague under similar circumstances – and I am absolutely sure he enjoyed the fact that a fellow airman had honoured him in such a fitting way.
Finally, I was with Mike last November, talking to him about his time with 74 as part of the research I am doing for a biography of Mike’s then CO, John Howe. He told me about his first flight in a Lightning and from my notes a précis of that part of our conversation reads as follows:
Each pilot approached his first sortie in different ways. Mike Cooke had flown his many times in his room, sitting in his chair with his eyes closed and imagining the flight from walking out to the aircraft to climbing down from the cockpit and debriefing. As for pre-flight checks he called into play the mnemonic TAFIO – Trim and Tailplane: Air Frame: Fuel and Flaps: Instruments: Oxygen. Only then was it was time to taxi out to the threshold. Mike’s had been planned as the fifth solo, but Jerry Cohu who had been detailed to go before him had developed a cold so Mike was called upon a day earlier than he expected. He walked out to the big, shiny, impressive beast and on his cockpit check found a problem with one of the instruments, so he walked back to the crew room to wait whilst the problem was fixed, which did absolutely nothing for his nerves! This was mercifully done quickly so he was soon on his way back to the aircraft, adrenalin flowing again. There was perhaps a hint of showmanship in his take off which went contrary to the briefing which had stipulated a climb straight ahead and then a turn away from the centreline initiated at a set height. Mike in fact started to turn as he climbed almost immediately his wheels had left the runway: perhaps it was a statement born of confidence as to how easy this aircraft was to fly?
Whilst he was aloft on this first sortie the wind direction at Coltishall changed which meant, for approach, changing runway ends. He came in on a visual, concentrating hard every inch of the way and made one of the best landings of his life. Mike had just become the first supersonic Royal Air Force Flying Officer.