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Sailor (TV series)

Sailor
17 HMS Ark Royal North Atlantic July 76.jpg
HMS Ark Royal in 1976.
Genre Documentary
Directed by John Purdie
Opening theme Sailing by Rod Stewart
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 10
Production
Executive producer(s) Roger Mills
Producer(s) John Purdie
Location(s) HMS Ark Royal in North Atlantic
Cinematography Patrick Turley
Camera setup Peter Gordon
Running time 326 mins. total
Production company(s) BBC
Release
Original network BBC One
Picture format 1.33:1 (PAL)
Audio format Mono
First shown in 1976
Original release 26 August – 7 October 1976

Sailor was a major BBC television documentary series, first shown in the mid-1970s, about life on board the fourth HMS Ark Royal, a British aircraft carrier. It followed the ship on a five and a half month deployment to North America in 1976.

The series was filmed after the completion of a major refit and coincided with the twenty-first anniversary of her commissioning. It is particularly noteworthy for its depiction of fixed-wing aircraft operation in the Royal Navy before its demise in 1978, with the paying off and scrapping of Ark Royal. It shows the Phantom, Buccaneer, Gannet, Sea King and Wessex air group from 809 Naval Air Squadron, 824 Naval Air Squadron, 849 Naval Air Squadron and 892 Naval Air Squadron.

Ship's Company return home for Run's Ashore and bang off's

Captain Wilfred Graham, who later became Flag Officer Portsmouth (FOP) (now obsolete), is the Ark Royal's commanding officer during its deployment. Commander David Cowling, who features heavily in the series, was the executive commander. Other members of the ship's crew to feature quite prominently were a Leading Hand named LA Powell (who was shown getting into trouble for not displaying the required level of responsibility), the Fleet Master-at-Arms and the Ship's Padre.


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