For those who have an interest in civil aviation of the inter-war years, this 1945 film – which was a lost film and on the BFI’s ‘most wanted’ list – looks to be a must. It’s being shown on the Talking Pictures television channel on Sunday 18 October at 3:40 pm and Thursday 22 October at 10:25 am. A brief trailer for the film, shown recently, indicates that it features the following aeroplanes:
– Bristol Fighter G-ACCG (ostensibly scrapped in July 1939)
– Avro Avian G-EBWU (withdrawn from use and transferred to National Studios, Elstree, as ‘stage property’ in August 1944)
The trailer shows both of these aeroplanes in excellent condition and the Bristol Fighter capable of taxiing (although the footage showing it falling from the sky appears to employ a rather rudimentary model biplane). I wonder what other pre-war vintage aeroplanes feature in the fim itself?
The film was released in January 1945 and so, I presume, was made in 1944. Thus G-ACCG and G-EBWU must have been extant then. I wonder what was their fate subsequently?
By: avion ancien - 18th October 2020 at 18:28
An interesting film. As to the plot, well, let’s just say that it left something to be desired. But the aviation content made it well worth watching.
In addition to the Bristol Fighter (G-ACCG) and the Avian (G-EBWU), the film also featured Klemm L27 (G-ABJX) – which is recorded as having been withdrawn from use in November 1939 and scrapped at Burton, Wiltshire, in 1946. However judging by the film, in 1944 it was capable of taxying and, it seems, flying. So I wonder what happened to it in 1945/46 which led to it being scrapped so soon after being used for filming? Also I think that in the film its forward cockpit had been faired over.
Furthermore, judging by the film the Avian was in surprisingly good condition for something recorded as having been transferred to the studio as ‘stage property’. It is shown with its motor running smoothly and taxying.
The film also featured an unidentified Tiger Moth and quite a bit of footage of an Airspeed Horsa being assembled (to represent the ‘freight glider’ on which the latter part of the film majors). Beyond that, the aviation content appears to be mockups and models – the former of a cockpit of a Dragon Rapide (but with two forward seats) or a Dragonfly and the latter of the same and the Bristol Fighter. Also featured is what I presume to be stock footage of a 1930s twin engine monoplane bomber (which I failed to identify).
The film is being shown again next Thursday morning.
By: Sopwith - 14th October 2020 at 16:47
Yes I saw the trailer too, looking forward to seeing it
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October 14, 2020 at 10:07 am