Watched part of the Spike Milligan bio-pic that was on late last night – ‘Hitler, My Part In His Downfall’ or something – and noticed an aeroplane! It looked like it was meant to be a crashed Stuka (the shape of the wreckage was about right) although obviously made up of lots of bits and pieces. The cockpit section and inner wings with fixed undercarriage looked aeronautical, and I wondered if anyone knew what had been donated to make it look real.
Did we lose anything in the system crash/whatever?
Flood.
By: DazDaMan - 5th November 2003 at 13:37
“Not sure I would have wanted to fly in it!”
Tony – you’re more right than you know! When built by Viv Bellamy, he removed the wings and added the familiar wing centre section of the Stuka, then bolted the original outer panels onto that, then he reshaped the tail and removed the cockpit glazing and converted that to a tandem two-seater.
The aircraft flew, but it was not able to handle the dives that the real thing was renowned for (it would probably have pulled the wings off). Models were used instead.
Interesting side note: the RAF Museum Stuka was loaned to the production company, Spitfire Productions, for possible use in the film, but it was not restored to fly (I think money may have been the cause here). It was, however, reportedly ground-run, and the engine sound recorded for the film’s soundtrack. Funny, as I’ve always thought the film’s Stukas sounded like the SE5s in “Aces High”, or vice versa!
By: Tony C - 4th November 2003 at 16:02
Looks like its been left in the sun for too long.
Not sure I would have wanted to fly in it!
By: Flat 12x2 - 4th November 2003 at 15:47
Daz
Yes thats it, a Percival P.
Flood
Yes thats definitely what was in the film,
By: Flood - 4th November 2003 at 15:33
Forgot to attach the picture! From Veteran and Vintage Aircraft 4th edition.
Flood.
By: Flood - 4th November 2003 at 15:31
Adolf Hitler – My Part In His Downfall was made in 1972.
Veteran and Vintage Aircraft 4th edition (1974) has Proctor-Stuka W8+AE – ex Proctor 1 P6227, G-AIEY – in poor condition at Pinewood Film Studios, undated, although the studio reportered refused to sell. Wrecks and Relics 6th edition has it as being reportedly moved to a location in Derbyshire.
From the state of the wreckage I would imagine that this was a different one – if only because the film one looked like it got burnt – and few would buy torched wreckage in those days (these days… It’d be up and flying if anyone cared!).
Flood.
By: DazDaMan - 4th November 2003 at 14:37
You mean a Percival Proctor?? Two were converted for “Battle of Britain” by Viv Bellamy in 1968, known as a “Proctuka”. One flew, but none of them were used as they would have been unsafe for the flying sequences, so models were used instead.
There’s a few good pics of the flyable Proctuka used in the movie.
Afterwards, all three were scrapped, but perhaps one survived until later? When was last night’s film made?
By: Flat 12x2 - 4th November 2003 at 14:29
Yes I saw some of the film & had the same thoughts, best guess would be a Percival Prentice, I vaugely remember some coverted into ‘Stukas’ for a film, maybe this was left over ?.
Amazing continuity, B of B shots (?) of Casa (twin engine) being shot down to single engine ‘Stuka’ wreckage.
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November 4, 2003 at 1:23 pm