On Location - Cine film - Battle of Britain Production

Never seen before, cine film taken by Viv Bellamy in Spain and then at Bovingdon and Duxford, England during the filming in 1968. Permission for uploading generously given by the Bellamy Family.

[@johnnr338gl]

I was the airframe and engine mechanic on the film, started with Spitfire and Hurricane I was seconded to work with the Spanish mechanics on the Messerschmidt and Heikels. Delegated to be personal engineer for Col Connie Edwards of the Confederate airforce who did much of the special effects flying. Just before the Spanish mechanics returned to Spain I was given about 15hrs flying instruction [in Spanish] on the Heinkel [I still have the poorly translated pre-flight check list] and was the only person in the UK with any knowledge of them when they found a pilot daft enough to fly us from Bovingdon to West Malling. After an hair-raising first trip with just the pilot and me aboard the second plane was full of passengers. No health and safety then!! That was the last I heard of the only two Heinkels in the UK.

[@iancurtis1152]

It’s a pity the whole Heinkel fleet were not permitted “to attack London”

[@soppdrake]

Good grief! That was amazing! Like staring through an airfield fence during the war, as I often did at Farnborough growing up during the sixties and seventies 😊

[@adrianallain2622]

Thanks for posting this Martin. In 1968 I worked as an Air Traffic Controller for the film in both the Duxford and Debden ATC towers. The participating aircraft were held on the ground at RAF Manston on the day that the large formation of 23 aircraft were to arrive at Duxford. Shots of the formation over the 'White Cliffs of Dover' were required after departure from Manston; bad weather delayed this. Location Caterers had laid on a magnificent lunch in Duxford officers' mess which was enjoyed by just a handful of us in the absence of our expected guests. They eventually arrived in the afternoon, unable to find Duxford, without me getting radar help from Bassingbourne ATC.

[@grahamaindow8894]

Great that you mentioned RAF Debden. I was an ATC Cadet at 614 Gliding School at Debden and remember walking through one of the hangars...and to my disbelief finding it full of Spitfires, Hurricanes, Buchons and a CASA. I was told to keep it quiet as they were making a movie. If only I had a camera with me! No one believes me as RAF Debden never gets mentioned in books about the movie. I was told they were kept there as the airfield was secure, being the RAF Police HQ at the time.

[@PulkVideo]

Nice detail, the Mitchell is now based in Adelaide with Reevers Warbirds. It had the Dutch registration of the 18 sqn based in Australia during WWII.The Mitchell is called “Pulk” after my father.

[@watchit65]

Thank you, Matin, for the work you have done to recover this video and to the Bellamy family for allowing it to reach the public domain. Thanks.

[@graemejwsmith]

Tanks to all concerned for sharing this. LOVE the shots of the rig for the dummies to "bale out" and the authentic patina on the aircraft.

[@richardcooke5415]

A gold mine of a fine film. the nearest any of us will get to hanging around on the set of our favourite film. Thanks for posting.

[@Spaceman042]

Many thanks for sharing this piece of film history.

[@thewatchman1078]

Fascinating, it’s clear a lot of fantastic footage was shot that was never used in the film and a sense of scale of aircraft numbers actually used is lost as a result.

[@Dreamsofwings]

This really is incredible to see, no matter how many times you’ve watched it!

[@AndyJ_Media]

Truly incredible footage, the Quality is excellent. One of my all time favourite films to watch. Many thanks for sharing this with us.

[@Skyraider3D]

That's about as cool as actual wartime footage! Love it! Thanks for sharing Martin! :)

[@fredMplanenut]

I was lucky to see the whole British assembled aircraft fleet on approach to Newmarket - the noise was fantastic. Then for weeks we were treated to numerous dog fight scenes overhead, and luckily, nobody hurt.

[@Tillerman56]

Just for the record: the Heinkels in the BoB movie were not Heinkels, they were CASA 2.111's and they were license built in Spain. Engines were RR Merlin. There are only three surviving original Heinkel He 111H's (the model with the glass nose) against 14 CASA 2.111's. And one He 111E3, with stepped cockpit and Jumo engines is in the Museo del Aire in Madrid.

