Soon to host all of the Flashback magazines of this fine organisation
Flashback – the magazine of the RAF Photographers Association
Saved from rafpa.org.uk/flashback.htm on 7 October 2026, before the RAFPA website closed. Text as it appeared on that page (last updated there on 10 October 2025)
Flashback – a quarterly magazine available to members
Edition 1
Edition 1 of the RAFBEPA’s as yet un-named newsletter appeared during the winter of 2000, after a meeting the previous September at the Cosford Aerospace Museum to re-form the Association after a break of several years. The editor was Stu Usher, and the initial journal he produced was a modest eight pages.
By edition 2, in the spring of 2001, the newsletter had a title – Flashback, suggested by Dave Newham – and had grown to 18 pages. Early editions of the magazine were funded by John Barry and produced on his office photocopier. Stu Usher would produce 17 editions of Flashback, his last offering being for Christmas 2004: 20 pages with colour photographs and images.
[Covers: Edition 10 · Edition 17]
Chris Pettman, editions 18–56
Chris Pettman produced his first edition, number 18, in the spring of 2005, now with considerably more colour content and printed at home on an ink-jet printer. Later a deal was done to have Flashback printed commercially by City IT Service, but regrettably their business failed and edition 31 was their last. From edition 24 Chris negotiated a move to another printer, Telford Repro, with the benefit of heavier-weight paper and a mix of full-colour and black-and-white pages.
[Covers: Edition 18 · Edition 27]
Edition 32 would be the last time the words “The Journal of the Royal Air Force Boy Entrant Photographers Association” graced the front cover, as the Association – and Chris Pettman – changed gear, and we all became members of the RAF Photographers Association with edition 33 at Christmas 2008. The quality and content improved with age: the magazine grew to 36 pages, and with technical developments at the printers, plus “square-edge” binding, the presentation looked much more professional.
[Covers: Edition 51 · Edition 56]
During the latter part of 2014 Chris Pettman asked whether there was a volunteer among the membership who would like to take over as editor. Much to his surprise there was, and after 10 years and an amazing 38 editions, edition 56 in the autumn of 2014 was his last offering.
John Lewis, editions 57–71
[Covers: Edition 57 · Edition 64]
Edition 57 was the first of the 15 editions John Lewis would produce over four years. Straight away he interfered with the established format by rebranding Flashback a “magazine”, and doing a deal with Telford Repro that allowed full colour on all pages. John’s tenure was somewhat short-lived: running out of inspiration, he announced his departure, and again the search was on for a new editor.
[Covers: Edition 71 · Edition 72]
Phil Ward, from edition 72
In the autumn of 2018 Phil Ward stepped up to the mark, and his first edition, number 72, of Flashback would be ………… different!
– John Lewis
To be continued……