Battle of Britain Film
Neil Williams flew the Speke Mosquito [B.35 I think] down to Bovingdon.
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Interesting that an American could join just by claiming to be Canadian. If I remember correctly (And it's been 55 years) In S/L George Beurling's book Malta Spitfire he says that the RAF made him go back across the Atlantic to get his birth certficate even though he had his Canadian pilot's licence with him.
After an excellent landing you can use the airplane again!
After an excellent landing you can use the airplane again!
Mosquito Squadron was definitely not a studio made film; I remember seeing the Mossies flying over my home in '68, and the 'arches' used for the Highball bomb practice were on the airfield at Bovingdon. The French Chateau which was the actual target was I believe, Minley Manor, just a stones throw from Farnborough!
One of the Mossies from 633 Sqdn languished at Bovingdon until about 1966 or '67. 613 GS from Halton had a detached flight there during 1967, and we shared the same hangar as this Mossie, so we all became well versed at climbing into it (unofficially that is!)
When the time came to fly the Mossie away, they thought there was something not quite right with the elevator balance, the controls feeling very heavy. Someone succeded in making a hole in the elevator skin, and several pints of (presumably) rainwater poured out!
When the time came to fly the Mossie away, they thought there was something not quite right with the elevator balance, the controls feeling very heavy. Someone succeded in making a hole in the elevator skin, and several pints of (presumably) rainwater poured out!
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My two favourite "bloopers" are:
- The implication that the Poles were the first operational Allied squadron (in fact, the Czechs were).
- The listing of Allied pilots in the credits includes 1 Israeli
Both of which are down to the producer, who flew (as a Pole) in the Battle.
Which may explain why it is such a superbly constructed film.
- The implication that the Poles were the first operational Allied squadron (in fact, the Czechs were).
- The listing of Allied pilots in the credits includes 1 Israeli
Both of which are down to the producer, who flew (as a Pole) in the Battle.
Which may explain why it is such a superbly constructed film.
Originally Posted by PPRuNe Pop
The owner of the 3 Mossie's was John Crewdson who had 'appeared' in a few films. He told me one day, on a visit to Biggin Hill with the three Mossies, that he wasn't in for the money, just the pleasure!
The 4 used for the flying sequences were:-
T.3 RR299 owned at the time by BAC/BAe and flown by Pat Fillingham
B.35 TA634 owned at the time by the Corporation of Liverpool
B.35 RS709 owned at the time by Peter Thomas (Skyframe Collection)
B.35 RS712 owned at the time by Grp.Capt. Hamish Mahaddie
Famous shot of the late John Crewsdon piloting one of the B-17's at not-a-lot-above the Bovingdon aprons during filming of the The War Lover in 1962.
Originally Posted by PPRuNe Pop
Sadly he was killed in Jet Ranger crash over The Wash.
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Alright, alright, I want the DVD, so could someone tell me. specifically, which is the best one to buy and from where? The double DVD seems the one to go for. The only copy of the film I have is recorded on video from TV!
I was in London in May, and particularly went down to see the Memorial to The Few, and I was actually a bit disappointed with some aspects. Some of the pilots look a bit manic!
It was nice to see New Zealand recorded as providing the greatest number of participants after the UK itself, and Poland. Two of the top ten aces were also Kiwis of course! Just in case you forget!
I was in London in May, and particularly went down to see the Memorial to The Few, and I was actually a bit disappointed with some aspects. Some of the pilots look a bit manic!
It was nice to see New Zealand recorded as providing the greatest number of participants after the UK itself, and Poland. Two of the top ten aces were also Kiwis of course! Just in case you forget!
Originally Posted by GeeRam
T.3 RR299 owned at the time by BAC/BAe and flown by Pat Fillingham
Originally Posted by spekesoftly
Just to be absolutely correct, at the time of the making of 'Mosquito Squadron', RR299 was owned by HSA.
And Pat Fillingham of course had been a Mosquito production test pilot at Hatfield during WW2.
Originally Posted by GeeRam
True.........being aquired from storage at Shawbury after being retired from CAACU in '63.
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There is a scene in the film showing the plotting room where a briefing is taking place. If you look carefully you will see one of the men in the scene has a disfigured face. He had been badly burnt when shot down in the Battle of Britain and was one of MacIndoe's (sp?) guinea pigs.
Just one of the fascinating bits of trivia revealed in the book on the making of the film.
Just one of the fascinating bits of trivia revealed in the book on the making of the film.
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DVD
The Battle of Britain
www.play.com £6.99 delivered
www.dvd.co.uk £6.95 delivered
Both are 2 disc editions
www.play.com £6.99 delivered
www.dvd.co.uk £6.95 delivered
Both are 2 disc editions