search for the lost fighter plane- Battle of Britain

The search is on to find the crash site, and retrieve the surviving archaeology of the 1940 Battle of Britain Hawker Hurricane which crashed into Central London after disabling a Luftwaffe Dornier. First-hand account from the modest true Hero Hurricane Pilot, Sergeant Pilot Ray Holmes, and other surviving Battle of Britain Veterans.
Forget them NOT those gallant men and women who served AND sacrificed for our Freedom. This remembrance. Wear you poppy with pride. Bless Em All !!!
National Geographic (2004) (worldwide)

[@marktalbot1305]

Ray died 27 June 2005 (aged 90) following a 2 year battle with cancer. R.I.P.

[@elisabird6245]

This old pilot is wonderful. If you're going to live to a hundred, you'd want to be in such good condition. A lovely story, thank you for uploading it.

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

+Elisabeth Bird Thank you for taking the time to comment. Yes to grow old gracefully, All the best

[@thisisjunkforyoutub7275]

Elisabeth Bird Pg

[@brianvittachi6869]

From the young pilots of the Battle of Britain to the modern day enthusiasts who recovered the engine I see the best of the people of Britain. What a nice ending. Thank you for the upload sir.

[@JohnMcMahon.]

What a nice humble man.. Back in 1940 he was a young guy who faced his fears and did what he had to do for his country, and probably enjoyed doing it.. Most young men do.

[@ozosborne9716]

What a story .im english and love my country and hate how it is turning we can only hope we see bravery like this when we need to

[@rbeckhoff89]

I watch a lot of these Aviation documentaries. This one was really good. truly was a hero , it was wonderful that he was able to witness the recovery. thank you for this documentary I greatly enjoyed it

[@philip-es7bw]

brave young men in their 20s gave their lifes so we can live ours god bless you all we ail remember them

[@yoandrew4886]

Do some individuals just enjoy throwing shit, the negative remarks, great piece of history, great reminder of people willing to give all, also the horrors of war. Country boy from Georgia.

[@mikebrozda]

A GREAT, GREAT STORY! This doc has a bit of everything. History. Archaeology. Superb detective work and excellent research, brilliantly told. Thanks for uploading.

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

All the best to you.

[@GGHansford]

It would be great to have an update of this documentary - to show what happened to the parts... were they restored? are they in a museum? etc

[@Twister051]

Wow. Finding the engine is pretty cool but finding the spade grip is the ULTIMATE prize. To a fighter pilot, his control stick grip is the primary way he 'connects' to his fighter, both for physical control but also mentally and emotionally. Unreal. I have no idea what they did with the grip but I would have cleaned it up, put it in a glass case with an engraved inscription and given it to Sergeant Holmes. Incredible.

[@johndearden7931]

This shows KZbin can be very, very good.

[@devildoggaming4603]

really enjoyed this doc. BBC has fantastic documentaries.

[@timothysmith8300]

brave,brave men ,women ,and ground crew very brave people.

[@michaelcuffsr9797]

awesome story! keep them coming! And i do love polish people! i have close friends who are poles

[@rogermarsh5216]

God, there is some crap here among the comments.

[@endwood]

That was excellent!:-)

[@madpenguin9402]

All that sacrifice for a Britain today with a destroyed culture smh

[@BlairMaynard]

A little polish and that Hurricane will be like new. :)

[@todd92371]

LOL

[@javamann1000]

Not an Officer but a brave Gentleman, never the less!

[@Wotdermatter]

Who was/is Hairman Goering, as he was named at 11:35? (Tongue in cheek question.) To scoffers, dousing does work, although not all of the time. I know because I have done it. Also, he did pinpoint the engine using dousing while ground radar did not. Have any of the scoffers tried dousing or do they scoff without any personal experience? If they have no experience, then they have no base for their comments except from hearsay or from others who may have no background? Oh, ye of little faith! 'nuf sed. No further comment.

[@choruscellar8635]

significant day bree!

[@michal750f]

303- THE POLISCH SQUADRON THE BEST IN THE 2 W.W

[@barrierodliffe4155]

I wonder why the Americans think that the Polish are very stupid?

[@kllrjo]

Before Hitler invaded Poland, he had Goebbels[?] institute a propaganda campaign to sway public opinion against the Poles. This is where the "dumb Polock" jokes came from and was a surprising success even to this day!

[@rayg4360]

not really.

