Cranwell film
Cranwell film
Full length feature film set at Cranwell circa 1957. Despite a clichéd story line, there's some good air-to-air footage of Hunters (+ blue note) starting around 55:00. This might stir a few memories!
(also Piston Provosts & Vampires)
Last edited by PPRuNeUser0139; 28th Jan 2012 at 05:25.
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Absolutely splendid film! Don't know how on earth I missed seeing it back in the late fifties. Thanks sidevalve, I have just sat here engrossed for the last hour and a half.
Cracking drill displayed in the passing-out parade scenes, as expected of Cranwell, clearly an actual rather than staged sequence.
I even forgive the scene where "bad-boy" Winchester taxies out in a two-seater T.11 for his solo, which suddenly transforms into a single-seater for the flight and landing!
My only connection with Cranwell was to qualify for a swimming certificate in their open air pool in 1957, during a day visit from our CCF camp at Waddington. A most impressive place.
Cracking drill displayed in the passing-out parade scenes, as expected of Cranwell, clearly an actual rather than staged sequence.
I even forgive the scene where "bad-boy" Winchester taxies out in a two-seater T.11 for his solo, which suddenly transforms into a single-seater for the flight and landing!
My only connection with Cranwell was to qualify for a swimming certificate in their open air pool in 1957, during a day visit from our CCF camp at Waddington. A most impressive place.
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This was a very scarce and hard-to-find film. After a lot of searching I managed to locate a copy on DVD and after viewing it I was going to try to sell it on Ebay. Don't need to bother now it's on YouTube!!
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But DVDs last forever, Olympus, and YouTube entries can get deleted. Especially when YouTube is notified by the indignant person who tracked down a good colour copy of the film (there was a version in B&W), bought the rights, scanned it carefully and put the DVD together...
I bought the DVD and I'm keeping it. Together with many other aviation people of a certain vintage, I had been hoping to see this film again. Especially as one of the aircraft in it features in my logbook (1966).
The people who made the DVD (and they have other rare aviation films available too, I think), deserve some support.
I bought the DVD and I'm keeping it. Together with many other aviation people of a certain vintage, I had been hoping to see this film again. Especially as one of the aircraft in it features in my logbook (1966).
The people who made the DVD (and they have other rare aviation films available too, I think), deserve some support.
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Great film. Was watching when brought up short at minute 42(vampire solo) chap is walking around serial XH318. That seems familiar I thought but where from, it wasn't vintage pair T11 which I have flown in many years ago obviously, a little investigation and it was the airframe parked outside my ATC Sqn (2358) Ferndown of which I was a member from 1972-1976 ah the memories as we slowly destroyed the airframe in the name of learning ie water in the hydraulics to operate the flaps!!!! It hurts to even think about it now. A real aircraft to play with health and safety not to mention preservationists would have a field day now. They were the days sigh.....
Stopbar.
Stopbar.
I've been watchig this and somewhere in the back of what I laughingly refer to as my mind a little bell began to tinkle - stimulated by those chequer markings on Mr. Camms finest. The family lived at Leuchars 1956 - 1959 whan Pa was stationed there, I'm sure that some of this film was made there, I seem to recall a huge amount of flying during the school hols.
603DX
My only connection with Cranwell was to qualify for a swimming certificate in their open air pool in 1957, during a day visit from our CCF camp at Waddington. A most impressive place.
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AARON O'DICKYDIDO: Well, your query regarding the pool set me searching through my certificates, diplomas, etc. for some confirmation that it was at Cranwell. And horror of horrors, not only was it not at Cranwell in 1957 that I earned the swimming proficiency certificate, it was the previous year (1956) at Rivacre Valley open air pool, Ellesmere Port, during that year's CCF camp at RAF Hawarden. The document certifies that on the 8th August 1956 I swam 150 yards using back, breast, and free style strokes, and is signed by the Air Officer Commanding No. 63 (W & W) Group. In 1957 we definitely did pay a visit from Waddington to Cranwell, but no swimming was apparently involved!
Your personal knowledge of the facilities at Cranwell is obviously far more detailed than mine, the mists of time over more than half a century clearly confused my memories of the period.
Your personal knowledge of the facilities at Cranwell is obviously far more detailed than mine, the mists of time over more than half a century clearly confused my memories of the period.
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To this day, despite multiple exposure requests in the Aviation media, the 20 series Spitfire used in the 'Museum' sequence at Cranwell has never been identified.
The camouflage, distressing, tyre tread etc etc does not match any of the contemporary shots of today's surviving Mks 21, 22 & 24 Spitfires.
It is possible, but hard to imagine, that in 1957 the RAF were scrapping a complete Spitfire without it being recorded and spotted...Air Britain etc.
Here are two publicity stills from the film just in case it rings a bell.
I am trying to get this bottomed out for inclusion in Spitfire Survivors Volume II, in process and scheduled for publication by the end of this year.
PeterA
The camouflage, distressing, tyre tread etc etc does not match any of the contemporary shots of today's surviving Mks 21, 22 & 24 Spitfires.
It is possible, but hard to imagine, that in 1957 the RAF were scrapping a complete Spitfire without it being recorded and spotted...Air Britain etc.
Here are two publicity stills from the film just in case it rings a bell.
I am trying to get this bottomed out for inclusion in Spitfire Survivors Volume II, in process and scheduled for publication by the end of this year.
PeterA
, because I had to......................go flying. 
I bought a copy of the film some years ago for my father.
The crash scenes towards the end were filmed at Nicosia. My old man was one of the firemen who were paid as "extras" to go into the flames and rescue the dummy. If you watch it, note the man who sits astride the fuselage and hauls the "pilot" out. He broke his arm doing that!! Note the way he carries his arm in the following stretcher scene. Turns out he had brittle bones.
I remember as a youngster spending many happy hours during school holidays sitting in the blood wagon at Nicosia reading their stash of american comics!!
The crash scenes towards the end were filmed at Nicosia. My old man was one of the firemen who were paid as "extras" to go into the flames and rescue the dummy. If you watch it, note the man who sits astride the fuselage and hauls the "pilot" out. He broke his arm doing that!! Note the way he carries his arm in the following stretcher scene. Turns out he had brittle bones.
I remember as a youngster spending many happy hours during school holidays sitting in the blood wagon at Nicosia reading their stash of american comics!!
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An earlier thread referred to the Warwick Films "High Flight" from which one presumes lots of flying shots of Hunters were pinched. Having starred in "High Flight" for all of two seconds at Nicosia I feel entitled to describe it as one of the worst aviation epics one could watch.
On a better note those of us of that era probably all saw "The Fighting Lady" several times when the weather was too bad for flying. It is about an American carrier in the Pacific and much of the film was actual combat. If it is still available try to see it.
On a better note those of us of that era probably all saw "The Fighting Lady" several times when the weather was too bad for flying. It is about an American carrier in the Pacific and much of the film was actual combat. If it is still available try to see it.
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Thank you Brakedwell! Your post (shown below) inspired me to bid for it and I've just been notified that I am the new owner.
There is a High Flight" DVD currently being auctioned on ebay. I remember them making it when I was down the road at Swinderby.
There is a High Flight" DVD currently being auctioned on ebay. I remember them making it when I was down the road at Swinderby.
