Heading for the TV screens. A programme with which we assisted last year will finally see the light of day in the UK on Channel 4.
As the official press release explains: "Fighting the Red Baron follows two modern-day pilots as they face the same challenges the aviators of WW1 faced, in order to find out how aerial warfare changed so quickly in just four years. Andy Offer and Mark Cutmore are both Red Arrows pilots, the elite of the elite, hugely skilled pilots who served in RAF operations in Afghanistan and Yugoslavia respectively. In this film they fly original WW1 aircraft, and carry out the key challenges the plane took on in the course of WW1: photo reconnaissance, artillery ranging and bombing missions, all leading to a final classic dogfight in replica period aircraft kitted out with camera guns.
"Today in their extreme WW1 flying challenges, Andy and Mark test their flying skills to the limit and it is an exhilarating and surprising experience. They find that all the aspects of modern aerial warfare, from surveillance to artillery ranging, were already being refined by their pioneering counterparts almost a hundred years ago. Their journey charts the historical ‘big-bang’ moments of the race for aerial supremacy and reveals how, in just four years of war, aircraft were transformed from flimsy flying machines to the warplanes recognisable today. "
We were delighted to offer the use of the 'Biggles Biplane' hangar and several 'props' for filming at Sywell, including the 'Biggles Biplane' BE-2 replica and Paul Ford's Fokker DR-1 replica. There was also quite a bit of filming at Old Warden and Stow Maries airfields.
Should be interesting to see the finished article. Certainly the action shots seen so far look awesome!
More, pics etc. on
Biggles Biplane Restoration website