[@rayg4360]

best pilot was in the fleet air arm .

[@jameslaurie996]

kllrjo m

[@Thedavidbiodanza]

Where is the engine now?

[@1chish]

David Brown This might help: www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Model-daring-Hurricane-display/story-11190224-detail/story.html

[@Epic0201]

Didn't he died in 2005 ? I get the feeling i heard about it during this period =/ Anyway it was quite impressive ^^ My great uncle was in the RAF, he only managed to damage a He-111 tough x) And his swearing were well know in his squadron since he was swearing in Italian xD

[@jimh4375]

There is no plane, only tiny little bits and fragments.

[@michal750f]

ENIGMA polish constructions

[@garrywilliams3548]

water dousing !, what next witchcraft n voodoo

[@slickstrings]

lol its proven to be useless. absolute and total woo woo.

[@ALA-uv7jq]

Wow saved Buckingham Palace, did he get knighted and a million pound put in his bank account? or was he up the next day in another plane for a replay? Would make a good movie.

[@markmaki4460]

Yikes! "...under threat, Britain and France declared war against the Nazis..." UM - no mention of the invasion of Poland, and to my knowledge, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Done lost me.

[@musicbruv]

It is not war documentary!

[@cutsrosescents4950]

Fast Forward past fluff

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

[@djones9122]

the real truth about www it was loud very loud and now you know

[@dhindaravrel8712]

I'm all in favour of archaeology but in this instance it looks like nothing was learnt from the experience. Obviously, the technology used in the airplane is known. The way how the aircraft ended up there was known. The identity of who flew it was known... why dig it up? Couldn't those resources have been better spent on digging up something we don't already know everything about?

[@1chish]

+Dhindara Vrel You possibly do not understand the value of real archaeology then.

[@32shumble]

So, out of interest, what was the value of this excavation? Go on - enlighten us

[@1chish]

32shumble Archeology is history and shows us in real things what happened and links us to that history. In this case it was a unique and special event and finding these parts gives us tangible links to it. There is no monetary value. I guess you didn't realise that sometimes history and the stories of real heroism are priceless...

[@32shumble]

+1chish 1. "Archeology is history" - not exactly correct but it's a common misconception 2. "and shows us in real things what happened" - but in this case we already knew what happened 3. "and links us to that history" - what does this actually mean? 4. "In this case it was a unique and special event and finding these parts gives us tangible links to it." - this event was only as unique as every other event is unique. And only as special as many many similar events. 5. "There is no monetary value." - oh yes there is - do you think those program makers work for nothing? 6. "I guess you didn't realise that sometimes history and the stories of real heroism are priceless..." - yes, they are but was this excavation priceless? So, when you are ready, tell me what was the value of this excavation beyond entertainment? Don't get me wrong, I count history as one of my major interests but I also recognise a gratuitous project that didn't and couldn't tell us anything more than we already knew.

[@1chish]

32shumble i can't be arsed to argue Old Son. So we must agree to disagree and jog on ...

[@daleburrell6273]

What happened to the bomber crew?

[@kenney5454]

Dale Burrell said he died of his injuries after parachuting

[@michal750f]

303 ---DID NOT EXIST----???????????? 80 YERS !!!!

[@boarhog1979]

was this really worthwhile? being the engine is pretty much destroyed

[@dannz2603]

"was this really worthwhile?" I don't think so, as I had written previously, just put a commemorative plaque in place to mark the spot and leave it at that. The pilot and his efforts need to be remembered but the smashed parts have no real value. Maybe they just wanted to make some money from making a video???

[@ralfrath699]

Brtian had declared war on germany! No brtish war declaration = no battle of Britian!

[@barrysimmonds4242]

Ralf Rath Seriously? You really believe that? Why don't you consider....that just maybe.....if Germany hadn't been torpedoing all the shipping going to England.....if Germany hadn't been trying to strangle England.....if Germany hadn't already been killing everyone in Europe.....then maybe England wouldn't have "declared" what everyone already understood. Good grief man.....get some learning.

[@ralfrath699]

Barry Simmonds Hello Barry! Tell me when did germany tropedoing all shipping? I only know that Britain declared war in ww1 but was not attacked and started the first world war by making y foodblockade since the beginning direct after war declaration against germany! THe foodblockade was a war crime ans crimes against all humanity! Germany had to fight a struggle of life and death - so they decided a uboat war to stop this crime against humanity! After 1939 Britain declared again war against but was not attacked - so Britianstarted a new world war with a new fooblockade against germany. Again germany had defend to stop this foodblockade by torpedoing all shipping - if germany did not defend own country then german civilans had to die becasue of no food! Britain and France had strangled Germany first! No brtish war declaration = no battle of Britian! = no world war!

