noelh Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Came across this: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-64-squadron-at-raf-station-hornchurch-1942-online It's over 30 minutes long. Some of you may have seen this before. It was shot on a bright sunny day in May 1942 at Hornchurch featuring 64 squadron with an occasional 122 squadron interloper. The film is very clear for it's time and there are several close ups which might be useful. The Squadron Leader featured in the film is W G Duncan Smith. He wrote a very entertaining book about his experiences called 'Spitfire into Battle'. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Noel, Thanks very much for posting that. I've read that book but have never previously seen this film. Fabulous to watch. Bless them all. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 49 minutes ago, noelh said: The Squadron Leader featured in the film is W G Duncan Smith. He wrote a very entertaining book about his experiences called 'Spitfire into Battle'. His son may be more or less familiar to some of you as well... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 18 minutes ago, Procopius said: His son may be more or less familiar to some of you as well... Never made that connection before. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Incidentally 15 minutes in, that's a Stampe SV4 landing. Not a Tiger Moth. Quite possibly the very aircraft the Belgian pilot Michel Donnet used to escape from occupied Belgium. He was serving with 64 squadron at the time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 51 minutes ago, noelh said: Incidentally 15 minutes in, that's a Stampe SV4 landing. Not a Tiger Moth. Quite possibly the very aircraft the Belgian pilot Michel Donnet used to escape from occupied Belgium. He was serving with 64 squadron at the time. It is. You can see at that point it had serial ‘J7777’. It later was given proper British serial MX457 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Bummer, "BFI Player films cannot be played outside of the UK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 The boss is wearing a strange Mae West,....is it captured (German/Italian) or a private purchase? Great film, cheers for sharing, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Great film. Thanks for the link. Serials painted out on some Spitfires. Individual letters under nose. A Boston takes off (226 Sqn?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 hour ago, tonyot said: The boss is wearing a strange Mae West,....is it captured (German/Italian) or a private purchase? Great film, cheers for sharing, Tony I read somewhere that it's Luftwaffe. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 hour ago, FinnAndersen said: Bummer, "BFI Player films cannot be played outside of the UK" Strange, I'm outside the UK but it plays ok. In any case it's an imperial war museum film. So maybe it can be seen there. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 8 hours ago, noelh said: I read somewhere that it's Luftwaffe. Cheers Noel, I thought that it might,..... cheers for the update mate. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 11 hours ago, tonyot said: The boss is wearing a strange Mae West,....is it captured (German/Italian) or a private purchase? Great film, cheers for sharing, Tony I thought that too! The 'mae West' doesn't look German more likely Italian. Maybe the book will reveal something which I too have read some years ago? Fascinating film though. Noted the filled in or dark back ground colour to the individual codes under the nose of the Spits, No serials visible at all on the 64 Squadron machines. The Stampe serial is T7777 not J7777 as J7777 was a Fairey Fawn!! Not the one the Belgian chappies escaped in as that was OO-ATD becoming MX457 later and used by 24 Sqdn. The Stampe was used to film the aerial shots at the end by the look of it. Other observations : the proximity of the homes to the airfield, what was the chimney belonging to seen in much of he landing footage. It must have been a hot summer judging by the dust and patchy grass. I am sure the camo is dark green, grey and msg but pre C type roundel period and also visible the yellow leading edges of the wings outboard of the cannon. I wonder if the man at Westminster has seen this and see his old man doing something great!!?? Will have to watch it again..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 10 minutes ago, Paul J said: I wonder if the man at Westminster has seen this and see his old man doing something great!!?? Will have to watch it again..... I have e mailed him a link! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 10 hours ago, noelh said: Strange, I'm outside the UK but it plays ok. In any case it's an imperial war museum film. So maybe it can be seen there. Yes, many thanks - https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/919 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 22 minutes ago, Paul J said: I thought that too! The 'mae West' doesn't look German more likely Italian. Maybe the book will reveal something which I too have read some years ago. Yes I did read somewhere it was Luftwaffe but doubts remain. I'm about to delve into the boxes of books upstairs. ' I may be sometime'....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Excellent movie! superb picture quality under the circumstances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 3 hours ago, tonyot said: Cheers Noel, I thought that it might,..... cheers for the update mate. Tony After a bit of digging. Yes indeed it's a Luftwaffe Schwimmweste10-30, apparently much prized by some RAF pilots. https://www.historicflyingclothing.com/en-GB/ww2-luftwaffe/luftwaffe-schwimmweste-type-10-30/prod_14452#.XDUaB It's thinner compared to the RAF Mae West. But It's flaw apparently was that the back inflated and could place an unconscious or injured pilot face down in the water. Let us know if DS replies but one suspects he may be distracted by other weighty matters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Paul J said: . The Stampe serial is T7777 not J7777 as J7777 was a Fairey Fawn!! Not the one the Belgian chappies escaped in as that was OO-ATD becoming MX457 later and used by 24 Sqdn. The Stampe was used to film the aerial shots at the end by the look of it. Other observations : the proximity of the homes ..... It’s definitely J7777. And it is OO-ATD. It’s history is recorded as initially being given that serial, then given a ‘proper’ serial when officially adopted, but I’d never seen a pic as J7777 before (Interestingly under one wing too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 minute ago, Dave Fleming said: It’s definitely J7777. And it is OO-ATD. It’s history is recorded as initially being given that serial, then given a ‘proper’ serial when officially adopted, but I’d never seen a pic as J7777 before (Interestingly under one wing too) OK Stand corrected. BUT very interesting to see footage of it in action though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 The scheme on the Stapme, J7777 looks strange,..... especially as the area around the serial has a cut out. Almost as if a lighter colour has been applied over the Dark Earth areas,.....or even if a desert style camo has been applied, with part of the serial remaining on a Dark Green background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasermonkey Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Thanks for sharing. It's interesting to note that No. 64 Sqn continued to place its squadron codes aft of the roundel (on both sides) for quite some time after the few other squadrons that shared the practice had stopped. I think I've even seen a IX or two with the codes aft as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 11 hours ago, John Laidlaw said: Yes, many thanks - https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/919 Now I can see it, thanks /Finn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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