Fleet Fighter | World War II dramatisation (1942)

This is a surprisingly frank and detailed dramatised account of training Fleet Air Arm pilots during World War II. Made in 1942 and released March 1943, it is filmed "on location" in the training rooms, simulators, lecture theatres - and cockpits - used at the time to turn trainees into qualified fighter pilots.
FAA training was conducted using Sea Hurricanes, which by this time were being replaced by Seafire IIs and Marlet IVs.
Unexpectedly, the effort was made by the producers to capture air-to-air training manoeuvres - such as deflection shooting - to put the relevance of otherwise "dry" training charts, diagrams and tables into context.
This resulted in some nice footage of Sea Hurricanes in flight.
Pilots would undergo conversion to more modern Seafires and Corsairs before becoming operational.

[@grahamhowat8387]

One of the Instructors in the group of 3 ,is Lt Dickie Cork DSC,who was originally awarded the DFC flying with Bader's squadron in the Battle of Britain.He was to distinguish himself further in the Mediterranean battles to relieve Malta and would go onto command a Corsair squadron in the Indian Ocean and was to die in a tragic accident in 1943,whilst landing at Ceylon,colliding with another Corsair that was taking off,against orders,ironically to join Cork's aircraft carrier.

[@glennledrew8347]

What a nice and clear reproduction. I've gained additional insights into training methods of the time. A valuable slice of history, this. Thanks!😊

[@gregmccartney5780]

Brilliant as always. Thank you. Always sad when you think that all these vibrant young chaps are now gone.

[@harryspeakup8452]

Absolutely excellent find, thank you very much!

[@soppdrake]

Marvellous find in a very good hires reproduction. Fantastic bit of hostoric Hurricane love

[@allandavis8201]

Not seen this video before so I am very grateful that it found me and for Armoured Archivist preserving for future generations to see what it took to be a fighter pilot during WWII, I found it very interesting and informative, definitely learnt something new today. Thank you again.

[@Liddledriver]

Quite informative and entertaining. We don't often see much regarding FAA operations especially featuring the Sea Hurricane. Thanks for a great channel. Cheers

[@thegreatdominion949]

These must be Sea Hurricane Mk IAs (Hurricats) or even Mark I Hurricanes turned over from the RAF for training. I don't see arrestor hooks on any of them.

[@gary6300]

Hi buddy fantastic hurricane footage also a fantastic training film. Thank you for sharing buddy. Cheers Gary 🇬🇧

[@fazole]

It's interesting that they didn't use checklists before take off or landing. I've seen wartime US Navy pilot training films and they used checklists. In the airlines we used flow check, which was a pattern of memorized hand movements to operate the appropriate switches at the appropriate time but ALWAYS confirmed afterwards by the first officer reading the checklist and captain confirming.

[@flybobbie1449]

One assumes on a scramble you don't have time for checklists.

[@flybobbie1449]

One assumes on a scramble you don't have the time for checklists.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

Checklists were for mil trainees and civilians. Op pilots had it memorized for scramble purposes. German pilots never saw a checklist apparently according to Gunther Rall.

[@MrRugbylane]

Trust me to tune into this just before I have to go to work .... aaaargg

[@dobiem1]

Hello "O for Orange". You are fired! Out.

[@Mtlmshr]

Heck it’s been 80 years and I’ve never flown a WWII Aircraft and I figured out that he forgot to take the plane out of reserve!

[@andybelcher1767]

It was cleverly set up to reward arrogance with humiliation 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Both the fuel switch and the transmit/receive switch.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

41:25 ..EeeeK! was that a vampire ? Yes, That's the RAF for you. LOL ! Seriously, fantastic to see the hurricanes flying.

[@ronmartin3755]

What a great old film. Thank you. I gave you a thumbs up and subscribed to your channel. I am 78 years old and living on SS and cannot help through Patreon but would if I had any extra money.

[@draganjagodic4056]

Really nice. Enjoyed every minute. Subscribed.

[@iancarr8682]

Lots of interesting detail in this film

[@geordiedog1749]

The extreme levels of RP always make me wince. I wonder if they all really did speak like that or was it just for the films? Nice Hurricane start up refresher a couple of minutes in

[@Ian-mj4pt]

Had to be clear and don't forget most were toffs who had flying experience through having dosh .

[@fazole]

Michael Caine said that before him, if you didn't speak like that, you couldn't work as an actor.

[@Sir_Richard_Stewart]

They spoke clear and concise. Definitely exaggerated in this. But when the tanks got there, Radio Traffic was a bit of a joke. Lots had their heads reamed over it.

[@frankeimer3906]

Thankyou for these uploads.

[@caseyjonessnr1200]

Excellent Hurricane flying sequences. A very good training film of its period. Thank you. 44:45

[@michaelpass2176]

That is why you have a written check list preflight, start up,after take off, pre landing, and shutdown.😊

[@craigpennington1251]

Outstanding video. Thanks for posting.

