Fleet Air Arm (1962)

Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire.
An item filmed at the annual Royal Tournament In the Open Air.
Various M/Ss of the Women's Royal Army Corps Band marching through some public gardens.
Meanwhile at the Fleet Air Arm Base ...
C/U of a man in a close fitting flying helmet, the director of operations, blowing a whistle. Men in flying helmets are seen running towards several fighter planes on a runway. One group of men are pushing a cart with missiles on which they fix to the underbelly of a plane - they are re-enacting the battle scene on an aircraft carrier's deck. C/U of a man opening the cockpit, other men are seen running frantically around the plane preparing it for battle. C/U of four men in lifejackets - the pilots - looking at a map. The last of the ground crew leave the runway and the pilots climb into the cockpits. C/U of a pilot in a cockpit doing up his helmet. Various shots of the planes taxiing down the runway to take off. The launching crew squat on the ground waiting to attach the steam launching catapult - a British invention that allows a plane to take off on the confined space of a ship's deck. The launch crew make various last check signals to each other. Low angle shot of the aeroplane taking off.
According to the narrator, all the stories in this issue were also supposedly filmed at the 1962 Royal Tournament - this is confusing as paperwork suggest they were filmed at different locations... (I think the idea is that this is Pathe's version of an outdoor Royal Tournament, with contributions from around the country - SL.)
There is much documentation on file. Cuts exist - see separate record.
FILM ID:189.1
A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. www.britishpath...
FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT www.britishpath...
British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website. www.britishpat...

[@andrewallan6802]

Apparently the aircraft used in this were modified Sea Venoms, rebuilt to resemble Sea Vixens but smaller so this could be exhibited at the Royal Tournament. They had electric motors so they could move about. They were nicknamed Vixettes and some survived as gate guardians.

[@pietrooliani3251]

that's why they looked so small

[@gregtaylor6146]

Thank you, I was thinking that ground crew must've all been 7ft plus! Quite an engineering feat too for the apprentices, these are basically two prototype airframes.

[@matthewhopson964]

I have seen one still image of one of these previously and have always wanted to know more about them. Thank you for posting!

[@bugler75]

Very interesting, never knew of this. Thanks for the information 👍🏼

[@donclark8833]

That explains why they have the Hermes letter.

[@alextucker5819]

My father was affiliated with Naval Aviation. He was a Petty Officer on the USS Nimitz during Operation Desert Storm. He worked with the Blue Angels during that time. True story.

[@sebastianfalcon948]

great piece of history

[@barrytipton1179]

My first aircraft at Hms Heron aka RNAs Yeovilton were mk2 Sea Vixens on 767 squadron at later at NASU

[@ОмаоАминтаев]

👍👍👍!