A man destined to achieve great things as a member of the Royal Air Force, Yorkshireman John ‘Dusty’ Miller trained as a military pilot in America under the UK-US ‘Arnold’ Scheme, showing himself to be so proficient that he was retained as a flight instructor. He eventually joined an operational RAF squadron flying Beaufighters in an anti-shipping strike role, but advanced his career significantly during the early years of jet aviation. 

Given command of No.41 Squadron at Biggin Hill, flying the Meteor jet from Summer 1951, his personal aircraft was one of the most colourful of that era, defending Britain’s airspace in style. Miller was one of the first RAF pilots forced to eject from his Meteor, when a turbine blade failure caused an in-flight fire above Essex in April 1952. But, once back flying, he continued his rise through the ranks. 

With his potential for senior rank, Miller was forced to turn his back on ten years of flying jet fighters to take command of a Vickers Valiant nuclear bomber squadron, as his seniors wanted to take him away from what he was expert in, to broaden his service experience. 

During his time with the V-Bomber force, he was the officer responsible for introducing the Blue Steel air-launched nuclear stand-off missile into RAF service. When he left the RAF in 1969, he had achieved the rank of Air Commodore.