[@andrewharrington7706]

Great to see this!. My father was an FAA pilot, trained at The Empire Air Training School in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. After learning how to fly on and off carriers, where does the Navy post him?. To North Africa ( Algeria).

[@fazole]

It reminds me of a story US P-47 air ace, Robert S Johnson told. In training, he wanted to become a fighter pilot but was harassed by some instructor and told he wasn't going to graduate. Later, his friends convinced him to sign up for bomber training because it would help after the war in getting a multi engine airline job. He signs up for bombers, completes part of the training, then gets assigned to fighters!

[@williamtraynor-kean7214]

It is a British tradition, having completed the long Arabic course I was posted to Fort George, Inverness.

[@Mercmad]

@@williamtraynor-kean7214 Och aye Ali! but the problem is , Scotland is "White!" .

[@bobsakamanos4469]

Which Sqn? When?

[@andrewharrington7706]

@@bobsakamanos4469 727 Squadron, FAA.

[@alexdieudonne1924]

Great Scott ! Great archive, oh for yesteryear.

[@dmunro9076]

Excellent!

[@ianbell5611]

Great video

[@bobsakamanos4469]

Great old training film. The training aids are fascinating and innovative for their day. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated since my father went through Hurricane conversion trg fm Spits. Funny to see instructors in a training film with hands in their pockets while debriefing the student. Poor show old boy.

[@robertbrynin9919]

That was presumably the phonetic alphabet in use then. I am used to O for Oscar and S for Sierra.

[@peterroberts2737]

The accent shows how important class was , definitely officer material with a voice like that.

[@flybobbie1449]

Strange how simple device like a push to talk switch can be so significant. Wonder if deliberate not to get mixed up with a gun button.

[@Sir_Richard_Stewart]

Below 40 megahertz when in close proximity its easy to what we call in radio terms " cause Splatter " and drown out another transmitter.

[@rocktapperrobin9372]

On the buses you had to hold the button down to transmit. As soon as you took your thumb away it automatically returned to receive. Strange they hadn’t something similar on these aircraft.

[@77gravity]

It's easy to see why a PTT (push to talk) switch is a better option.

[@twcc406]

Excellent, interesting to note that the problematic candidate (around the two minute nark) was noted as Tommy Robinson !

[@johncashwell1024]

@6:39 What's that giant spoon for!? It's tucked right under 🥄 the sailor's belt at the small of his back. I figure he's got it handy in case he needs to help a fat pilot (like me, btw) into a cramped cockpit or its simply for eating canned rations on the wing (whilst working, that is).

[@Helifella882]

It's a screw driver. Probably to close the ground power socket cover.

[@suedearing-ex7ve]

Accents have changed since then. Especially that of the officer in charge.

[@brianpoole4369]

there seems to be something wrong with my banter today....

[@markturpin5667]

Observing the WRNS this film makes the case for recruiting women pilots.

[@flybobbie1449]

And i thought i had problems with students.

[@sailordude2094]

Cool history, thanks! I noticed a Popeye symbol. The Vichy French had Popeye himself bombing France in the propaganda film, Nimbus Libere (English dub version), it's uploaded on KZbin about 1 minute long, funny.

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

General Adolph Gallant of Luftwaffe fame had Mickey Mouse on the side of his aircraft( a 109E I believe)

[@scudfarcus4343]

Strange; I don't see Jenkins in the class photo.

[@SpireUtd]

I noticed thouout this film the women quietly played their vital roles.

[@andrewharrington7706]

Thanks!

[@ArmouredCarriers]

And thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[@brucemacallan6831]

4:00 ffs who in their right mind would take off on the reserve tank? Silly boy😊

[@sylvestersniper9417]

This is very interesting 🤔 🙂 👀

[@JohnSmith-ei2pz]

Yeovilton?

[@tonythedwvyer]

The received Oxbridge pronunciation is painful these days !

[@snarky_user]

Could they have found three plainer girls to play those "Debra" roles.

[@returnofthenative]

I say, Deborah was a smasher, but in all candour, my tastes ran very much to WRENS.

[@headsup2433]

All jolly jolly good chaps.

[@Ian-mj4pt]

Pip pip 😅😅

[@johnaggett1712]

Jolly good show chaps 🥸

[@Mercmad]

The women WAAF's analysing the gun camera fo0tage with models and graph paper was pretty interesting. The accents of the officers were just like a cousin who had joined the RN as an 11 year old and retired as a commander. ha ha Old chaps !

[@glenchapman3899]

So when the pilots are getting ready for their first flight. One of the ground crew looks like he has a big spoon tucked into the back of his pants. What is that all about?

[@ArmouredCarriers]

I personally think it was an expression of the era's sense of humor, lost now to time...

[@glenchapman3899]

@@ArmouredCarriers Okay that makes a lot of sense. I assumed it was something official (like a tool or something) because it was left in the film.

[@itsonlyme9938]

Not as simple flying aircraft as jumping into a car.

