Mitchells over the Atlantic

[paulc]

Hi all,

I am trying to get hold of a copy of the programme featuring Jeff Hawke and the B25's brought over for the film Hanover St in 1978).

Any ideas as to where a vhs or dvd of this programme can be found

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I remember this program. It was called 'B25s can fly in IMC'. Some quite hairy flying, IIRC, and some of the team didn't share Jeff's calls on when it was safe to go or not.

I used to have a copy on an old Phillips video tape (remeber that format? One tape reel atop the other?). It went bto the tip wiyth all its tapes when it died.

I'd love a VHS copy to see it again.

SSD

[treadigraph]

Me too... if you find it, let us know. Excellent film, remeber that shot of one backtracking after abandoning take off with the others still taking off...

Variation on the title might be "B-25 Mitchells do Fly IFR" of possibly even "Mitchells do Fly IFR". Can't quite remember, Shaggy's doesn't quite seem right.... I may well be wrong though (usually am!)

[Aerohack]

Treadders: It's 'Mitchells do fly in IMC' and (assuming it's still in my loft where I believe to be) my original copy will soon be on its way to Paulc, so you'll need to talk nicely to him...

[bingoboy]

I have a much watched and much enjoyed copy but it is getting very tired now with lots of jumping about and missing bits of sound but I do enjoy watching what bits I can. I really think it's too far gone for a copy of it to be worthwhile but it might just be possible if I had the technology.

One of these days I'll either win the lottery or be very lucky to be offered a ride in a B25 but not sure I'd manage the breakfast !!!

[treadigraph]

Shaggy and I seem to have danced nimbly around the correct title nicely! Aerohack, you have a memory like a database!

Cheers

Treadders...

[arthur harbrow]

One of my favourites too, mainly because of John Hawkes and the music.
Does anyone know if any of those B25s finished up at Coventry or North Weald?

[Aerohack]

Treadders: Yes, a middle-aged brain-faded database that can retrieve inconsequential trivia from decades ago, but is hard-pressed to remember what it did this morning. It does recall photographing those Mitchells lined up nose to tail at Blackbushe (and done with the late Doug Arnold's blessing, rather than his set-the-dogs-on-you routine), and also doing a photo shoot with a flightsuited Gary Numan posing in front of them. I found those pictures just the other day, but have yet to fathom image posting here (middle-aged, etc, etc).

[virgo]

Had a rummage in the attic and found the B25 video........seems to be in good shape - at least the first 10 minutes are !!
If anyone still wants one, let me know and I'll make a copy when I can requisition the Mem'sahib's VTR for a morning.

[pigboat]

I seem to remember an article in Air Classics magazine about that. Their e-mail address is [email protected] and the website is www.challengeweb.com
They may not have the video, but Challenge Publications can usually point you in the right direction. They own a B-25 themselves.

[Tempsford]

Remember it well

The Mitchells came into LTN and were painted in the old Court Line Tristar Hangar. I was a Liney at LTN and we used to push them out of the hangar when they were filming and put them back in at night. There were at least four if not five of them. Watched my copy til it wore out as well. 'Mitchells do fly in IMC' was the response given by a BY a/c to ATC over the south of England when advised to keep an eye open for the a/c inbound on the ferry flight.

[SPIT]

Was it one of these B25s that blew an engine (stbd I think) on t/o from Liverpool Speke some years ago. If my memory serves me right this a/c ended up at Dublin Airport ??:confused: :confused:

[PorcoRosso]

I think one of the Mitchell ended up in Dinard , and staid there a couple of years due to Customs problems ... It was probably considered a military aircraft, and the french customs were totally paranoïac with WW2 a/c.

[treadigraph]

The five Mitchells were:

44-29121/N86427 - went to the Museo del Aire at Cuatro Vientos
44-29366/N9115Z - now in the RAF Bomber Command museum at Hendon
44-30210/N9455Z - now at the USAF Museum at March AFB - was at Avignon
44-30925/N9494Z - at Coventry with Visionair in 1988
44-86701/N7681C - Stored at the Musee de L'Air, Le Bourget in 1988.

Sorry, my books still a bit old...

Other UK based Mitchells have been:

43-3318/G-BYDR - Fighter Collection, sold to another operator in 2002
44-30823/N1042B - Aces High with camera nose, back in the USA
44-30861/G-BKXW - Aces High, still stored at North Weald (used for 633 Sqn film)
44-31171/N7614C - AAFM, Duxford (used for filming in 1970)
44-31508/N6578D - Based in Florida, used for Battle of Britain

[wub]

I think this is one of the Mitchells brought over by Jeff Hawke. Taken at Yeovilton c.1979

http://www.pbase.com/image/13841689

[treadigraph]

It is indeed WUB, looks like that might be Jeff Hawke in the chair as well...

[wub]

Treaders, Yeah I thought it was Jeff Hawke too

[CamelPilot]

Be unusual if it were Jeff. Never flew anywhere without his sweatsodden/filthy cap. And I think the two gents in the foreground are Keith Sissons (left) and Ted White. Not sure about Yeovilton!!