[@ralfrath699]

ameagher2 And you? DO you think realy Stukkas can explain all? Your proposition is simplistic!!!! -

[@ameagher2]

Ralf Rath Yes, the bombing of Spanish citizens tells me that itLER, the maniac, was intent on creating havoc everywhere. Thankfully The Brits were his match and the idiot was squashed. By your tone I imagine you celebrate his birthday - which means your mind is closed ... for that reason I don't find you interesting or informed - just simple. Over and out, wanker. No offense.

[@ralfrath699]

ameagher2 But Ameager - that Hitler was an idiot this is without doubt the truth! But germany was also attacked and invades and occupied in 1923 and Britain/USA did nothing to stop this aggression!

[@michielvenema7817]

Brilliant story. True heroism and the fact that his safety was indeed off thereby proving the story that Ray actually tried to fire at the Dournier, brought a tear to my eye. Very understandable that a mob lynched the German pilot proclaiming 'he died of his injuries, lol.

[@danielrebich7530]

Truly heart warming. I have the up most respect for these veterans. But I do find it quite ironic and demeaning that they made this hero wear a hard hat and high vis at this event. Very stupid

[@MrRidgedog]

Great story, thanks for posting.

[@ameagher2]

To Ralf Rath. I believe the Brits had a pact with Poland which they honoured. I had a look at your User Info Page ... you seem to be rude, crude and not liked at all . No offence.

[@ralfrath699]

ameagher2 A Pact with Poland? And do you think a pact is enough to declare a war and to start a world war????? What was the result? Was Poland free? NO! Who occupied poland? Russia! Who could and wanted after ww2 destroy Britain? Germany ? No! But Russia can until today destroy Britain with a few atomic bomb - and I think today even Putin has no problems to destroy Britain today! But for Britian was a pact with poland engough whatever this pact costs for own british people whatever this pact is means!? Fact is that a pact is not a miliatry alaince or with other words: Britian started ww2 but was not attacked - simialr to ww1 - even the treaty with belgium was not a military aliance - so there were no reason that Britain declared war on germany in 1914 ! Britian was clearly the aggressor according to Clausewitz theory!

[@ameagher2]

Ralf Rath Europe was already at war - because of naZI greed and inhumanity - before the Brits became involved. Your understanding of history and the English language, is, sadly, suspect. Talk to someone else because I find you very dull. Thanks.

[@ameagher2]

Ralf Rath You're far too repetitive and ignorant of history to converse with ... have you ignored The Sudetenland and Austria? No reply required. Thanks.

[@ralfrath699]

ameagher2 But sudetenland and austria was agreed by Britain!!! ???

[@ameagher2]

Ralf Rath Chamberlain was an appeaser - and a coward. Cheers.

[@BCSchmerker]

Exhuming a Hurricane F.1A, which was fatally damaged in ramming a Do-17 (that spun into a railway terminal, shedding parts that struck Buckingham Palace on the way down), from its crash site in the heart of London was quite a feat, as the Rolls-Royce V-12 engine was still entombed beneath a replacement water main (for one severed in the 1940 auger-in). How well would the Tower have withstood the bombs that flattened much of metropolitan London? (The dungeon of the White Tower could have housed a situation room for then-King George VI and the general staff.)

[@dannz2603]

I'm inclined to believe that the parts should be left where they fell, but by all means put a plaque in place to commemorate the spot and event.

[@zenoist2399]

There are probably hundreds of Battle Of britain fighter planes, English and German at the bottom of the English Channel.

[@cesarestransports]

SOU DO BRASIL E GOSTO MUITO DESSES DOCUMENTARIOS DE PESQUISAS ., PARABENS PELO SUCESSO.

[@deanslater2901]

I wonder why the Brits have so much trouble with the word "Caine"....Hurri...caine....not Cun. No matter they built some damn nice aircraft and engines

[@daleburrell6273]

The Brits also have trouble pronouncing "lieutenant"...

[@hyper-7473]

Dean Slater So?

[@darthslater6077]

So this plane was a Huracun....hmmm I thought it was a Hurricane!!