[@chrisstephens1399]

All the matlos wearing hats definatly a no no around ground crews especially around kites

[@stephend4909]

This is lovely. Thank you for uploading this. It is really precious and a true whiff of the past, reminding us of state of the art, propaganda film making, the prevalent decency and the conceptions of those early 1940s at war. 27:33 The "3rd Act moment" when he wakes up in hospital with a broken arm in a splint and head bandaged, doesn't question anything until he reads the bill for aircraft damages and crop destruction. Beautiful comedy and Norman Wisdom could not do those scenes better. Well he could really, coz he's Norman Wisdom. But you know what I mean, right. That is where I am at in the watching but I had to place this comment. Perhaps I must check out your channel and subscribe if it is all as ridgy didge as this is. And this is good. Beautiful quality history. Thanks again. And thanks for not pasting an interpretation or message or "agenda" over it and thanks for not turning it into a meme. That would be cheap and cruel and I would not forgive it.

[@ArmouredCarriers]

Thanks for your kind words. I try to pair the frank (but not always perfectly historically accurate) memories of the veterans of these events with related footage from the events and era. But Google "punishes" me for not publishing my Memories of War style videos more than once per week. It generally takes a month for me to edit one. That's why I'm republishing these out-of-copyright source material films I use to illustrate my preferred format. Just so I can keep the attention of the algorithm ... But they tell their own stories. So it is proving to be a worthwhile exercise in itself.

[@stephend4909]

Well, my friend, I certainly empathize, and I absolutely disagree with KZbin censorship and many of its policies and political actions. I am sickened by the creators it promotes. But, I still use it , so far, as you do, and I understand you must be incredibly busy, it is very kind and genuine of you to respond to my post. I wish KZbin was less restrictive, I really do, but we use it for now. It is what it is and it is only that. As it has restricted creators like you it restricts itself and will be replaced by ElonTube. Soon. Perhaps. I hope. I am sure Elon would promote a healthier incentivization of truthful media and less of the destabilizing agenda we currently see. To be more specific: your "Memories Of War" style videos is what made me subscribe. The quality in the Kirkenes Raid video blew a hole in me. I love the way you put it together and I lost my heart when those men spoke of their missions. I have to acknowledge here, um, yes, I realize I am already subscribed. And yes, it was that style of video that carried me there. But as you know, history lovers just want history. Real history. Sorry if I accidentally deceived myself or anyone else, (embarrassed lol) I'm reluctant to just subscribe unless I really feel a connection. I totally agree that this episode of Fleet Fighter tells its own story , as others do, and I find it rich and rewarding. It is very well made, imo. I'm really looking forward to exploring more of the titles in your archive, and I am very grateful that you have made this content available to me and in a way that preserves these vital (!) histories for many, many, many people. I am extremely grateful that you have worked so hard, even when the KZbin algorithms punish you for it, and brought these vital histories to light. I think vital is the right word, and I think all history is vital, and I am 100% confident you agree. And thank you for liking my comment. :) @@ArmouredCarriers

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

Not trying to be a wise guy, but what do you do if you have to go #2 in a fighter plane? It's easier in a bomber, but as a writer I did think about that possibility.

[@fazole]

Those fighters only had an endurance of an hour and a half, so I think the pilots could plan out their "bombing" schedule😅. Later, the P-51 pilots might have had to hold it quite a while since those fighters had a 6 hour or more endurance.

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

@@fazole that was the pilots that I was thinking about because they escorted the bombers. I knew guys who flew in the bombers who told me stories., especially a tail gunner on a B24, but I only knew one Hellcat pilot, but he was a cranky guy so I wouldn't dare ask him any questions. I guess it will remain a mystery. LOL

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

When you gotta go you gotta go. You let fly in your flying suit.Your combat efficiency goes down if your trying to hold it in. It was common in WWI as they were breathing Castor Oil fumes as that was used to lubricate the engine.Ive noticed that no matter the era and no matter the size there is never any increase in cockpit room in fighter aircraft.

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

@@patrickgriffitt6551 well, I hope it was rare for the pilot's sake. I couldn't imagine sitting in it on the way back. 😳

[@JanoTuotanto]

Just plan your eating & drinking beforehand. I've done 7 hour biking trips and 10 h work shifts manning a sales booth alone on a fair without a break. Not a big deal.

[@chrisplace9773]

Proper accent.

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

Is it any wonder our Polish comrades in 303 squadron struggled to get through the pomposity of these ever so 'up there' chaps.

[@stefanschutz5166]

Orange’s superiors have no sense of humour.

[@HeavensGremlin]

No actors - all serving staff.

[@fload46d]

Heeeah, heeeah, and heeeah.

[@гольф2бравобраво]

❤❤❤достойно

[@patrickrichards2577]

✨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿✨🥰✨👍✨♥️✨🤗✨.

[@dhouse-d5l]

O for orange....Cherio and good riddance!

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

The toffs in this movie blame everything on carelessness. I put it down to shit-awful instruction. The officers should accept responsibility for the accidents. To hell with them.

[@gervacio-tc4ph]

Those pilots students were the early 😂predecessors of students with ADD