[wub]

CamelPilot, It's Yeovilton alright, I took the pic myself. If you look in the background on the left you'll see the fins of a couple of FRADU Hunters with the 'VL' code on them.

You are probably right about the gents in the foreground because a couple of minutes later I took this:

http://www.pbase.com/image/13856462

[treadigraph]

Don't think he was wearing the cap when he shouted at me and a few other interested parties who had gathered to watch him start up the same aeropalne at Cranfield in '81 or '83... But to be honest I was too busy taking offence...!!!

Would the more shapely figure in the foreground be Ellie Sallingboe?

Have to say if that was '79 the aeroplane looked amazingly tatty - or was that all part of the film garb?

Yeovilton '79 - Starfighter prang? Very sad. I went to the '82 and '86 shows and they were excellent. What was the name of the Hunter team - Blue Herons?

Nice pics WUB...

[CamelPilot]

Wub, I'll go along with Yeovilton. Definitely Ted White and Keith Sissons.

Treadders. I thought of Ellie and since that lady is there with Ted and Keith I am sure you are right. Jeff's hat was so bad we thought it was quite capable of climbing aboard itself! It suffered rather badly at Biggin one year when the windscreen of the B25 he was driving caved in on take off. Could have been much worse than it was though.

This all suddenly reminds me that I still miss Ted. One of the truly fanatical aircraft protectors. We spent many happy hours and days on airfields - at displays together.

CP

[treadigraph]

I think a photo of the hat is called for so that we may all admire its splendour! Anyone got one...?

Same B-25 I'll wager at Biggin, it turned up at quite few shows I was at. Mind you, reading through the list of dispersals of the Needle B-25s, it seems as if he flew them till they broke, dumped them and went back to Blackbushe to get another...

I remember going up there during Farnborough week - 78? - four B-25s, half a dozen Daks, a sprinkling of Ju-52s and that was just what was visible on the airfield... the other B-25 turned up next time I went there... Oh and ex Moroccan Fennecs...

While perhaps Ted would have had his hands full keeping the B-17 airworthy, one wonders what he might have gone on to achieve... I sincerely hope Sally B can be kept going ad infinitum - she might be twenty years older than me but I suspect she's much better looked after!

Where's me pipe and slippers...

PS CamelPilot - I suspect you have the cushiest spot on PPRuNe - do you actually ever have to do any moderating?!!:D

[wub]

Treaders:

If the Starfighter crashed in '79, then the B-25 pic must have been taken the following year, because I witnessed the F-104's demise and I wasn't in the grandstand, from where the B-25 pic was taken.

I seem to remember the 104 had finished his display and was in the circuit to land and just fell out of the sky into a field about a mile from the airfield.

I went to Yeovilton shows every year for about 8 years, it was a fabulous show, in a great location and always attracted some super aircraft - and yes, FRADU's display team was the Blue Herons, named after Yeovilton's nautical name, HMS Heron.

[CamelPilot]

Treadders

This forum is just one I moderate on. But you are right, it does tend to be cushy. I have only had to draw a line twice since the forum opened. That is probably because we are all of one mind when it comes to Aircraft, all the nostalgia and the history - and we all just want to enjoy it.

I particularly like to encourage certain threads to keep going so that we can gleen much more from a subject which is 100 years old this year. Indeed, the thread on Wilbur and Orville is one such thread we should be able to keep going for the rest of the year.

We have many many people from the US who could contribute and I very much hope they do. We have very many people from all over the world and I hope they do as well. It is a very strong fraternity which will last forever.

While making the above points. I would love to see more threads started by those who have a experiences going back many years. There is much to be heard about the RAF, Navy and the Army for example. From test pilots, like John Farley, who does make very interesting contributions. From people who fly/flew the warbirds for fun, as I did, but I have made my contributions. From ferry pilots who tackle the job of bringing aeroplanes from the other side of the world. From those who spend hours, month in and month out restoring aircraft. From museum curators who can give us an inside look at their particular achievements, and their problems. We won't mind if their museum gets an airing on PPRuNe.

The list of possible contributors is endless. PPRuNe could be a hive of information that would be the envy of - ............................that list is endless too.

This, all from a comment from Treadders and why not.

CP

[treadigraph]

Absolutely CP: I hope no one thought I was taking the wotsit as I only frequent half a dozen or so of the PPRuNe forums or so (didn't realise you moderate others!), and this one is, by far, the friendliest - if there has been the merest whiff of back biting it has been in a tolerant and forgiving manner... I hope it never changes, in that respect. Absolutely great stuff! I enjoy it hugely and am bereft when neccessity bars me from checking on the latest gossip.

And more from the experts please... I am a mere student of aviation, a repaeater of tales and observations...

Incidently, the comapny I work for does a lot of work at airports and airfields and, spotting a marketing opportunity, my boss announced this week that we should invite our airport clients to a "100 Years of Aviation" event.

"Oh," I said, tongue firmly in cheek, we've missed Pearce's achievement, 1902 and all that..."

She glared at me: "Listen... old man... we're celebrating Flight's centenary on 12th December. Got it?"

"17th December" said I. "Actually. And shouldn't that be a lower case f?."

Treadders (ducking to avoid the pro-Pearce squad's missiles).