Piece of Cake - September 1939 e1 - Tim Woodward, Tom Burlinson, Neil Dudgeon, George Anton

[@carolking6355]

Finished Wings. So pleased to find this. A friend of ours, a brilliant architect lost his leg flying in this war. The pain he suffered the rest of his life was etched deeply in the lines in his face. As a child I didn’t appreciate it. What a cruel war.

[@mc9903]

Switched to this after Wings too!

[@lesleywood2949]

My dad served in the RAF. He trained in Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada. He flew in Tiger Moths, Spitfires, Hurricanes, and the Lancaster Bomber. Dad had a reserved occupation as a draftsman/aircraft designer before entering the RAF. While waiting to join up, he got his glider pilot certification. My grandad was an air mechanic in the RFC. In 1965, my dad took a position with Boeing, and he moved our family to the USA. At Boeing, dad worked on helicopters being sent to Vietnam. Happy Father's Day in heaven, dad!! Thank you for your service. You are greatly missed.

[@maryhamilton4271]

This is really nostalgic! I am married to a retired pilot - he flew Hunter DFGA aircraft in the RAF in the 1960s followed by a full career in civilian (passenger) aviation. We know five of the pilots involved in the making of this film. Sadly several are now flying in the upper firmament. Thanks so much for posting this - I am going to watch all episodes now!

[@conemadam]

i saw this when it first came out, easily over 30 years ago. it remains one of the best things I have ever seen. From the gripping musical theme to the development of the characters....sublime. And it's based on reality...the squad was called the Millionaires squad. The American airman was a wealthy and famous olympian named Billy. Thank you for showing this!,,,,,

[@John-G]

That's not correct. The "Millionaires squad" was 601 Squadron, a reserve squadron, while this was based around a regular squadron, and the characters were fictional including the American.

[@kristov29]

32 years after it was released, I'm watching and enjoying it.

[@uluibaut]

34 years now...am enjoying it again too.

[@charlotteinwonderland5954]

Hi, I am french and we don't know this wonderful program here in France! Thankfull salutations to all those who have fought and died for our freedom.

[@fandangofandango2022]

My Grand Father fought in France in the Great War from the Australian Light Horse. He said they would cut a loaf of Bread with a Small Axe as it was Frozen.

[@Sam-pn2kc]

Go home froggy

[@robstack3712]

That’s AMZG & I never made that connection of no France Air Force, I’m USA, Peace✌️🥤😳🫳🍿

[@gillesguillaumin6603]

My friend, I’m french too. I saw ” PIECE OF CAKE ” on french T.V a lot of years ago. I’m sure you will love it. 😊😊😊😊😊

[@gillesguillaumin6603]

​​@@Sam-pn2kc. Never forget it is in France, and if we didn’t save your ass in Dunkirk you would all have been P.O.W’s. Who have protected DYNAMO ? 😅😅😅😅😅

[@dergans]

Loved this show as a kid. You are an absolute hero for putting this up!

[@annewomack2441]

Don't you know the stunt pilots loved flying those old planes.

[@Jesusisking2785]

I'm watching Tim Woodward in the show Wings about the RFC in ww1 its great finding these wonderful british shows as an American I must say britain is spoiled for choice with shows like this Dads Army, Warship, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Red Dwarf, Dixon on Dock, the Sweeny, The Saint, I mean man you have been pumping em out since the 60s.

[@0scarisaiah]

Captures the mannerisms and sense of the era far better than recent things.

[@LuciThomasHardylover-qx6ts]

People just can't get it right now. The posture, the mannerisms, the speech. The women have dyed hair, the clothes are always shiny new,best quality.Even if these actors hadn't lived through the war,we all had plenty of people around who did,who still boarded paper &string and told all their stories.

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

I have the book, and haven't seen the series for many years now. Thanks for putting up this gem, and much respect to the men and women and their families of the RAF from a former USAF member.

