Film made at Leeming - remember it?

[TSR22]

Hi all:ok:
Just a quickie - I was thinking about a movie made at RAF Leeming some years ago. I don't think it did too well (but it was shown on TV at least once), but I was wondering if anyone knew the title of it - and even better - whether it is possible to get hold of a copy!
The film was about a whole load of Tornado crews (flying the F3). The sqn boss was a veteran of the campaign on the other side of the Adriatic and it seems that he had let the side down...
Yea, I know my memory isnt very good :confused: but some of the footage was pretty good!
Thanks guys!!!!:D
TSR22 (wanted TSR2 but hit the key too many times..)

[Midland 331]

Was this a documentary about the disbandment of one of the F3 squadrons at Leeming?

BBC Look North made something called "Red Eagles Go" for local broadcast circa 1993/4

I have it on VHS, but I just about wore the tape out. It was very well produced.

r

[Synthetic]

Was there a female pilot in it?

Do I remember a scene where the ejector seat fired just after the crew vacated?

[Archimedes]

It was an appalling made-for-TV drama - it did indeed involve a female pilot. She was posted to a startlingly misogynist squadron (ISTR no. 555 Squadron, RAF) and crewed up with a nav who'd been forced to walk home after the squadron CO had been shot down over Bosnia, after foolishly trying to avoid a heat-seeking missile by turning on his afterburners.

I switched off at this point.

I switched on again (to ITV) later for the football (or something like that), only to discover the thing was still on. The pilot and nav (who had overcome their differences by this point, it seemed) were conducting a strafing run and were hit by a ricochet, which lodged in the nav's seat. This 'drama' ended with the pilot making a verrrrrrry careful landing, a couple of armourers carefully opening the canopy and extracting the nav, with the seat firing (what a surprise :hmm: ) just seconds later.

Sadly, I can't remember the name of the thing - it's always registed in my mind as the bl**dy awful programme with the F3s in it.

Edit - it was called 'Strike Force' according to a short snippet in a piece on the F3 in World Air Power Journal Spring 98. Which leads on to this (http://register.imdb.com/title/tt0114567/fullcredits) link. It would seem that it was a pilot for a possible series, but presumably the feedback wasn't good enough for ITV to run with it.

[TSR22]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for that :D
It was, indeed, the one where the ejector seat fires right behind that (rather attractive if I remember correctly..) female pilot :E
Yes, the storyline was rubbish (which is why I didn't remember it all that well) but I liked some of the footage!
Does anyone know whether it was produced on VHS/DVD? It would be nice to get hold of a copy!
Talking of Leeming, I keep hearing rumours about it's future - anyone know anything?:confused:

[Hill Walker]

TSR,

Only just seen this thread, hence late post.

Remember it well, there was something about it in our SROs before it went out but the title was mis-typed (deliberately?) as 'Strike Farce'. There were all sorts of errors - wrong ranks, wrong brevets, hats on air-side etc - and I recall a very cheesy 'Top Gun'-style hangar briefing, in front of a pair of F3s with dry-ice all over the place. Another funny bit with a pilot in a sports car, seemingly in the middle of flat country-side then suddenly going over a cliff. The most glaring error by far, however, was several F3s apparently serviceable/airborne at the same time!

Very poor considering there were military 'consultants' credited.

Thought it was just about the worst thing I have seen on TV, until 'Ultimate Force'...

HW

[TSR22]

Hi Hill Walker!
I have to agree about the cheesy footage etc :eek:
Hate to say it though - I like the F3 and when it finally goes, I will be quite sad!
I'm guessing that you are military/ex military and probably know all about the serviceability problems, but as an anorak, I just get to watch them take off and make lots of noise!!!!!!:O
The movie was rubbish but it was interesting to see Leeming closer up and to see a tornado doing its thing outside of an airshow:E
Wouldn't mind flying one.............:cool:
P.S. Last time I was over Leeming was at 12,000 in a glider - seriously!!!:ooh: (some years ago though - we were out of Dishforth just down the road)

[Background Noise]

Was that the one where some joker parks in the staish's slot outside the mess and then someone says - 'the last time I saw you, you were a nav on jags'?

[JagRigger]

And the jet that has just landed with the part initiated seat/canopy ( whatever) has no engines in it............

[Lukeafb1]

Hill Walker,

What's wrong with a retired army Brigadier doing a bit of freelance "consultancy"??

For my sins, I worked on an army television drama many moons ago, and was regularly asked for my "expert" opinion. Nothing wrong with that............except I was in the RAF!!:ugh:

[Hill Walker]

Luke,

Are you allowed to say the name of the TV show? Just wondering whether I saw it.

HW

[Lukeafb1]

Hill Walker,

Well, all right ......'Soldier, Soldier':cool:

[Hill Walker]

Fantastic!

Was never the same after Green and Flynn left though.

Dur-durr, dur-dur-dur-durrr, dur-durr, dur-dur-dur-durrrrrrr...

:D