Tommy Little has revealed his tragic connection to the plane crash disaster in a heartbreaking letter penned to his mentor and ‘sidekick in the sky’.
The comedian shared a moving tribute to pilot Stephen Gale who died when a former military jet crashed into Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay on Sunday.
Mr Gale, 56, and Masterchef cameramen James Rose, 30, went down in one of two Viper S-211 Marchetti planes during a formation flight for a Jetworks Aviation promotional video about 12km west of Mount Martha.
It’s understood the jets collided at about 1.45pm with police confirming on Wednesday that bodies had been found in the wreckage.
In his tribute, the comedian remembered Mr Gale, a former Royal Australian Air Force member, as one of his closest mates, a mentor and sidekick in the sky.
‘To put it bluntly Stephen Gale is the most intelligent man I’ve ever met in my life and our relationship was the perfect example of when opposites attract,’ Little wrote.
‘An inventor, an adventurer and a heart of gold. He was a real life Tony Stark but with a flying suit instead of an iron one. His love for aviation was unparalleled.’
Tommy Little (right) posted a moving tribute to pilot Stephen Gale (left) after he was killed when a former military jet crashed into Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay on Sunday
Pilot Stephen Gale, 56, and Mr Rose were reported missing after the ex-fighter jets collided about 12km west of Mount Martha, in Melbourne’s southeast on Sunday
Mr Gale, a highly experienced flyer, owned Jetworks Aviation, an Essendon Fields-based business created for the yet-to-air TV documentary Any Fool Can Fly.
Little was among student pilots to be featured in the series about a group of high achievers attempting to master flying, aerobatics and formation.
Little, who presents a radio show with Carrie Bickmore and was previously a co-host of Network 10’s The Project, recalled Mr Gale’s love of his wife Tori and son Tommy.
‘Both you and your beautiful little man were the best things that ever happened to him,’ he wrote.
‘To Little Tommy, losing your dad before your first birthday is something that shouldn’t happen to any baby but I promise to be the best godfather ever and constantly remind you of the tour de force that was your dad.
‘Plus, your mum happens to (be) Wonder Woman so you’ll be more than fine. We got you.’
Victoria Police confirmed human remains were discovered inside the ex-fighter jet on Monday night (pictured, search efforts earlier this week)
Little, who also expressed his condolences to Mr Rose’s family, said he spoke with Mr Gale almost every day and he would always take him flying if he ever needed cheering up.
‘But now the person that could make this problem melt away even just for a second is the one person that isn’t here to do it with me,’ he wrote.
‘I love ya Cap. I’ll see you in the sky.’
Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the mid-air crash.
