I've only just noticed. First Light is on. 10:30 BBC2

Guess you all know this, cos the Spitfire program end made mention of it.

Or of course, you've already seen it while I was in Texas. Texas is where my copy of the book is. A book I've read twice.

Oh . . . that was disappointing. :(

Well, the book, as I'm sure many of you know, was superb. Very hard to make a low budget film on such a subject.

I've only just noticed. First Light is on. 10:30 BBC2


For the third time.

I remember a series in the 80? called 'A Piece of Cake'?about a Spitfire Squadron during the Battle of Britain,it was a cut above,I recall it being a tad controversial,as it portrayed the Pilots as sometimes less than the normal steely eyed warriors.
I dont recall it ever being repeated but I suppose it must have been,must be acres of shelf space with progs worth repeating that never seen to get a outing.
:)

Piece of Cake (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piece_of_Cake_%28TV_series%29)

The programme which (again) got my full attention was Spitfire Women.

Some amazing flying there, with no maps or radio, and hopping from Tiger Moth to Spitfire and then Lancaster, all on the same day!

All technical information for each of the many types contained in a small flip-page pocket notebook.

'Piece of Cake' was made in 1988.

The famous bridge scene - flown at about 200 kts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/PieceofCakePE.jpg
Ray Hanna flying under Winston Bridge, Co. Durham

Spitfire under Bridge

The two camera ships were a B25 and the Harvard that Mark Hanna and I shared at the time. I remember desperately trying to arrange time off to fly the Harvard but couldn't. Frustrating! :{
The aft section of the rear canopy was removed and a camera mounted behind the rear cockpit. The cameraman faced backwards in the original seat, strapped in with a specially made safety harness. The Harvard was perfect for tail-chase shots of attacking aircraft. From that angle, the tail looked sufficiently like the tail of a Spitfire to be used as the sixth 'Spitfire'. (There were only five.)

___________

I agree 'Spitfire Women' was excellent - fascinating from beginning to end.
The women of the ATA did a wonderful job.

The programme is available on BBC iPlayer at the moment: BBC iPlayer - Spitfire Women (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tw1m1/Spitfire_Women/)

The only comment in the entire programme that jarred was when the young historian, describing Diana Barnato-Walker as posh, added "posh as in Becks". :rolleyes:
The only thing posh about Mrs Beckham is her former stage-name and the only thing she has in common with DB-W (or any other member of the ATA) is being female.

Ah, the late,great,Ray Hanna. "Mr Spitfire". Eh, what is posh about the Beckhams ? One is skinny and living on her husbands name, the other was once good at kicking a football. :yuk:

what is posh about the Beckhams ?
Absolutely nothing.
Nouveau riche at it's odious worst.

('Posh Spice' was her stage name when she was a member of the Spice Girls band.)

They remind me of Lord and Lady Docker who held sway with the media in my sproghood,they were a pair of total arses as well.
:rolleyes:

Initial reaction on watching First Light was that it was a remake of "Hi Di Hi"
Same lantern jaw. Switched to something else after about five minutes.
The progs abut the Spitfire Women and the Castle Brom. Factory were much better. IMHO

Prog. about the bombing of Amiens Jail in 1944 about to start shortly.

I was always amused by Lord & Lady Docker.

Never amused by the Beckhams though.

The Amiens jail thing was on last week, or the week before?

Initial reaction on watching First Light was that it was a remake of "Hi Di Hi"
Same lantern jaw. Switched to something else after about five minutes.



Shame about that Lon, although I know what you mean. It was worth watching for Geoff Wellum's own commentary, interspersed at various intervals throughout the film.

The outtakes from the Battle of Britain film were pretty good too!

I liked "First Light."
I know a couple of chaps who have met Mr. Wellum recently.
They both felt humbled/honoured to even have the opportunity of doing so. Apparently, he is an ultimate gentleman.
The buggers, if they'd told me beforehand, I'd have given them my copy of GW's book for a signature too!