A mixture of Mks V, IX and XVI Spitfires all present a uniform look while 'on parade' at Henlow.
(Photo from Roy Bonser, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The Photo Album")
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
SPITFIRES
Spitfires were gathered from all around the world to become a
part of the temporary air force
used to film the movie. Some were flyable, some were not, and some were replicas
built
specifically for background scenes in the movie.
A mixture of Mks V, IX and XVI Spitfires all present
a uniform look while 'on parade' at Henlow.
(Photo from Roy Bonser, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Duxford Airfield in the summer of 1968. Eight
Spitfires are parked out on the grass awaiting the next call for 'action'.
(Photo from Peter Sargent, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
One, two, three, Lift! Some of the RAF
tradesmen put their backs into the job of preparing the Spitfires.
(Photo from the Jean-Michel
Goyat Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
As related in Battle of Britain - The Movie,
a great deal of work had to be carried out on the late-war Spitfires in order to
create a 'uniform' look on screen.
Spitfire XVITE311 has had its low-back rear fuselage built up, rounded rudder
fitted and elliptical wingtips added. All it needs now is a three-blade
propeller
and a coat of 1940-style camouflage paint to complete the Mark Addie
transformation.
(Photo from Roy Bonser, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Spitfire Vc AR501 donned early-war camouflage again
during the summer of 2000, when it was used in the filming of the Michael
Bay/Disney movie Pearl Harbor.
This was the first time that 1940 colours had been worn by the aircraft since
the filming of Battle of Britain in 1968.
(Photo from Robert J. Rudhall, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Full Circle! In 2000 Spitfires donned
Battle of Britain film markings again for Dark Blue World, a European
production, shot in the Czech Republic. 'AI-A' is
Rob Lamplough's Spitfire VIII MV154 (G-BKMI). It and The Fighter Collection's
Spitfire V EP120 (G-LFVB) were so marked in order to match up with
out-takes from Battle of Britain, which were being used for the new
film's flying sequences.
(Photo from the Old Flying
Machine Company, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
A suitably 'weathered' Mark Addie Spitfire
sits out on the ramp at North Weald
(Photo from the Peter R.
Arnold Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Spitfire V EP120 wears 'BO-Q' codes as it pokes its nose out of one of the
hangars at Duxford in between 'takes'.
(Photo from Peter Sargent, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Three of the replica Spitfires, complete with
trestles to prevent the wings from drooping, await 'shooting' at North Weald.
(Photo from the Peter R.
Arnold Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
A film crew gets up close as one the replica Spitfires 'bites the dust' during
one of the action scenes at Duxford.
(Photo from the Steele/King Collection
via Francois Prins, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
One of the Mark Addie Spitfires was tipped up
onto its nose during the airfield attack sequences filmed at North Weald
Airfield.
(Photo from the Peter R.
Arnold Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Fine study of Spitfire IX MH434 (G-ASJV). The
fighter is still going strong and is operated throughout Europe by the Duxford-based
Old Flying Machine Company.
(Photo from the Brian
Williams Collection, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
As is common knowledge among aircraft enthusiasts, Spitfire Ha P7350 was
restored to flying condition for use in Battle of Britain. It is
therefore due entirely
to this movie that we today can savor the delights of the world's sole surviving
airworthy Spitfire which took part in the real Battle in 1940. Now operated by
the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 'P7' delights thousands of
people at airshows and events each year.
(Photo from Flypast - Steve
Fletcher, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
After passing through the post-filming hands of Tony
Samuelson and Sir William Roberts, Spitfire Tr.9 MJ772 (G-AVAV) was acquired by
American collector
Doug Champlin, for his museum at Mesa, Arizona. With the rear cockpit faired
over and a new colour scheme, the Spitfire was parked opposite another
Battle 'star', Hispano Buchon C4K-122 (G-AQHL), the latter being
fitted with a Daimler Benz engine for static display purposes. In more recent
years
Champlin's entire collection was acquired by the Seattle Museum of Flight, where
all of these aircraft can be seen in their new World War II wing.
(Photo from Flypast - Chris
Penney, text from Robert J. Rudhall's "Battle of Britain Film - The
Photo Album")
Here we see eleven of the twenty Spitfires collected for the movie, in a hangar
at Henlow in 1967.
(photos from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
A two-seater Spitfire (seen here flanked by two
other Spits) was used in addition
to the B-25 as another camera plane for filming the aerial sequences.
(Unknown source)
One of the earliest Spitfires to have been preserved, this Mk.1 (K-9942) had
previously
been on display at Bicester before playing its part in the movie.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Spitfire F.21 (LA226) was dismounted from its pole at Little Rissington to join
the movie.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Spitfire G-ASSD was one of the Mk.IX's used in the movie.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Mahaddie also acquired ex-Belgian Spitfire Mk.IX OO-ARD (later redesignated G-AVDJ)
for his air force.
(photo from Air Pictorial
Magazine, September 1967)
Mk IIA P7350, registered as G-AWIJ for the film, at Duxford in June 1968.
(photo by Mike Springett via
Aircraft Magazine)
Twin-cockpit Spitfire Tr IX G-AWGB was also used as a camera ship, seen here at
Cambridge in August 1968.
(photo by R.A. Edwards via
Aircraft Magazine)
The same twin seat Spitfire seen above broke a con-rod and had to make a dead
stick belly landing.
No one was hurt and the aircraft was repaired for further duty.
(photo from Flight
International Magazine, September 11, 1969)
A darned good looking replica Spitfire, though the way it sits on its landing
gear gives it away.
(photo by Mike Springett via
Aircraft Magazine)
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
A follow-up on some of the Spitfires used in the movie - and where they currently reside:
.jpg)
AR213 MI Ia (A) is now owned by Victor Gauntlett and now wears the markings of
'PR-D' of 610 Squadron.
This Spitfire played a small part in the miniseries "Piece of Cake".
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
.jpg)
The third aircraft restored to flying status for the movie, AR501 MkVc (A) is
still part of the Shuttleworth Trust.
It now wears the markings of a Czech squadron.
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
BM597 Mk Vb (S) was used for the the master molds used to create the fiberglass
replicas. Formerly on display at Church Fenton, it was shipped to the Essex base
of Tim Routsis in May of 2007 for a complete restoration to flight worthiness.
It was recently registered as G-MKVB.
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
P7350 Mk IIa (A) is a Ministry of Defense aircraft that was transferred to the
Battle of Britain flight
after filming was completed. It continues to serve in that role, being based at
RAF Coningsby.
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
AB910 Mk Vb (A) is another Battle of Britain flight aircraft also based at RAF
Coningsby. Having suffered accidents in 1972 and in 1976 (pictured above), it
was written off after a taxiing collision in Switzerland in 1979. Since then,
however, a three year restoration has seen it return to its flying duties.
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
BL614 Mk Vb (T) carried the serial of AB871 during the filming of the movie,
which was later corrected to BL614. It is shown above on temporary display at
Guildhall yard, London to promote the movie in September 1969. In 1982 it was
installed at the Air and Space Gallery of the Greater Manchester Museum of
Science and Industry, now wearing 'ZD-F' livery.
(research by Peter R Arnold
as appearing in FlyPast magazine October 2007)
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