Must try harder BBC

Sad to say, you’re right, David. The ideal candidates would have been the Potez 585 or the Hanriot H-175. Of the former, the last survivor crashed near Beaune in 1968 (although it’s been said that there was one post-war example in Uruguay). Goodness knows when the last of the latter succumbed!

Despite mention of La Ferte Alais -I have yet to hear of a pre war French liason aircraft that would fit the bill!

Im sure with lots of searching around the world something could have been found but you need to live in the real world and work within a given budget.
I didnt see it but im sure as has been said, the remit was for a liason type A/C and the Auster fitted the bill, looked from the period and did the job in the context of the piece.

Your frustration is fully understood!

As Charliehunt said, little need for such indignation I feel.

Yes, you’re right, of course, mine was an overly vexed squawk. I do get annoyed, though, when amateurs unreasonably criticize professional areas in which I feel I’m adequately competent. Sort of like some knob-counter griping that the carpeting in a Downton Abbey scene is of the wrong era.

What a strange, uninformed remark.

Whilst taking the point about ‘who cares but us’, I’m sure that if the producers of the television film had approached those nice people at Cerney – la Ferté-Alais aerodrome, they could have provided something from the AJBS collection that would have fitted the bill – and kept the previous posters happy!

Ah! thats the reason, Anything in France that remotely ‘looks’ like a business transaction would have required approval by the local tax office with the usual comets tail of red tape and form filling.

Whilst taking the point about ‘who cares but us’, I’m sure that if the producers of the television film had approached those nice people at Cerney – la Ferté-Alais aerodrome, they could have provided something from the AJBS collection that would have fitted the bill – and kept the previous posters happy!

Its a long way to the US to film the Potez.

I agree with every word!

Isn’t this one of those enthusiast annoyances that doesn’t rearly matter.
Train forums probably complain about the steam trains being wrong. Truck forums about the trucks. Gun forums about the weapons etc. If you analyse any film in detail you can probably find fault with everything.
If you have time to analyse the scenery in a program it probably isn’t very intersting anyway.

I remember one forum where somebody pointed out that in the film Gladiator one of the charioteers was wearing rubber soled boots!

Firstly I doubt that the character as you have described would be remotely interested in the sort of drama we are discussing. Secondly it is likely to be a combination of limited knowledge by the production team and limited resources with which to work.

Watching the BBC drama ‘Spies in Warsaw’ I’m left wondering why the BBC thought that using an AOP Mk V Auster to represent a French military aircraft in 1939 would be acceptable. 😡

Because television producers assume the average ‘Brit’ can only discern the difference between Lager, mobile phones and trashy reality TV programmes.

Stepwilk

I agree 100% your first sentence.

However, there are others here who have some limited experience in this field, too. You may have us all beat. Or you may not.

As Charliehunt said, little need for such indignation I feel.

Because 99.99 percent of the audience wouldn’t have cared if they’d used a Cherokee Six. it’s a drama, not a training film.

Go start your own film company, see what it’s like when you have to climb out of the overstuffed armchair. (Yes, I do know what it’s like to make films. Three I’ve written were nominated for Academy Awards. Just short documentaries, admittedly, but I probably have you beat.)

I actually agree with you 100%. And it was a damn good drama to boot. But do you need to be quite so indignant?:) There is considerable sensitivity on here for every slight aviation inaccuracy in film and TV programmes. But it is the same for experts in any field when they see something incorrect which mostly only they would be aware of. Sorry you missed out on gongs for your nominated shorts.

A DH Rapide or Dragon would have probably been a very suitable candidate for the role. But as has already said the Auster filled the bill.

Richard

Watching the BBC drama ‘Spies in Warsaw’ I’m left wondering why the BBC thought that using an AOP Mk V Auster to represent a French military aircraft in 1939 would be acceptable.

Because 99.99 percent of the audience wouldn’t have cared if they’d used a Cherokee Six. it’s a drama, not a training film.

Go start your own film company, see what it’s like when you have to climb out of the overstuffed armchair. (Yes, I do know what it’s like to make films. Three I’ve written were nominated for Academy Awards. Just short documentaries, admittedly, but I probably have you beat.)

I imagine the remit was a liason type aircraft – the MS230 and Stampe would have been nice as he could have done a few lazy loops and stall turns on the way to his rendezvous!

Didn’t watch it.

Would a Stampe sufficed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stampe_SV.4

plenty about.

But frankly, who’d give a toss either way.

Plenty of foaming at the mouth on this forum when someone uses a Mk IX instead of a Mk I Spitfire etc though