article_title name birth_date occupation
ian mackintosh
 ian mackintosh 26 july 1940 author
ian mackintosh

ian mackintosh , mbe , -lrb- born 26 july 1940 ; disappeared and presumed dead july 1979 -rrb- was a scottish naval officer , a writer of thriller novels , and a screenwriter for british television .
his first novel , `` a slaying in september '' , was published in 1967 .
he wrote four other original novels between 1967 and 1970 ; his later books were either based on his television series , or were novelizations of televised episodes of his television series .
whilst serving as a royal navy officer , he co-created the popular and acclaimed bbc television drama series `` warship '' -lrb- 1973 -- 1977 -rrb- and wrote several of its episodes .
it was set on board the fictional hms `` hero '' -lrb- f42 -rrb- , which was portrayed by the real leander class frigate hms `` phoebe '' .
employed at yorkshire television after `` warship '' , he created and wrote most of the episodes of `` wilde alliance '' , `` thundercloud '' , and `` the sandbaggers '' .
in july 1979 , mackintosh was flying with two others -lrb- his friend graham barber , who was the pilot ; and mackintosh 's girlfriend , susan insole -rrb- over the gulf of alaska in a light aircraft .
the plane sent out a distress signal , which was picked up by the united states coast guard .
the plane 's last-known position was searched , but no wreckage of the plane was ever found , and its passengers have not been heard from since .
