Louis Zborowski - The Real Chitty-Bang-Bang

I started making a film about the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway but kept heading off at a tangent due to the amount of interesting, if somewhat peripheral, information. To keep some form of order, it's now coming in two parts; effectively this is part one although not labelled as such. The second part will be about Captain Howey, Henry Greenly and building the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. Zborowski deserved his own film as he was, in modern parlance, a bit of a rockstar!
I decided against using the 'Count' title as he wasn't one and, in my opinion, the real story of Louis Zborowski is far better than any myth.
The film was made in a hotel in Manhattan; quite appropriate, all things considered.
Link to the Zborowski film here:
vimeo.com/404046028
Music. 'Big Sky' by Hans Zimmer.
Maps from the National Library of Scotland.
#flying for fun #aeronca #aeroncac2 #aeroncac3 #aeronica #airknocker #flyingbathtub #douglasdc3 #douglas c47 #spitfire #hurricane #worldwar2 #ww2 #ww1 #airport #airstrip #automobileassociation #rac #aa #vintagesportscarclub #vintageaircraft #vintageaeroplane #vintageairplane #aeroplane #plane #flying #aerodrome #england #praga #oldengine #microlight #cornwall #thrustertst #vauxhall1440 #vauxhall #airplane #magneto #lathe #zborowski #chittybangbang #chittychittybangbang #brooklands #motorracing

[@Tonybakablooper]

My farther in law was born on the Higland court estate where his father was a tennant farmer for the count.

[@stanleybest8833]

I have a Rover with horribly painted racing stripes. It towed racing lights to contests. After it was partly stripped and left for dead in a pile of parts, I combined it with an automatic and built a few parts to make it go together. It's now a family car.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

You kept the stripes? Sounds tremendous!

[@stanleybest8833]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair ...until the Rover gets repainted, properly. The strips were painted so sloppily.

[@lancewhite1477]

My great uncle was Zborowski’s chauffeur, so it’s quite possible he might have driven some of these cars.

[@user-nl2yg3gm4z]

This was a very good video 😅 And My favorite car and movie😅

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Thank you 🙂

[@deaconfrost4100]

Ok as an individual who grew up watching the Chitty movie, im beyond amazed...Always knew that car was magical 🥹❤ plus the 15 gauge rail line is a definite favorite...

[@mungomidge1090]

Well this is very interesting, never knew there was a real Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in fact quite a few! Those cars look incredible and at 23 litres must have sounded like a dragon.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

There were quite a lot of specials built from Edwardian chassis and WW1 era engines. The Scarisbrick Special and the FIAT Mephistopheles come to mind; both were British built using cast-off components, as were most of these magnificent machines

[@TheSockMonkeyGuy]

Thanks so much for this fascinating video!

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

My pleasure 🙂

[@wesleycardinal8869]

What a great story, thanks for that.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

My pleasure! It was an enjoyable film to make as he was such an interesting character to research.

[@jhonsiders6077]

just think if the movie followed the book it would have been so much better ! like to see it made .

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Yes indeed 👍

[@nigelcarren]

Sir, I just subscribed because of your Arthur Strong reference! This character just doesn't get enough love in my opinion. I do a frankly faultless impersonation. I often do it when shopping though sadly nobody has recognized the voice yet, perhaps because I live in France? 😉👍 Best wishes to you from a Englishman who once drove a car I made from a chip-shop pie-cabinet across the Sahara, now making armour in a French forest.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Sir, your comment has made my day. The thought of a chip-shop pie cabinet propelling itself across the desert, driven by a malaprop spouting thespian, is going to be with me for a while. I looked at your armour, it's very impressive. Surprised that Lindybiege hasn't come a-knocking at your door. He's almost as potty as our eponymous Count?!

[@nigelcarren]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Thank you. KSK 362 was my car (The Bellini Special). Sure you know what movie car it was named after? Last seen in Ireland in 2008. Best wishes to you. I like your style. Keep up the great work. 👍🏆

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@nigelcarren I believe it's 'School For Scroundrels' with the wonderful Terry-Thomas? Sir Percy Ware-Armitage is one of my favourite film characters.

[@cookiestreet8237]

Fabulous documentary! Now, I am trying to sell this full history Zborovki's home at Higham Park ☺Would you mind if I share this video with potential buyers?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@cookiestreet8237 Tremendous, please do. Sadly I'm not wealthy enough to make an offer!

[@geoffreymccullough5670]

The 3:16 of the video the one of the book page where can I find that book?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I found that image on the interweb

[@user-hz9gk6me6k]

I wonder what happened to Chitty 3?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Yes indeed?

[@user-hz9gk6me6k]

Do you know what happened to Chitty 3?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@user-hz9gk6me6k No, it would be a wonderful discovery but I imagine it was scrapped in WW2 if not before.

[@user-hz9gk6me6k]

Oh. 😢