Obscure TV warbird appearances?

Foyle’s War recently used Spitfire VB BM597 in a few sequences.

I have a whole series of it on DVD, but not sure if any of ‘597’s footage is on it. There is, however, a whole load of footage filched from Piece of Cake in it!

Saw “Thunderball” on Swedish TV last night; at the very end Sean Connery and girl are wrenched out of a liferaft by a silver B-17 with a huge V-shaped construction on the nose, which caught on a line held aloft by an inflated balloon. There were virtually no markings on the B-17. Of course earlier in the film were brief clips of Vulcan departures – from Waddington or Scampton, perhaps. The ground shots of Vulcans were almost certainly B.1s.

Secret Army was apparently very good but I hardly remember it as I was a kid when it last aired on NZ television.

There was another couple of serials at the time which, like Secret Army, were my Mum’s favourite shows – Enemy At The Door and A Family At War. Did Enemy At The Door have any aircraft scenes at all? I can’t recall if the A Family At War had any aircraft in it – one of the sons was in the RAF – but when it re-ran here a few years ago I was awfully disappoited in it.

One obscure appearance I have recalled is a lovely Tiger Moth appearing in the comedy ‘You Rang M’Lord’ in the episode Gretna Green or Bust.

Daz, thanks for the info on Over Here, I wish that series would come out on DVD.

There was also a couple of episodes in ‘Secret Army’ which featured a Lysander which ‘appeared’ to land (just a short hop probably), taxy in, unload a passenger, then depart (just a fast taxy down the grass). Excellent series, now available on DVD!!!

Yes! I remember Secret Army there was a spin off called ‘The Fourth Arm’ which used a DC3/C47 in its opening/closing credits.

Shame Secret Army was never repeated but I suppose nobody would take it seriously after the huge success of ‘Allo Allo’. Glad its out on DVD

Martin

Off hand I can think of “The Chinese Puzzle” – a BBC children’s TV drama from around 1978 which featured OAHB’s black T-33.

Anyone remember a US TV series aired in the UK around 1975/76 called “Spencer’s Pilots”. The plane I remember most from it was a PBY Catalina.

Yes, ‘Over Here’ was very good. It starred Timothy West and his son Samuel West. It was a mini-series, but i only have one episode of (I think) four. It was written by John Sullivan, who also wrote Only Fools And Horses, and it had some great comedy in amongst the drama. Clunes was, as always, excellent as the stuffy station commander. Several Spitfires took part I think, and at least one Me109 but I don’t know which one/s as I don’t have those episodes. :confused:

Ahh, here’s where I come in! 😉

The Spits were AR501, MH434, TE566, PL965 and ML407. They wore the codes “WO-” and I think were coded (MH434) WO-A, (TE566) WO-P, (PL965) WO-F, and (ML407) WO-T. Dunno about AR501.

The Bf109s were G-USTV (Black 6) and Hans Dittes’ Bf109G-10 D-FEHD(Black 2).

I’ve seen very few photos of any of them in their film makeup, so if anyone has any they’d like to share…! 😀

There was also a couple of episodes in ‘Secret Army’ which featured a Lysander which ‘appeared’ to land (just a short hop probably), taxy in, unload a passenger, then depart (just a fast taxy down the grass). Excellent series, now available on DVD!!!

Regards,
Keith 😎

Anyone remember ‘Moonstrike’ about Lysander ops in France? I’m sure there was a real Lysander in it, can’t remember if it was flown or not though (this is 40 years ago 😀 ).

I remember that. My memory tells me there was a real Lizzie in it too but it’s so long ago I wouldn’t take bets on it.

Yes, ‘Over Here’ was very good. It starred Timothy West and his son Samuel West. It was a mini-series, but i only have one episode of (I think) four. It was written by John Sullivan, who also wrote Only Fools And Horses, and it had some great comedy in amongst the drama. Clunes was, as always, excellent as the stuffy station commander. Several Spitfires took part I think, and at least one Me109 but I don’t know which one/s as I don’t have those episodes. :confused:

Wasn’t there an appearance by a Tornado in a very short-lived ITV series as well?

The ITV series IIRC was called ‘STRIKE FORCE’ and never went further than the pilot (GROAN) episode.

Does anyone remember a one off done by the BBC filmed in the ’90s I think called ‘Over Here’ with Martin Clunes and Samuel West. It featured a B17 (SallyB?) and a Spitfire (MH434?) and there may have been Me109 Black 6 and Hans Dittes G10 involved too but I could be wrong.

Martin

Yes, I remember the Spit and Bf 109s from Gargoyles… I had thoroughfully enjoyed that show!!

Anyone remember ‘Moonstrike’ about Lysander ops in France? I’m sure there was a real Lysander in it, can’t remember if it was flown or not though (this is 40 years ago 😀 ).

Do cartoons count? If so, we have the ghostly sequence on board a B-17 that gets shot down and the only survivor bails out onto an island filled with ghostly fighter pilots bent on killing him…then there’s the ever classic animated TV series ‘Gargoyles’ where the ‘goyles find themselves transported back to London during the blitz…some NOT TOO BAD animated air battles and the Gargoyles taking out German Messers alongside their British counterparts in Spits…kinda interesting…

Mark

I spent 2 years staying up late waiting to catch the episode of “Simon and Simon” that featured Planes of Fame’s B-25 Betty Grable”…

There must be tons of these. A couple I can think of:

–Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” series from the 80s. Daft bit of business about a B-17 ball-turret gunner whose cartoon doodles come true. Kind of “Memphis Belle” (1990) meets “Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings”. This particular one I found offensive, actually. Mr S usually treats history rather less cavalierly, fortunately!

S.

I was fascinated by that episode, especially the B-17 shots. If I remember right, the hydraulics were shot out during combat and he was trapped in the ball turret, so he knew he was going to die when the B-17 belly landed. So he sketched landing gear (or tires) for his crippled aircraft and the aircraft landed on them. I’d like to see that again if I could ever find it.

Dennis

PA474 appeared in a spin off episode of ‘Eastenders’ a couple of years ago (I believe the BBC made use of some outtakes from the filming done for ‘Night Flight’)

Wasn’t there an appearance by a Tornado in a very short-lived ITV series as well?

OFMC’s Hunter in “Bird of Prey”, Fat Boy Silm video clip.

I flew my Avenger together with a T-6, a Grumman Goose and a Beech 18 in the TV movie remake of “South Pacific” in 1999 starring Glenn Close/Harry Connick Jr [and me????]

I think a Hunter from the OFMC also appeared at the end of “28 Days Later” for a fleeting flypast.