In this enjoyable memoir, John ‘Mac’ McGregor recalls his experiences after leaving home as a teenager to join the Royal Air Force in 1967. He was to spend the next five years based at RAF Thorney Island near Portsmouth on the South Coast of England, occasionally flying on ‘detachments’ to overseas destinations in the Hercules aircraft he helped to maintain.

The book’s unusual title derives from John’s rank of Senior Aircraftman or SAC and his trade as an aircraft radio mechanic, which branded him a ‘fairy’ in RAF parlance as opposed to those in more robust trades who were known as ‘heavies’.

Mac had an unforgettable time in the RAF and in 38 comedic episodes he describes some of the colourful characters he worked alongside and relates his adventures at home and abroad both in and out of uniform – involving aircraft, cars, drinking and young ladies – in a candid manner which may surprise some readers!

He is a gifted storyteller whose vivid descriptions of service life and off-duty socialising in the ‘Swinging Sixties’ are sure to appeal to former Forces personnel and those who remember the era, although John’s tales full of youthful fun and laughter can readily be appreciated anyone who enjoys a well-told humorous story.