Though a fantastic documentary, The Memphis Belle (1944) is not a strictly accurate account of one flight on one day as it portrays. It was filmed on many ocasions on several planes and half of it in the USA. It is a great representationin the end though, despite its faults.

The problem with when they set out to make it entertaining yet based on fact, they often still put across the premise that it happened that way, so the gullible think it’s true.

Take U-571, I watched and thought it was a fantastic piece of intelligent entertainment that drew on real stories for inspiration. I was quite shocked to later hear many people thought that it was a true story, and others thought it was Hollywood trying to say it was a true story. To me it was no more true than like a film based on an Alastair Maclean book or whatever. Others took it as fact that the US got the Enigma first. It’s in the perception. I still like the film.

On the other hand when they take a true story, bend it all out of proportion and then continue to say its the true story (like Pearl Harbor, The Patriot, Windtalkers, etc) tht’s just wrong. You don’t see this happening much at all outside of Hollywood, which is why people around the world get up in arms because non-Americans perhaps trust the accuracy of of own historical films more and thus expect that we should be able to trust Hollywood’s, if you see what I mean.

One of the greatest films made in my opinion, and though based on fact no-one can argue its accuracy as it’s not known, is JFK. I love that film. Great cast, great writing, great acting. That and Thirteen Days are he only Costner films I’ve seen that are worth watching.

No, you’ve seen two Dragons – remember Stan Smith has one at Dairy Flat too. I know what you mean though.

I had seen RIAMA in photos before but yours really shows it off in that sunlight. Do you know the significnce of the name? Sounds Maori.

James, with all that sea in your blood I now see where your love of flying boats comes from.

As far as contientious objectors go, I wouldn’t choose that route myself but I agree it is a tough choice for some. For other people there’s no question of objecting, they had to because of their religious beliefs. Here in NZ all those who objected were put into the Home Guard and EPS (like the ARP) by law, so they may have ended up at the front line anyway if we’d been invaded.

Some very fine people were objectors. NZ’s wartime Prime Minister in WWII, Peter Fraser, and half his cabinet, had all been imprisoned in WWI for objecting! Now that’s a scary thought. Anoter prominent CO was Sir Edmund Hillary. After a bit of objecting he came to his senses and joined the RNZAF where he found life much better, and they taught him mountain climbing!

I never had the pleasure to meet Mark Hanna properly, no more than a hello on the flightline when he was at Wigram with the Avenger, but I did see him display aircraft here in NZ on a number of occasions. He was a terrific pilot, like his father.

It is interesting how well known both became even to the NZ public due to their trips out here for shows. A lot of people have heard of the Hannas because they often took the time to do interviews for local media, etc, and they always came across as good genuine chaps with a sense of humour and a love for their work. People you wanted to know or support.

It was as big a shock here as in the UK no doubt when we learned of the tragedy. I won’t forget the TV news report. Mark, and his Dad, are the tyes of celebrities we can all genuinely admire, and perhaps aspire to be like in life, not like the so-called celebs of today.

RIP Mark – you gave a lot of joy to the world