[@Dogcrazy382]

“As it happens I do farm in heritage”The wonderful call back to win Tim Woodward played sgt Alan Farmer as a blacksmith turned pilot in Wings 1978

[@psalmon3582]

Such a timeless show...thank you so much for posting this. I always seem to love these old shows that are so generally unpopular they are free on youtube. LOL😂

[@homebuiltindoorplane]

I have read the book fifty times, and never had a clue they made a series in 88 about it!! Until I saw this, wow thanks for posting!

[@diogenesegarden5152]

homebuiltindoorplane Same here, now that the pubs are closed for the duration, a small Bertie bonus😀

[@johanemmenes9236]

Thanks for uploading this, have been wanting to watch this again since early 90's. Great mini series

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

I loved this when it first came out. Still re-reread Patrick Robinson's superb novel (that this is based on), every now and then. Well done for putting this up!

[@markgranger9150]

Derek not Patrick.

[@John-G]

Derek Robinson was also the screenwriter for the TV series.

[@robbiereilly]

Watched this on Masterpiece Theater on PBS back in '90 I think it was. Loved it. I seem to remember Alistair Cooke presenting the series.

[@stevehowle9256]

+Robbie R. Esq. YES! ---He was half the Show in 3 minutes--What-a-Guy.. I have VHS recordings of the same....his back-ground "briefings" were the BEST!

[@christinedavies6998]

Robbie R. Esq. i

[@sblack48]

Book is much better

[@oldgringo2001]

I think this might have been the last Masterpiece series Cooke presented. As for the book, while it's good, I found the series a bit better. There's something in common with another great flying story, The Blue Max. Both this series and the movie were based on novels--and in both cases, the novels were part of a series. Derek Robinson wrote three more Hornet squadron novels which followed the squadron through World War I, and then past the Battle of Britain to the Desert Air Force which fought Rommel. The Blue Max was followed by two more novels following its antihero pilot into World War II instead of killing him off in a way that somewhat redeems his character. The Blue Max novel ends with Bruno Stachel meeting with another pilot who won the Pour le Merite: Hermann Goering.

[@markgranger9150]

The book is way better than the series.

[@gregboyington4896]

Thank you for uploading this! I remembered watching this on tv in the 80's. Had to Google the title and was so pleasantly surprised to find it here.

[@richardkrull3919]

Excellent mini-series! Watched this on PBS in the 1990's.

[@yanbeadle]

Was bored on nights working in AUH tower, thought id trawl for old tv shows....Delighted to find this gem, Being ex RAF Coningsby, and used to seeing BBMF do their magic, nice to see the spits again.... Nice one Martin

[@mattking69]

Jan Beadle cgy was my favourite posting because of the bbmf, I loved it. (Ex controller)

[@JamesJohnson-vy6ji]

Was great friends with a 103 Sq leader loved the Lancaster and j moth, my uncle joined the RAF in 1940 from wisconsin

[@ThePetal01]

Wow we didn't get this in Australia. Tom Burlinson great aussie actor and entertainer. Glad I found now in this time of slim pickings on tv.

[@shinobi5419]

19:44 "as it happens I do farm"... hahaha Stg Farmer from Wings! Wonderful!

[@schismaticschematics]

Shin Obi just twigged that one too. :-)

[@prayerwarrior7896]

This is great 😊 I remember watching this in 1988, it is a fantastic find 😊 thank you for uploading 😊👍

[@dropshot77]

oh wow.. your my hero. if bin looking for years for this serie!

[@worldofjerrytravis393]

Aside from the substitution of Hurricane Mk 1s for mid war Spitfires, the screenplay and acting is top notch! thanks for uploading :-)

[@martynmcnulty782]

fantastic series , remember watching it as a young man back in 1988 , now I have it on DVD !

[@chatsboy100]

Lots and lots of lovely dialogue - lots and lots of lovely shots of Spits...

[@michael32A]

I can't knock how much this is clearly loved by those who remember it first time round, and it is certainly not bad (I look forward to watching the rest), but having read the book first a couple of years ago, I am left craving Derek Robinson's writing.

[@Caroline-rv8wy]

Agreed! So much is missing and there's too much emphasis on the romantic sub-plot. And Sticky was such a hilarious, interesting and endearing character in the book, and he has such a minor role in the miniseries.

