Any WWII British Fleet Air Arm films?

Hi Dave,
I don’t know of any films made in the manner you are suggesting Dave. Studio Ghibli’s approach to artwork as scene setting (and aviation in Proco Rosso) is the nearest I’ve ever heard of.

There are some wonderful old clips on this Youtube link advertising one of the Imperial War Museum’s DVD’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsBGPjc8DFE

Do you agree that the catapult officer overseeing the Walrus launch who is glimpsed very quickly in the first film is perhaps Sir Michael Hordern?

As before I dunno about that, but it’s interesting that a Supermarine Walrus leaves the catapult and a Supermarine Sea Otter lands back… Interesting and noteworthy that even the RN decide to pull that trick that other film-makers get harangued by enthusiasts for doing.

Sounds rather like Porco Rosso.

I have not seen that film but on looking at stills from it on Google Image, no. I don’t mean a stock standard cartoon style, I mean proper art that looks like the artworks on this page only animated:

http://www.rna-carmarthen.org.uk/gallery/photo_gallery4.htm

Do you agree that the catapult officer overseeing the Walrus launch who is glimpsed very quickly in the first film is perhaps Sir Michael Hordern? I’m sure it’s him, and I know he was in the RN in WWII and was already an actor by then, so maybe he was roped in.

It’s possible, but remember the odds are against.

Doesn’t the Commemoratie Air Force also have a Swordfish? Someone was talking about having seen one at an airshow recently on the Wix forum.

Very much restored to static-only condition.

I think that it would be nice and artixtically interesting if an animated feature film could be made about a FAA carrier squadron, with computer animation but in the style of the lovely detailed fine art paintings that are around, like Robert Taylor’s, etc. I’m sure it would be possible, but likely would be more expensive than actually restoring some real aircraft and CGI generating the rest for a live action film. But imagine how cool it would be, with some good actors as the voices and some great action scenes in animated fine art. This principle could also be applied to many other interesting WWII stories too.

Sounds rather like Porco Rosso.

There are some wonderful old clips on this Youtube link advertising one of the Imperial War Museum’s DVD’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsBGPjc8DFE

Do you agree that the catapult officer overseeing the Walrus launch who is glimpsed very quickly in the first film is perhaps Sir Michael Hordern? I’m sure it’s him, and I know he was in the RN in WWII and was already an actor by then, so maybe he was roped in.

Yes, I figured that there were not many actual flyers around, but I’m surprised to hear that all the world’s Swordfish are grounded again. That’s a shame.

Doesn’t the Commemoratie Air Force also have a Swordfish? Someone was talking about having seen one at an airshow recently on the Wix forum.

I think that it would be nice and artixtically interesting if an animated feature film could be made about a FAA carrier squadron, with computer animation but in the style of the lovely detailed fine art paintings that are around, like Robert Taylor’s, etc. I’m sure it would be possible, but likely would be more expensive than actually restoring some real aircraft and CGI generating the rest for a live action film. But imagine how cool it would be, with some good actors as the voices and some great action scenes in animated fine art. This principle could also be applied to many other interesting WWII stories too.

Apart from the Martlet in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton do any genuine Martlets or FAA Wildcats still exist elsewhere or are they all ex-US aircraft?

Book now ordered, James with 8 weeks estimated delivery delay. What’s happened to the UK postal system? I used to get parcels (usually books) arriving here in Sweden from the UK within 5 days!

Hope you like it! Certainly Peter Smith writes a rattling yarn.

Interesting question regarding what’s airworthy.

In the absence of Lee Howard’s up-to-the minute data, I’ll try… There are currently no flying Swordfish, I believe. (Certainly any fliers would be tucked up in hangars in November in the Northern hemisphere by now.) Several examples close to flight, but even getting two together (as was, I think done for Sink the Bismark) would be very difficult.

Royal Navy Historic Flight own two + one under major rebuild. LS326 is next back in the air, I understand (Lee?) and W5856 would be after that, but plans were to fly one at a time, last time I spoke with the flight (some years ago now). The third airframe was with BAe – don’t know what the status is there.

In Canada Vintage Wings have C-GEVS under overhaul and this will be the next back in the air, I think. Meanwhile in the far East, the Shearwater Aviation Museum restored their example to fly, and flew it a couple of times but it was parked up since, and is not currently, or intended to be airworthy.

The other main British W.W.II RN type flying is Shuttleworth’s Sea Hurricane.

