Filming the Few for the Many

…Easy enough to do now with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, but what were the necessary skills with airbrush and whatever to accomplish this in 1969?

‘Just’ the skills of a good art director. Back then it would have cost (time/money) to do.

Thanks for sharing, and thanks to Paul for sharing his excellent work.

Cof cof – Enjoy.

[Ducks ~ runs….]

Bruce
Thanks for the kind words, glad to see your days painting went well.
attached is the Mosquito cutaway I produced all those years ago for those who are interested, still colouring it up with photoshop (I’ll finish it one day)

PaulC

Still a great shot, though 🙂

Looks to me to be a composite photograph; I’ve not seen it before. From Mark’s archive, or the Late RR? But I’m sure Mark will tell us…

JDK,

From Mark’s archive.

A composite or photo montage, not a painting.

I would judge the the basic photograph is just the B-25 taken from the observers position on the He111 looking over the port Merlin, which appears to have the same attitude as the B-25. Overlayed on this are six Spitfire flying left to right, all with the same wing attitude, which is not quite the same as that of the B-25 in close formation. A further seven Spitfires in loose formation are flying toward the camera and a further two are peeling off. Fifteen spitfires in total it would seem, more than the airworthy complement. The 109 on a reciprocal flight path to the main formation must be an overlay by virtue of the respective prop blur. The shutter speed to freeze both the 109 and the basic formation in a non-panned shot would surely freeze the propellers on the 109.

Easy enough to do now with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, but what were the necessary skills with airbrush and whatever to accomplish this in 1969?

Mark

Wow! Is that a photo or a painting? Excellent either way!

Looks to me to be a composite photograph; I’ve not seen it before. From Mark’s archive, or the Late RR? But I’m sure Mark will tell us…

WOW Crowded skies,don’t the Spitfires look dark,almost black.I don’t remember seeing that photo before,very nice.
Lovely painting as well Paul 🙂

Wow! Is that a photo or a painting? Excellent either way!

Sunday Times – 19 January 1969 – Centre spread

Mark

Thanks for bringing this old thread back Bruce because i had never seen it before. What a fantastic painting and a great idea. I know the Psychadelic Monster holds a lot of charm for a lot of people, I have seen it made by several modellers. But the paitning really encapsulates the spirit of the film too. Well done Paul.

Has anything further happened regarding a Dam Busters or 633 companion yet? May I sugest the filming of the Memphis Belle too, which also had a B-25 camera ship…

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but if it gains a bit more appreciation for Pauls work, then it is no bad thing.

Earlier on in this thread, I asked if Paul wanted to sell the picture. He did – and I bought it. It has been exhibited at the Guild of Aviation Artists show this summer, and Paul kindly delivered it to me at the museum this morning. The picture above does not do it justice; a stunning piece of work. Really nice to see something different to the usual Spitfires and Lancasters!

I would therefore point you to: www.paulcouper.co.uk where those who showed an interest in the purchase of a print may buy a copy. All it remains for me to do is find somewhere to hang the original!

Incidentally, it turned out that we at the museum knew Paul from nearly 20 years ago, when he produced an excellent cutaway Mosquito drawing! Small World!

Bruce

Paul,
Great painting for an interesting subject. If you are going to do the Dam Busters next, I strongly suggest that you read “Filming the Dam Busters” by Jonathan Falconer for a few ideas. In particular Chapter 5 about the aerial filming from a Varsity at 40 feet. The 60 feet flying from the real raid looked too high on film. See page 103 details of a near disater over lake Windermere. Not sure how good you are at painting trees, but they may have to appear above the aircraft!

Do the Mossies flying up the fjord – my favourite sequence! 😉

Would that be a ‘fjord focus’? 😀

Do the Mossies flying up the fjord – my favourite sequence! 😉

well thanks guys for all the kind words did’nt expect so much interest as it was purely a personal interest project and such an unusual subject
For all those who have asked for prints I will get some done and put a post in this thread when I have some.

Albert
I was actually thinking of the Dambusters filming next but 633 Squadron would be a good one as I have a bit of a soft spot for the Mossie

Once again thanks for the kind words

PaulC

Paul,

Yes I thought of the “Dambusters” but not sure if anything was used for air-to-air filming, as I think they only used studio sets for the flying sequences.
In “633 squadron” didn’t they film from the B-25 Mitchell seen in the film?

well thanks guys for all the kind words did’nt expect so much interest as it was purely a personal interest project and such an unusual subject
For all those who have asked for prints I will get some done and put a post in this thread when I have some.

Albert
I was actually thinking of the Dambusters filming next but 633 Squadron would be a good one as I have a bit of a soft spot for the Mossie

Once again thanks for the kind words

PaulC

If there had to be a location attached to Paul’s superb picture I’m afraid it could only be in the skies over the UK.

Only one Spitfire went to Spain, G-AVDJ and as far as I know when Spitfire Productions went chasing better weather in France, no Hurricane’s or either of the two Casa 2111 made the trip.

Septic.

Thanks James,

You are right, and I had always thought that the Shoreham B25 was the Psychadelic Monster. Well well.

Steve

I don’t think the history in the link provided by Septic is correct as it says that the B25 went back to the US after filming. If that is true then which Psychadelic Monster was it that resided in a derelict condition for most of the 1970s at Shoreham airport. This aircraft ran up huge parking fines and was the subject of a national newspaper article before being sold off to the IWM at Duxford, and I believe is now the machine hanging in the USAF Hall.

Does this ring any bells with any one?

Steve

I’m far from expert on B-25s, but the IWM aircraft is certainly NOT the Psychedelic Monster. Hawke operated and ‘owned’ several B-25s – could that be where the confusion comes in?

(Just checked the Warbirds Directory – The aircraft you are thinking of is 44-31171, owned by Hawke in the 1970s, not the 60s.)

I don’t think the history in the link provided by Septic is correct as it says that the B25 went back to the US after filming. If that is true then which Psychadelic Monster was it that resided in a derelict condition for most of the 1970s at Shoreham airport. This aircraft ran up huge parking fines and was the subject of a national newspaper article before being sold off to the IWM at Duxford, and I believe is now the machine hanging in the USAF Hall.

Does this ring any bells with any one?

Steve

Could this be portrayed over Spain, where a lot of the filming was done in perfect conditions?

As I said it’s a minor comment – there were a few good days in the UK. No, Spain’s a lot more brown than green in the summer. Of course there are a load of exceptions in all cases!

It certainly captures the atmosphere excellently.