[@John-G]

He actually co-wrote the TV series as well.

[@tomasgeffen345]

Glad to find this on YT. I watched and recorded it when aired on PBS. Great series. Good lead in to the film ''Battle of Britain''.

[@lgl0007]

Thank you for posting... haven't seen this series in 20 years. Awesome!

[@Morten6842]

Brilliant show saw it as a kid and was spelled by the sounds of the merlin engines. The spitfire is still a beautiful aircraft.

[@MrTailspinstu]

Been looking for this series for years saw an episode on PBS 20 yrs ago thought it was called "Spitfire Squadron"...one of the Best ww2 movies I've seen.

[@nick102001]

Great blast from the past - thanks for the upload.

[@TheFunkhouser]

I love how they got Tim Woodward (aka Allan Farmer from WW1 Wings) to camo here, great touch!

[@cacampbell3654]

The music was perfect as they all danced their way out onto the tarmac. Anyone who was involved in, or has learned about WWII knows what was to come!

[@ameagher2]

+C A Campbell. Yes but there's only one dance more mindless than the Conga and that is line dancing. We live in hope. Cheers.

[@adamwsaxe]

My favorite movie based on my favorite book (by Patrick Robinson). In the US, this 1989 production was presented in the early 1990s on the Public Broadcasting Service's "Masterpiece Theater." At that time, all the programs on "Masterpiece Theater" were introduced by the legendary Allister Cooke.

[@markgranger9150]

Not Patrick it's Derrick

[@bmgm3]

Was hoping I'd find this on KZbin. Thanks for the uploads.

[@wanderingmum56]

Really loved this short series!

[@redroostermcmlxxl]

The Spitfire under the bridge stunt was done by the late Ray Hanna in MH434.

[@stewartw.9151]

He flew under a bridge across the River Wear near Bishop Auckland. I often drove across that bridge many years ago when I lived near there!

[@peterg463]

Excellent production. Well rounded characters. Very believable story concerning a period of the war not normally portrayed. Without you I would never have known about this series.

[@cdawg2474]

I saw this year's ago ! Thanks for posting !!:)

[@flyingwombat59]

A friend of mine, USN naval aviator (82-93), said every squadron has a “Moggie”

[@whothingyamajiggy6800]

Thanks for the super upload am really enjoying the series thanks again......

[@RobertKengModernMilitaryMaster]

Thank you, it is great memory from 1991.

[@stephenchudds9392]

I saw this series in 1990 in Indiana and told my friends in Dieppe. The pilots wanted two things: Limande for dinner and metal propellers.

[@rickroscoe4734]

OK so the Spits have 4 bladed propellers and 20 mm cannons, which didn't come until later in the war, this is a wonderful drama which really captures the period well. Let's not worry about absolute accuracy in the technical area.

[@jjmcrosbie]

Yes, and what's more to the point, no Spitfires were sent to France during the battle of France. Dowding carefully kept them in UK despite pressure from French and British governments. Wise man.

[@judyhopps9380]

Because there's far far less hurricanes lying about, and they're not as robust

[@Jeffybonbon]

why has this only been shown once on UK TV very good drama thanks for up load

[@raymondyee2008]

Glad the complete episodes are here. As clearly shown here the pilots of Hornet Squadron initially don’t take the war seriously.

[@mattfulmer4243]

Great mini series. In the original book Hornet Sqd flew Hurricanes.

[@andyr226]

Mr Lewis. Thank you for posting this.

[@raymondyee2008]

21:40 “Fanny” realizes it’s the moment he screwed up badly.

[@rsangala]

I have herd good things about this series, THANKS!

[@welshparamedic]

I noticed a lot are Mk9 spitfires which came out a lot later in the war and a few MK5's too, again a later addition. the majority of aircraft Churchill sent to France at the beginning of the war were indeed Hurricanes, not Spitfires. However when the TV series was made over 30 years ago Hurricanes were a lot rarer than spitfires. Since this film was made More Spitfires and even Hurricanes have been rebuilt and returned to Airworthy condition! Having said all that, it's still a nostalgic trip watching a tv series I saw in my 30's, now retired and 3 years of 70 I have thoroughly enjoyed watching it (ignore my being so pedantic on Aircraft Mk Numbers etc) The clip of a spitfire flying under a bridge was really done with, `I believe Ray Hannah as the pilot.