[@saucerman110]

Turns out that at least one of the CASA 2. 111s, is in fact a genuine Heinkel 111, which was manufactured in Germany in 1940/41, and has been accounted for battle damage, later going to Spain in 1946, and converted to CASA 2 111. Used in the Battle of Britain Film, Stored at Duxford for many years, now at the Biggin Hill Museum. As believed by many, it would appear that a vast amount of CASA's were in fact converted Heinkel's, same appears with the Spanish Bouchon's were indeed MESSERSCHMITT ME109's

[@joey95661]

The main airframe is a he111 just like the buchons the airframe is a 109 so yes they are he111s just with upgraded engines

[@zzzyxwv]

Fantastic footage. You realise the logistics behind the film

[@johncarpenter1093]

Fantastic footage, thanks for posting this, it gives a great impression of wartime formations & the old film adds to the feel, brilliant !!

[@louisfortin7824]

One wow ...all this stuff flying in the days ..Saw the movie first hand ...But in a 2021 perspective it was a disaster as most of the planes went to scrap after the movie debut.Great footage thanks.

[@ZacYates]

Martin, this is utterly fantastic! I’m grinning like I rode in one of the 2.111s - what a truly marvellous piece of film! Oh to have someone restore it and add some sound…

[@TCMontyDibs]

Brilliant -- please thank everyone for the hard work and sharing.

[@lautoka63]

Great footage. I counted only 1 3-wheeler landing for each of the 109s and Spitfires.

[@olesuhr727]

According to the book about the making of the film, the B-25 was known as the "Psychadelic Monster".

[@danielbritton8588]

The flamboyant aircraft are assembly ships. Painted high vis so planes could see it to get into formation. Much like a pace car. The enemy plane formation could be increased for realism to a staggering amount.

[@beachem1]

Thanks!

[@sgt13echo]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing!

[@grahamaindow8894]

Wow, brilliant! I saw some of the filming at Duxford, but never a big formation like that!

[@Ztex]

Amazing!

[@SR71ABCD]

wow it was amazing...

[@AutoMaverickPete]

When they were filming at Duxford it must have looked like there are really having a proper Battle of Britain but without the loss of life

[@bovingdon2002]

Two late great pilots John (Jeff) Hawke at 3:57 wearing blue shirt at Duxford. John Crewdson at 5:14 sitting in G-AWAP at Bovingdon.

[@goojedooje660]

An excellent film only showed a small part of the the real battle of britain

[@AutoMaverickPete]

Great footage PT there's no sound

[@steveharrigan7811]

So, does anyone know what happened to the Heinkel's and Buchon's ?

[@blockheadgreen_]

The Buchons all survived, most are in storage in America. The Heinkels were returned to the Spanish and most were scrapped.

[@Flightgearsim]

More about the making of the Film forum.keypublishing.com/forum/historic-aviation/147038-battle-of-britain-film-cine-film?143562-Battle-of-Britain-film-Cine-FilmYOU=

[@kpd314]

I had thought the HE-111s were models. If they had this many flying, what happened to them? I know the CAF one crashed some years ago.

[@58biggles]

Kevin Dahlhausen At the time they were still in use with the Spanish Airforce. I dont know whay became of the all though.

[@kpd314]

Thanks. That would been something. Still in active duty.

[@YDDES]

Some are in museums. Regrettable, most were scrapped. They had 32 "Heinkels". About half the number flyable. At least 2 crashed fatally after the filming. The CAF one and one during a ferry flight to England.

[@johnnr338gl]

I was airframe/engine mechanic on the film initially on the Spitfire and Hurricanes and then the only Brit to go on to the Messerschmidts and Heinkels. When the Spanish crew went home after the film I was the sole person in the UK with flying time on the Heinkel and helped fly the two in the UK to West Malling. I still have the 'flying procedures' check list that I was issued with for the HE 111, probably the only copy left .

[@johnnr338gl]

They were used in a similar role to our old Shackletons.

[@TravelStyleNews]

Anyone remember Garth Thomas?

[@flutter8712]

14 million dollard of production costs