Fair enough, British cameramen probably did risk themselves. They did not at Monte Cassino and in other areas of Italy. The “combat footage” is faked. End of story.

I interviewed a number of WWI combat soldiers earlier this year who’d all served in Italy. One of them mentioned he was in the “battle” after the battle for Pathe News. He explained that when the battle of Monte Cassino was over and everyone was moving on a number of men were held back for a week to film ‘combat’ scenes for the movie cameras and official photographers. He has a load of the photos which have him in them, and some of these have appeared in books stating they are during the combat. they’re not, and it wasn’t actually filmed in the real rubble either as there were far too many bodies in the real rubble so they went down the road.

I asked these guys if all the supposed combat footage we saw was done fake like this and they said yes, the British always did that. However, they said, the Yanks didn’t. They had cameramen up on the front lines. The British had learned it was a bad idea but the Americans had continued to do it. One of them said “I remmeber seeing one Yank at Cassino filming the action, I remember him clambering up all over the place getting his film. “Another of hese old boys said, “Oh yes, I rmemeber him. He copped it.”

So yes, it seems there were two different philosphies, the British played it safe and fooled the nation to an extent, the Americans really did risk it all to get the action shot.

These are nowhere near as good as others posted already (especially Mark12’s shot and Robbo’s photos which I really like a lot) but here are some photos I took last year at the awesome Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka, Blenheim, New Zealand, which I reckon are atmospheric in a way. The airshow has a great atmosphere all of it own.

German re-enactor camp

A definate 1930’s air pageant atmosphere, if not atmosperic as such

Early morning frost

Early morning Stuka

88mm at night

And the after-show function at the Marlborough Aero Club clubrooms, always a highlight

UK’s oldest pilot apparently, Don mcColl aged 88
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/daily-mail-london-england-the/mi_8002/is_2010_Sept_18/airborne-hero-skys-limit-wartime/ai_n55285634/

Am I right in thinking that Chuck Yeagar still flies his Mustang?

I would suggest you contact these people who held a No. 5 BFTS reunion last month, as they probably have access to course roles, etc and may be able to find E. Chamberlain’s full name, service number, home town, next of kin, etc. It’s worth a crack.

http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=10441

Bad crash, hope the pilot’s okay.

I’ve seen a Thunder Mustang, one was at the Ezell’s shop a few years ago when I was doing a story on the Montana Seafire. It’s an impressive airpcraft…much more impressive than some here would like to admit.

I have had the amazing opportunity to fly in the back seat of New Zealand based Thunder Mustang ZK-TMG, thanks to co-owner and pilot Simon Gault who kindly gave me a ride. They are a remarkable aeroplane, and TMG is very popular at airshows as they are extremely impressive, and noisy. The kiwi group’s test and display pilot Bryan Gault flew real P-51D’s in the RNZAF and he reckons the replica beats the original in most respects. It is faster at low level, he tells me. But the local P-51D owners won’t let them prove it. 🙂

It’s sad to see this crash, there are only a handful of the Thunder Mustangs around, just over a dozen I believe. ZK-TMG is the only one outside the USA. They no longer make them so this crash makes them all the more rare.

Yes, banning the film entirely is a form of censorship which society will not tolerate.

I suggested this film should not be allowed to be screened any more to prevoke a reaction and some debate, and I have achieved my goal. People should think about the implications of making/watching a film that purports to be a true story when it is clearly nothing of the sort. I agree with KG51 that flms like this jingoistic bit of fluff should be clearly prefaced when screened or released with a rider that states it is propaganda, fictional and not historically accurate. That would solve a lot of problems, and allow the traditionalists to enjoy the last work of Trevor Howard and the great footage of genuine Battle of Britain pilots, with no ill efects that they think they’re learning Spitfire history.

That’s my opinion. Others will differ.