[@antonrudenham3259]

The only Spitfires that ever landed in France in 1940 did so unintentionally and at a rapid rate of knots.

[@Rikki0]

I'm not sure how many Hurricanes are still flying, but I think the main reason film makers use the Spits for these movies so much is simply for the aesthetics. The Spit was the beautiful race horse while the Hurricane was the ugly old plow horse. Thing is, just as in real life, the plow horse is the one who did most of the work, at least in the BoB. Would have loved it if they had found some and used them for the movie. Still, it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the series. A great series and many thanks for posting it. Salute from Texas.

[@zefkosta]

Rikki0 There are several hurricanes flying today. At the time of the making of the series, I believe there was only one airworthy, maybe two.

[@stevehowle9256]

+Rikki0 Mostly, it was a LACK of Hurricanes... there are 6 or 8 Spitfires at Duxford, ready to fly NOW!.... the volunteers will point out the one that flew under the bridge!

[@zefkosta]

Steve Howle Being Ray Hanna must have been MH434.

[@stevehowle9256]

+zefkosta I'm sure you are right, the Duxford crew are the Best!...I can't wait to get back there...its a shame the rest of us do not know the whole story.

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

In '69 for the making of the movie "Battle of Britain" they reassembled 5 flyable Hurri's. They had over 30 flying spits(of different MKs). It's simply easier to get hold of a Spit than a Hurri. Sorry, but I have a soft spot for the half-wooden old warhorse. Not that a Spit isn't a much better fighter.

[@Edmund007013]

One of the best series on WW II bar none !!

[@Sam-pn2kc]

thanks love this series while having a brew

[@davidh8151]

The best series ever produced about the battle of Britain. Pity they showed Spitfires sent to France. Only Hurricanes were sent.

[@adamwsaxe]

Yes, but at the time of filming there was only 1 Hurricane in flying condition in the West. Today, surprisingly, there are quite a few more!

[@heneagedundas]

​@@adamwsaxe When they filmed Wings they used RC models, and it seemed to work pretty well.

[@HABN501]

Thanks a lot for the upload! Greetings from Sweden! :)

[@dinacox1971]

amazing evolution of the airplane between WWI and WWII.

[@shanemills3879]

I only read the book once. It's a shame they didn't use Hurricanes, as in the book, but there probably weren't enough airworthy ones at the time. I wish they'd film Robinson's WW1 novel, "Goshawk Squadron" also

[@davidtoulemonde189]

My late father joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at the age of 19 in 1939. Beware from the Hun in the sun. - Was the phrase back then :-) .

[@mc9903]

Spitfires did not have 4 blade props at the beginning of the war. First used on the mark 9. Thanks for this great series though.

[@allybally0021]

Friendly fire ...interesting. In 1982 an RAF Phantom shot down an RAF Jaguar. Clumsy.

[@willyekk8707]

And was given the credit for it

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

It will happen again.

[@sandwich5344]

Human factors and pucker factor gets real

[@mikaelapierce1819]

Oh my goodness, the man from snowy river!

[@btlspv8673]

Partly filmed at south Cerney, former airfield and now the home of 29 Transport and Movements Regiment RLC. Some of the soldiers even took bit parts...!

[@Sam-pn2kc]

I wish Granada would release this in HD box set

[@Rikki0]

2:52 Beautiful Spitfire Mk IXs with cannons. Who knew the Brits had them in 1939? Secret weapon. They couldn't find a single Mk I or Mk II for the Bob? Even a Mk V would have been closer.

[@sblack48]

Is there anything more beautiful than a spit in a steep banked turn?

[@raymondyee2008]

14:41 obviously inspired by the Battle of Barking Creek. The Blenheim was fictionalized for this scene.

