Another vague memory – was the black colourscheme worn for the filming The Aerodrome when a number of early jets – flyers and static – were painted thus?

The last flying operator of the Sea Hawk was Airworks Services as part of the FRU at Hurn, they operated some in an all over black scheme complete with a Harley light fitted into the port drop tank.
The one at Duxford was later used by the School of Aircraft Handling at Culdrose (hence SAH5) and many of these Sea Hawks were the ones that found their way into preservation.

Nice picture of XE339 in said scheme here, http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=176107099075243

I like both equally but for different reasons, one is an excellent, dark satire, movie directed by the great Robert Altman, made in the same period and with a similar underlying feel as Catch 22.
The other was a television series, which was absolutely superb in production quality, acting, and humourously dark story lines. I would say that as such it was without peer.
Even though most of the actors (from memory!) from one to the other were changed they were all great. I couldn’t even say which of the two Hot Lips I prefer!

Both M*A*S*Hs’ work really well in their own ways, one couldn’t be the other.:)

So what was going on there, as I’m sure it wasn’t shot specially for the film?

A well known bit of early test footage.

It would be unreasonable to be overly criticality about a remake without giving it a chance to be made, let alone watching it, but the original is so indelibly etched in the minds of a certain generation that any pretender would have to be pretty damn good.

If it actually appears I’ll give it look see, but it has a hell of reputation to live up to.

The problem is that the original has almost become something of a lumbering legend.
Personally I think it’s the most woodenly acted war film I’ve seen (close to BoB), it’s just not for a modern audience, partly for the reasons you mention, aswel as awful special effects and necesarily limited technology to shoot the film.
The only redeeming feature is the use of real aircraft, which sadly a remake won’t be able to muster.

There is a whole new audience now that would embrace a new film, and the story is such that it deserves to be realised in a well made film and played in modern cinemas to a wide audience.
Certainly the right names are behind the current/future production, so it should be of good quality, but sadly without real aircraft.

The original stands alone by being a quaint movie of its era, but a new one would bring to life the story not only with better technology, but perhaps with better hindsight of the actual events surrounding the operation.

Think Private Ryan and the 1950s G.I. films, there is no comparison.

Thanks Airfixtwin, I hadn’t realised that it had moved, I take it that is in respect of Eglintons’ past?

Apologies, was viewing from mini laptop, don’t they look similar!

Hi Blue, yeah I think that’s what prompted my question, they have performed miracles on the Gannet fuselage which I had thought was left for dead at one stage.

Looks like the Jet Art Tornado F.2 cockpit section there as well.

Anyone know how the Gannet there is shaping up?