A Royal Navy sailor from Cornwall has followed his dream to fly with the submarine-hunting helicopter squadron known as The Flying Tigers.

Petty Officer Nathan Allen used to watch the helicopters from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose flying over his hometown of Helston.

He decided that he wanted to fly and embarked on a career in the Royal Navy, spending three years to train as an aircrewman, working in the back of Merlin Mk2 aircraft.

"My family were in the military," he said. "I was working in bars in town and I talked to people in the navy. I used to see the helicopters fly over and decided I wanted to do that.

"I was 25 when I joined up. I had to re-educate myself and retake my maths. It was hard but I knew this was what I wanted."

The 28-year-old was handed his 'wings', the badge that shows he is now qualified to fly on frontline squadrons, at a special ceremony at RNAS Culdrose.

For the last year, Petty Officer Allen has been based at Culdrose's 824 Naval Air Squadron learning how to fly and fight as a team of four aircrew.

Armed with dipping sonar, sonobuoys, powerful radar and torpedoes, the Merlin Mk2 makes a formidable fighting unit, designed for anti-submarine warfare. The aircrewman is in charge of the sonar and assists the observer in the rear of the aircraft to identify and track submarines.

PO Allen added:

"The first time it felt truly real for me was when we flew out to Falmouth Bay and I am looking over at Gyllyngvase Beach and see people looking up at you. You just think: 'how has this happened? My dad lives over there' – that's when it's good fun.

"It's not so much fun when you're in the back of the aircraft at night with a gale and heavy sea. To be honest, you'd never find a job anywhere else like this.

"You realise you are part of an elite club. It's amazing to fly over where you live and where you grew up as a kid. It's just the best fun you can have."

He was one of eight aircrews who completed their training at RNAS Culdrose and a small, socially-distanced parade was held in one of the aircraft hangars.

Commander James Taylor, the commanding officer of 824 Naval Air Squadron, said:

"I'd like to congratulate all of our students on successfully completing their training and receiving their wings. This is the biggest milestone in their careers; the day that you are awarded your wings is a day that every naval aviator will always remember.

"For our graduates, this is the culmination of three to five years in training. That's an impressive period of sustained effort for them but it also required a lot of support from friends and families along the way so I'd like to take the opportunity to thank them.

"Our graduates now join the Royal Navy's finest frontline naval air squadrons at a really exciting time. I know they are all desperate to get embarked and do their jobs at sea. They will absolutely love it and wish them every success."

Click here to see more from RNAS Culdrose.

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