[@Parup45]

Love this series. And can easily forget, the Spits are not right. We all know that, so let's move on. Sit back and enjoy some great drama.

[@stevehowle9256]

+Søren Parup BINGO!

[@tinglydingle]

is cock up

[@thomasbindesbll8681]

Yeah, the Spits are not quite right... So as 4-blade propellors in 1939, before the Mark IX; and the Hurricanes too out of sight, although it was the Hurricanes who were the backone in the Battle of both France and later Battle of Britain. All the same: This is an outstanding and and very moving epic story of admirable brave young pilots, who threw their young lives "all in"(!) in the fiight against the Nazi barbarians. Not ever to forget... "The Few! And the brave, all to many of them killed in action, defending democracy. RIP !

[@coopersbullhorn]

As someone who has read the book a few times it's great seeing this series. Really brings it to life. My only complaint is the music. Doesn't enhance the mood of the sequences at all!

[@lauriwiren6398]

"If you must fornicate, at least take off your shoes and socks". Good advice for anyone.

[@johnwaller2886]

Wings was as good as it ever were- couldn't get into Flambards! but a nice Piece of Cake!!

[@winternow2242]

Saw this around 1990 when they ran it here in the US on "Masterpiece Theater", and Alistair Cooke's intro explained how accurate the anti-American sentiment was. I remember it was about the same year I got the PC Game "Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain".

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

As an American, sentiment justified; sad to say.

[@2222244444boo]

Fantastic audio!! Clive Ocnacuwenga

[@TheFunkhouser]

Timeless!

[@minhthiennguyen9533]

32:22 is anyone here know the name of this song?

[@Sterlingkataadem]

Is this series on Prime or another streaming site? Thanks...

[@caseyjonessnr1200]

Excellent episode. 52:06

[@robinmorch1019]

Fantastic...Thanks for sharing...In the book, didn't Hornet squadron fly Hurricanes?...

[@raymondyee2008]

That is correct. Unfortunately when this TV miniseries was made they just didn't have enough airworthy Hurricanes to do the aerial sequences hence the reason why the Spitfires were used instead.

[@richardanthonygilbey]

Ah right Hornet Squadron is a horror show of unluckyness.

[@shinobi5419]

Tim Woodward wouldve made a great 007.

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

Shin Obi ......his voice is almost the same as his father's - Edward Woodward too!

[@georgebethos7890]

Squadron leader Rex, a good man with a bottle of claret. And let's not forget Riley

[@jacks4733]

One has to wonder if Rex and Marriot were butt buddies.

[@maggieosborne1010]

early spitfires had 3 bladed props and hispano cannons also came later in the war , not day 1

[@TumzDK]

this was filmed with the Spitfires available. Not many MkI's out there ;-)

[@tinglydingle]

The earliest Spits had two bladed props.

[@steveparadis2978]

Glad to see it up again. Does anyone know if any one of the DVD sets on sale in the US and UK are re-mastered, or is the quality identical?

[@welshpete12]

There is a book from the series , if that is any help to you . published by Hamish Hamilton and by pan books . ISBN 0 330 28404 5.

[@althesmith]

Tim Woodward hadn't changed that much since Wings.

[@raymondyee2008]

26:19 my my Skull I hope you don't vomit while flying onboard the Bristol Bombay.

[@romanclay1913]

48:00 Moggy flies beneath the bridge.

[@kevdiz]

Thanx for the uploads! I can only find the 1st 6 episodes on KZbin, are there more?

[@WrestleNiceGuy121]

Yes there are more. Look at the right side here. Also sometimes you bhave to click on various uploaders to find a missing episode of any series or a whole playlist. If you need any help please get back to me. If anyone wants to see a very dramatic old WW2 movie check out "One of Our Aircraft Is Missing" about the crew of a British warplane shot down over the Netherlands (Holland) and how the townspeople hide them at great risk to themselves. It will keep you on edge and you can't miss a second so have all your treats and tea or coffee etc. made so you don't miss anything. Well of course you can watch the part you missed again but its not the same is it.

[@WrestleNiceGuy121]

Sorry kevdiz I am wrong . I don't know if there are more episodes of Piece of Cake on KZbinbut I will check and get back to you very soon.

[@WrestleNiceGuy121]

Hi I just went to imdb.com IMDB.COM and there was only one season of 6 episodes. There is another WW2 British series about the RAF "Pathfinders" which you will see to the right and the WW1 series Wings about I believe American volunteers in the WW1 U.S. Flying Corps La Fayette Escadrille which flew and fought from at least 1915 till the Americans declared war. There was a silent movie Wings about them and I think Gary Cooper was in it but he was shot down and killed in the first 15 minutes. It was made in 1928 or 1929. Actually a very good movie if you don't mind watching the actors movements and faces more closely and reading the subtitles. Enjoy!

[@kevinjames3184]

YershenPurrshenCat Thanks for the advice, did some checking myself after posting & I realised there were only 6 eps of Piece Of Cake sadly. The Wings TV series [from 1976-77] is about English pilots flying Be2's in France during WW1 & is an excellent show, due it's attention to detail. The only Lafayette Escadrille story I can think of is the 2006 movie. The Wings 1927 silent movie looks really good on BluRay too [just got a copy]...I love subtitles btw, especially with foreign language movies. You sound like you know your stuff. I also have the Pathfinders BBC TV series from 1972, & while the planes are good, the scripting is not as authentic as the earlier Wings TV series [& the pacing more designed for a teenage audience imho]. There are so few TV series about WW1 & WW2 aviation...but plenty of great classic movies!

[@WrestleNiceGuy121]

Kevin James O.K. I was mixed up but there was a movie about World War 1 fliers with Gary Cooper in it and I think that's Wings 1927 I thought it was about the Lafayette Escadrille . TI think that the movie with Gary Cooper was about American fliers in World War 1 The 2006 movie should be a re=make of the one with Gary Cooper. Anyway I am confused but I will check all of this as its making me dizzy well almost. Anyway enjoy.

[@sblack48]

Ok that’s interesting. In production they tried various stick on letters so that they could make 5 spits look like 8 spits etc but nothing worked. So they decided to go without identification letters and worked that into the script even though nothing like that was ever done during the war.

[@kenns9]

26:04. what does the question 'And Barton sir?" refer to?

[@daveh3997]

Hornet Squadron was heading to France, and Barton was left behind because he was being investigated for shooting down the British bomber

[@robinjohnhill7556]

September 1939 a Spitfire with canon?

[@neilstone4212]

Read the book that the series is based on by Derek Robinson. The squadron has Hurricanes not Spits.

[@zefkosta]

Neil Stone There were no Spitfires based in France before 1944 and there were not enough Hurricanes for the making of this series.

[@DazDaMan]

What happened to Episode 4?

[@garynewman264]

GREAT GREAT SERIES . I ALSO RECOMMEND THE MINI-SERIES " WINGS " !

[@dottimerritt9306]

I start to watch this series but when I saw that number four has been deleted I don't understand that! No need to go on!

[@stevebarmore3509]

love the series even if the BEF did not have spitfires in France

[@Springbok295]

A great series. Yeah the planes aren't quite correct but it's better than using models or cheap CGI. One other nitpick is the fact that in 1939 many Spits and Hurricanes didn't have fin flashes nor did they generally sport white/yellow hue in their roundels.

[@stevehowle9256]

+Springbok295 Let alone 20 MM Cannons!... but this is Great Stuff ...40% of the British watched this when it was fresh.... we Americans loved it too (PBS / WGBH Boston was half responsible for it)... a rather LATE part of the Anglo-American Alliance!

[@MrGateway75]

the book has the squadron flys hurricanes and not spitfires

[@briansteffmagnussen9078]

Wrong MK of Spits for 1939 which i think that 117 other people have mentioned in the comments. But still nice and cozy entertainment for the whole family.

[@jonflanagin6682]

I don't think they sent Spitfires to France ,just Hawkers.

[@davidskerritt9530]

Also, I don't think they would have had 4 blade propellers in 1939

[@jonflanagin6682]

@M AC Thanks for the info.