After serving in The Royal Corps of Signals for four years at the age of 18, Gordon attended university in Leeds and later went on to work on army aircrafts, first with Bristol Aeroplane Company and then to Blackburn’s Aircraft Company in Brough. It was during his time working with Blackburn’s Aircraft Company as a Section Leader that Gordon began working on the Blackburn Buccaneer Royal Navy Aircraft in 1953. Gordon said: ‘I felt good working on the Buccaneer.
Particularly a Naval Pilot who had flown Buccaneers in South Africa and had clocked up 2,000 hours of flying without any problem. We had a buffet lunch then we were shown a couple of films about the Buccaneer. After that we had the photo shoot outside with the Buccaneer.’ Shane Talbot, the Home Manager at Ebor Court, added: ‘Gordon talks so passionately about his time working on the Buccaneer, it was an honour to see him reunited with the aircraft he holds so many fond memories of.