Fighter Pilot: The Real Top Gun

This three-part documentary series follows a trio of fighter pilot recruits as they attempt to become the best of the best – to be selected to fly the RAF’s brand new F35 Lightning jet. With exclusive access to the Royal Air Force’s brand new £100 million F35 fighter Programme and to the Ministry of Defense’s fast jet recruitment process, this series goes inside the cockpit to bring viewers a vivid insight into the challenges faced by the men and women who aim to become the UK military’s top guns.

Episode Highlights:

Episode 1 – Monday, 18 May 2026

Andy and Sedge must sit their fast jet driving test at the fighter pilot base at RAF Valley in Anglesey. Until now both have only flown propeller planes. For Andy, a combination of training and a secondment to the States has meant this has been a long time coming. The school trains pilots for the RAF and the Royal Navy. Danielle, known as Danners, whose husband flies for a low-cost airline, is retraining to be a fighter pilot having previously flown Navy helicopters. Britain only has eight frontline female fighter pilots and Danners is the schools only female student. Yet she is further on in her training than the others and is sent out on a sortie to learn how to handle the jet at dangerous low heights and make it to a target on time.

Episode 2 – Tuesday, 19 May 2026

In the second episode, the fighter pilot students at Britain’s very own academy for Top Guns turn their attention to dogfighting. Learning air combat is a key skill if they want to reach their goal of flying solo, and eventually the brand new F35 Lightning. While Andy has aced his flights and passed every one so far, Sedge has previously failed one and knows he must keep up his standards to progress. Meanwhile, fighter pilot trainee Danners has made safety mistakes and failed the same sortie twice, putting her place on the course in jeopardy. In South Carolina, 617 Squadron commander Butch is learning to fly the F35 and has reached the next stage in his training – refueling.

Episode 3 – Wednesday, 20 May 2026

In the series finale, three students at Britain’s very own Top Gun academy find out which of them, if any, can pass their concluding aerial combat and mission tests and ultimately be selected to fly the new F35 Lightning fighter jet. The school’s only female student, Danners, has an injury which could threaten her participation in the course, after injuring her back playing squash. In Sedge’s final test, he is paired up as lead pilot alongside fellow student Kieran. But when Kieran wrongly identifies a friendly aircraft as hostile, he potentially puts the mission – and both their careers – at risk.

Catch Fighter Pilot: The Real Top Gun S1, on S3 and SABC Plus.

Connect with S3 (formerly SABC 3) on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube