A packet marked 'Bovingdon Mitchells 23 May 1978'

Beautiful pics,Mark, it’s almost as though I’m looking at something from 6 decades ago!

Those are great photos, thanks Mark. They really do look like genuine wartime shots.

I’ve seen the film about a decade ago but truly cannot recall a thing about it. I’d love to see your coloured shots too please Albert if you’ll allow us to see them. Thanks.

Come on then, Albert -whip ’em out !

Excellent shots! I was there and have them all in colour. Flew in ‘Gorgeous George-Ann’ and got shot at by flak!

The arrival of the B25’s was a cause of great excitement for us locals. Bovingdon was used for the ground shots, whilst the flying sequences were completed at Little Rissington. Oddly enough, in the whole film, I do not think there is any footage of either a take-off or landing, though there are some shots of all the aircraft taxiing for take-off, shades of Catch 22.

Considering the time/expense and hazzards of bringing these bombers to Europe, the flying sequences in Hanover Street are pretty measly, and not very memorable, though this is compensated for by the ‘Mitchells do fly in IMC’ TV production. Funny how J. Hawke was always having trouble with his bomb doors, which required a 200 knot flypast of control towers for a ‘visual check’ !

The apron where the set was assembled has been nearly consumed by earthworks at the edge of the prison, and the shattered tower, now just a concrete cube, just visible within the embankment. The adjacent taxiway still echoes to the sound of engines, but now, it is old Mk 2 Granadas thrashing themselves to death on the banger-racing track.

The main runway though, is still in good shape, thanks to the thousands of cars which come each Saturday to the famous/notorious Bovi market, and prevent the weeds from getting a hold. Any B25 hoping to land these days would do well to stop before the light standards, now erected on the market site at the intersection of the runways.

Saucy

I hear he’s into whips these days….;)

Mark 12

Many thanks for posting. I recall seeing them over Stevenage on a westerly heading. Either landing at Luton or onward to Bovingdon. I suspect that might have been their arrival prior to filming. Of course they could have been returning from a sortie.

But then again I was still in shorts back then. It could have been a figment of a young childs imagination. Babble babble………

Hanover Street….Harrison Ford film….wot ever happened to him ? 😀

I believe the B25 at North Weald was the one once in the Historic Aircraft Museum at Southend. Can anybody confirm this is the same one ?

Many thanks

Brilliant pics Mark 12,thanks for sharing them.
Thank goodness somebody was there to record these scenes and is wiiling to share them!Any more?(pS pity there is no sound!)

Our friends in Holland still have one though…..

These photographs are fantastic….

Absolutely wonderful pictures, especially at a time when we face losing our last airworthy B25 to the USA. 🙁

My mistake 🙁

Nope, that’s a different one

Amazing Andrea
Big Bad Bonnie
Brenda’s Boys
Marvellous Miriam
Gorgeous George-Ann

IIRC

One now in Spain in a museum, one in Hendon, one returned to the USA, one at Sandtoft ( 🙁 ) and the fate of the final one I can’t recall at present

Mike,

Isn’t the other one in the weeds at North Weald or I am getting confused here ?

Wasn’t GG-A around somewhere fairly recently? I remember seeing a pic of the nose at least, including nose-art.

Stunning. Simply stunning. Don’t colour them, they’re perfect as they are.

Very nice, Mk12 🙂

Very nice!!! Indeed they have that ‘period feel’ to them, something you don’t get with the standard airshow photo.

Thanks for posting (on the correct forum indeed 😀 )

Edit: I just realised that someone could colour them, that would look great probably. Does Snapper have any spare time left? 😉