RAF nostalgia at the National films archive

[On_The_Top_Bunk]

Some great stuff on here and don't think it has been posted before.

Click me (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/)

Classics like Fly a Lightning (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1951to1964/filmpage_streaked.htm)

And The Blue Streak rocket. (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1951to1964/filmpage_rocket.htm)

[ian16th]

There was a series of shorts made by the Rank Organisation called 'Look at Life'.

One of these was about 214 Sqdn doing the early tanker trials. A very young version of yours truly was featured :ok:

There was a special showing at the Marham 'Astra', but this happened while I was on leave and I never did get to see it.

If anyone knows if/where there might be copies of these shorts archived I would appreciate the information.

[Tankertrashnav]

I was in a better one than your mouldy old Valiant film Ian! When I was at OCTU at Feltwell in '64 they were making a recruiting film. We were in the gym one day when a couple of us were picked to be filmed standing beside a trampoline watching while a WRAF cadet jumped up and down on it for a minute or two. Yes I know, a tough job, but someone had to do it!

Never saw the finished film, but wouldnt mind a look now ;)

[chiglet]

The Lightning film was posted here last yeat. Still a good one to watch tho'

[ian16th]

In 1959, the Valiants were the latest and greatest, very far from mouldy. Remember the 1st A/C I worked on after Boys training were Lincolns with fan cooled engines!

I was also young, fit and handsome at the time :ok:

[Tankertrashnav]

Only kidding, Ian ;), but as I'm an ex-Victor man you'd expect it of me, wouldn't you?

[Groundgripper]

There was a series of shorts made by the Rank Organisation called 'Look at Life'.

One of these was about 214 Sqdn doing the early tanker trials. A very young version of yours truly was featured

There was a special showing at the Marham 'Astra', but this happened while I was on leave and I never did get to see it.

If anyone knows if/where there might be copies of these shorts archived I would appreciate the information.

The Look at Life series seems to have been acquired by a company called Video125. I've just received two DVDs from them "Look at Life in the 60s Civil Aviation" and "Look at Life in the 60s Military Aviation" each containing 6 of the programmes. The Military one covers:
Golden Wings (1962) - Sir Philip Joubert looking at the World War One aircraft he actually flew
Black Arrows (1959)
Flight deck (1960) - operations on HMS Hermes
Test Pilot (1961) - Lightning test flights
Turning Blades (1962) - Rotary wing
Jumping Jets (1965) - HS Kestrel

Tantalisingly, the DVD cover shows ten different stills, one of which is a Valiant, but I haven't yet run the DVD so don't know if this features anywhere, or if there will be a later issue covering other films.

The DVDs came as a 2 for 1 offer at £13.57

GG

[Green Flash]

Speaking of nostalgic film - for those of us in the U of K right now, Film4 has BoB - Mr Warwick has just been yelled at! (steady Beags!!!!)

[ian16th]

GG

Please let me know what is on the DVD.

I've done a Google on Video 125 and all I could come up with was Train Videos/DVD / Rail Video/DVD / Railway Video/DVD by Video125 (http://www.video125.co.uk) which is all about railways :eek:

Not quite what I was expecting. Is this the shop that you dealt with?

[alisoncc]

Speaking of nostalgic film - for those of us in the U of K right now, Film4 has BoB - Mr Warwick has just been yelled at! (steady Beags!!!!)


BoB on Blu-ray with full Dolby surround sound on a bigish LCD screen is pretty impressive. It's better than a de-fibrillator for some of our oldies in RAFA. Really got their hearts going. The Merlins in surround sound does a lot for my pump too.

[Groundgripper]

Not quite what I was expecting. Is this the shop that you dealt with?

Yes, that's the one.

Starting at the home page, click on 'Products' and then on 'Archives' on the page that comes up. That lists individual DVDs and the third one down is the 'Look at Life - Military Aviation' one. Click on that and you get a list of the individual programs on the DVD.

When I can distract Mrs GG from watching Bargain Hunt/Trash in the Attic/Flog it/House in the Country/etc/etc I might be able to fire up the DVD player!:uhoh:

Hope that helps,

GG

[Lightning Mate]

Ahhhhh..."Fly a Lightning".

Makes me eyes go all moist.....

[XN593]

By coincidence, today I received from Amazon 'The Royal Air force - The unseen films 1962-1965'. The 7th clip on the DVD is Winged Horizons - a look at the varied jobs open to woman in the RAF. Amongst the spectators are 3 men in 'T' shirts and one smoothie in a blazer.
Ring any bells?