I think you'll find it was William Wyler, not Howard Hawkes, who directed the original documentary Memphis Belle, the ground sequences of which were shot at Bassingbourn. His daughter, whose name I forget, made the 1980s re-make, with Harry Connick in the lead.
Attn Buster 11
Not quite correct sir.
Air to airs were shot at Duxford after which we decamped to Binbrook for the ground sequences.
William Wyler's daughter was Catherine.
Matthew Modine had the lead part.
Great bunch of crew on the film set who gave it their all. Just a shame that the story line was a bit weak and watery in parts and that they used those horrendous models representing serried ranks of B17s in the sky. I honestly believe some of the best stuff ended up on the cutting room floor.
Being at the coal face it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by acres of B17s with 109s half rolling towards you. The way the cheek guns started hammering blanks was still, nevertheless, enough to make your hair stand on end. To people my age the war was fought in black and white. For a few seconds I started to understand.......
I could go on but would be rightly accused of being a sad old git!
AW