This programme gave the impression of a half-hearted attempt by media students at something beyond their capabilities or imagination. The result was a dismal effort, produced by amateurs with a camera technique best described as clueless; so many shots lacked context that they seemed divorced from the subject altogether. Quite what we were supposed to make of the time dedicated to viewing runway lights at dusk, or the dark profile of a man viewing said runway lights at dusk, is anyone’s guess. Nor was I much interested in watching Sleaford Tech apprentices marching on a piece of red carpet. As for the choice of background music – something less appropriate to accompany scenes of mass destruction than the Lark ascending would be almost impossible to find. The random insertions of the speaking clock were novel, though. Meaningless, but novel.
Then there was the storyline - hopelessly unbalanced and giving no indication of the breadth and scope of RAF operations and personnel, past or present. And while it probably seemed like a good idea at the time to use John Peters, his poor delivery detracted from the story. If someone doesn’t know what to say, or can’t express themselves properly, what's the point? There are plenty that can.
For a one and a half hour prime-time piece from the BBC, this programme lacked just about everything; direction, content, balance and perspective. It was a wasted opportunity that in the hands of a team with some nous and imagination, could have been full of interest and insight. Instead, we got a very dull presentation of only part of the story.