There’s one Wildcat in RN markings with TFC, another in nothing-like-Martlet colours with the CAF in the US. Several Wildcats, Hellcats, Avengers and Corsairs airworthy around the world, including some in RN FAA colours.

There are, of course no airworthy Barracudas, Mk.I Fireflies, Walruses, Skuas, (Sea) Gladiators or wartime Seafires. 🙁

From the 1930s onward the Fleet Air Arm have been poorly treated with media coverage compared to the RAF. Even in W.W.II, many of their major achievements were overlooked or underestimated by the press of the time (such as the highs of the Norway campaign) – exactly why I don’t know, although I can makes some guesses.

From a history point of view the Tarranto attack would make a very important historical film; however I just can’t see it making either a credible feature film or getting funding for it.

Regards,

Sorry everyone – my fault for not reading the original message. Dont know of any feature films depicting FAA carrier operations. Maybe it’s time someone made a film about the epic Swordfish attack at Taranto, there are how many airworthy examples, though where do you get a period aircraft carrier from?

Book now ordered, James with 8 weeks estimated delivery delay. What’s happened to the UK postal system? I used to get parcels (usually books) arriving here in Sweden from the UK within 5 days!

You could try the IWM Film Archive. They have a few films, including training films: http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/qryMain.php

Check out: http://www.simplyhe.co.uk/Search/Fleet+Air+Arm/0/

and especially: http://www.simplyhe.co.uk/Shop/Maritime+DVDs/WWII+Maritime/122214+Royal+Navy+at+War%2c+The+-+Fleet+Air+Arm.htm

and…

http://www.simplyhe.co.uk/Shop/Aviation+DVDs/WW2+-+Planes/123869+Fleet+Air+Arm%2c+The+-+At+War+and+Peace++A+Short+Films+Collect.htm

From the IWM Shop: http://www.iwmshop.org.uk/product/19901/Aircraft_Recognition_for_Royal_Navy_Gunners_1940

and…

http://www.iwmshop.org.uk/category/164/Naval

and…

http://www.iwmshop.org.uk/category/162/Museum_Collection

Could a film be made nowadays about this topic? How many Swordfish, or Hellcats, or Martlets or Corsairs could be mustered to do an epic film? And which battles would you like to see covered? It would have to be based on fact to be any good. I think a film on the Taranto raid would be fantastic.

Ah, but you’d need Wellingtons as well Dave.

Regards,

kev35

So “Ships With Wings” is the only film ever made about Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier ops then, and it’s allegedly no good (I’d still love to see it).

Could a film be made nowadays about this topic? How many Swordfish, or Hellcats, or Martlets or Corsairs could be mustered to do an epic film? And which battles would you like to see covered? It would have to be based on fact to be any good. I think a film on the Taranto raid would be fantastic.

It was in the other room.
[Sound of receding footsteps… Sound of returning footsteps…/]
‘Eagle’s War – The War Diary of an Aircraft Carrier’, Peter C Smith, Crecy, 1995, ISBN 0947554602.

Cheers
James

Ships With Wings is probably one of the worst films ever made. If you can believe that a bent nail is a dockyard crane you might be able to watch it to the end. 😮

I seem to remember that the special effects department had nothing more than a collection of models and a fishing rod. The script was dreadful too – it involved a FAA plot to destroy a vital aquaduct if I remember correctly.

There is an nteresting but very brief glimpse of one of the Fairey F4/34 prototypes ending its life in a ball of flame on a (studio) carrier deck.

I didn’t know there was one, James but I hope I will soon have a copy! Abe books is my usual supplier so I’ll scout around. Many thanks for the tip.

There’s a fair amount of newsreel material. I’ve seen some fascinating stuff in the Australian War Memorial archive on a visit, and there’s lots on British Pathe if you do a bit of digging, often recut and complimented with other material by ‘Bomberguy’ on You Tube.

Peter, do you have the book on HMS Eagle?

Yes, I have Dive Bomber on tape, an excellent film. I also have Wing And A Prayer about the Battle of the Coral Sea which is good too.

I’d love to see a film or two on the guys who flew the Swordfish, Albacores, Rocs, Skuas, Hurricanes, Seafires, Avengers, Corsairs, Fulmars and Firelfies in combat of carriers though.

‘Sink the Bismark’ (1960) is as close as I can get!

For USN a definite one to see is ‘Dive Bomber’, fantastic colour photography and action

Same request from me – my father served on HMS Eagle both before and during WW2.