The First of the Few..

[Al R]

.. just starting on BBC2 if there are any other early birds out there catching up on work and who don't want to get distracted by Suzi Perry's rear spoiler.

The First of the Few - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_of_the_Few)

[Bigpants]

Yep grabbed a few minutes of it and like other films of its era enjoyed the footage of an early model Spitfire getting a work out.

12 o clock high, Malta Story, reach for the sky all good movies for aviation buffs.

Some good cold war films including Strategic Air Command. By good I mean contain great original footage of aircraft like the B36 and B47. The message is a bit cold war and Dr Strangelove a good antidote.

[Onceapilot]

Just watched, to update myself with it. It says something... about how bad things were then!
Please do not take any historical references from it, apart from one or two shots of some historic aircraft.
I am certain it was made with the best of intentions.

[diginagain]

Suzi Perry you say?

[Alber Ratman]

Spitfire Prelude and a Shackleratter getting done over by his team again.. :E

Nice Bulldog Pole Position by that nice chap from Hertfordshire.. I did like Jenson Button's response to the other rattler getting into 3rd Quail.. "?? Wow!!":ok:

[54Phan]

I have enjoyed watching Leslie Howard in several movies, including "The Scarlett Pimpernel". What a great actor.

[Courtney Mil]

Digin,

You mean this Suzi Perry? Why?

http://img005.lazygirls.info/people/suzi_perry/suzi_perry_suzi_perry_hFs8DyM.sized.jpg

[smujsmith]

Courtney

Woof woof, where did you find that young lady? Why was she not in the programme ? :ok:

[Hempy]

Full movie available for download at archive. org
http://archive.org/details/TheFirstOfTheFew
The shots of the Supermarine S4 in this movie are the only known footage, which makes it a historically important movie regardless of anything else

[longer ron]

Not to mention the footage included - shot at RAF Ibsley in oct 1941...

Sqn Ldr Frank Howell (OC 118sqn) played the injured sqn ldr and also included were Tony Bartley and Brian Kingcome !

From RAF Jever.org /118 sqn long history
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafjever.org%2F118squadhistory2.htm&ei=_Y9rUbDSC4beObitgIAP&usg=AFQjCNG5lHweqZt3CBRPmMY-iYzCXthIoA&bvm=bv.45175338,d.ZWU



Even during wartime the movie industry was busy with morale boosting films
such as the one about the Spitfire (UK "First of the Few") a movie brought out in 1942.
Leslie Howard played the part of the Spitfire designer R.J Mitchell.
So far unique, it's the only true movie about aircraft design. Shot with models,
mock-ups?, newsreel footage of the pre-war Schneider race (Supermarine Sea Lion),
pre-war German gliders and film of the prototype Spitfire. It featured lots of film
of a Spitfire squadron versus a Luftwaffe He 111 raid. This footage was shot at RAF
Ibsley with 118 Squadron and 501 Squadron between operational sorties in late 1941.
They were flying Spitfire Mk.V's. Most of the aircrew were real, many didn't make it
far past filming. The He 111 was a captured example (Aw177) and the camera plane was
a Bristol Blenheim IV. Actor Leslie Howard was killed 1 June 1943 when his KLM DC-3
was shot down by Ju 88C-6's of V/Jg40 over the Bay of Biscay. P/O Donald Claxton
118 Squadron had a line or two to say in this movie and was on the screen for a few
seconds according to a letter he wrote to his mother on October 8 ,1941. "Well I
got a surprise for you Mother. I'm in the movies. They are making a picture at our
drome called "The First Of A Few". Leslie Howard and David Niven are the stars.
Several of our chaps are in it and, as they had to have a Canadian, I'm in it too.
I only say one line and will be on the screen about two seconds I suppose."
[Excerpt contributed by Ed Tainton who has been researching P/O Claxton].

..

[longer ron]

Here is a link to a short article about sqn ldr Frank Howell (tragic accidental death post war)

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafjever.org%2F118sqnper004.htm&ei=rJVrUeLvFcGsPJyugaAB&usg=AFQjCNGYpkB7GmDQlWDqTXvMmXIZafhjZQ&bvm=bv.45175338,d.ZWU

[colinwil]

It's been posted here before, but here's the link again to a nice mash-up of 'first of the few'...

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - SPITFIRE - YouTube

[Courtney Mil]

Anyway, back to Suzi...

http://www.eddsport.co.uk/motorsport/gallery/3/suzi_perry_002.jpg

[CoffmanStarter]

I agree ... she does look good in full NBC kit :}

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/image_zpsa265fab5.jpg

[Courtney Mil]

It took ages to get her into that.

[CoffmanStarter]

Go on then Courtney I'll bite ... How do you know :cool:

[Courtney Mil]

That's the kitchen in my appartment in Toulon.

[CoffmanStarter]

Humm ...


.

[BEagle]

Suzi......?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/SQ_zpsea97e849.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/SQ_zpsea97e849.jpg.html)


Original and best...:ok:

[Courtney Mil]

Excellent. Seen her in a quite a few things recently. A real sport.

[Wensleydale]

Suzi......?

Audi's sister!

[CoffmanStarter]

Suzi Perry was born in the RAF hospital Cosford 3/5/70 ... Just to keep the mods happy ... :ok:

[Onceapilot]

Beags has it!

OAP