Train being chased by Spitfire

Clip from the movie 'The Train' (1964)

[@megatwingo]

Amazing scene. So much better without computer animations. Thumbs up!

[@petermcgoohan8100]

According to the reference book 'Flying Film Stars' by Mark Ashley the aircraft is indeed a Spitfire, To be precise it is Spitfire L.F. MkIXb serial No MH415 flown by Pierre Laureys of Rousseau Aviation. The same aircraft, a clipped wing version, also appeared in 'Triple Cross' and 'The Longest Day' wearing the same D-Day markings seen in this clip.

[@motard811]

The locomotive is a Ten Wheel from the french compagnie des Chemins de Fer de l'Est. All the movie feature a great number of very ancient french locomotives of which no example still survive such as the wonderful 060 "Pot à Moutarde", ex Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest used in the station crash scene later in the film. The film looks fantastic because there is no simulation, every picture is real!

[@XtKhah-sc3ng]

😮 mũi

[@randlerobbertson8792]

One of the very best war films of all time.

[@davesgcr]

Great bit of filming - using a WW2 spitfire ace.(Taffy something or other) An engine without a train does not have great brake force ... Note the braking technigue - full Westinghouse application , release - then a bit more , plus reverse gear when nearly stopped. Proper .....railway procedures- but he should have dropped sand also !!!

[@garywhite3264]

One of my all time favorites, I first saw The Train when I was 15 back in 1964, and many times since.

[@b3j8]

My absolute favorite train movie period! Yes it's got some goofs here and there, but essentially it tells it like it was during the war yrs. I love John Frankenheimer's gritty, in-your-face style of cinematography. Look for the anti-sabotage poster on the door in the stationmaster's office sequences. Also remember that Bert Lancaster not only learned to operate a steam locomotive, as did his fellow actors in the movie, but he also did all his own stunts as well. Wonderful!!

[@777MrFurry]

This is one of my favorite scenes from this movie

[@bobbysfolly]

This movie is right UP there with the GREATS !! Ahh Papa Boule and his francs ...

[@DOLRED]

This movie was filmed as France was making the change from old steam stock to Diesel and Electric. So, the destruction of French Railroad Stock seen in this film is real because the equipment was being scrapped anyway. Made for a very convincing movie. Lancaster had also injured his leg and made scenes showing his limping along the rail line late in the movie. This is how they covered his injury.

[@danlefou]

Gorgeous clipped-wing Spit! Weren't there four Bostons earlier in the film, too? The sound of the accelerating loco echoing around the valley is magnificent, like all the sound in this film. You can't beat the real thing recorded in the real place. A bugbear in so many films is the use of stock sound not matched to the wheel revolutions of the loco. I once counted about 13 cylinders, in full forward gear on a loco coasting into a station! None of that guff in "The Train", mercifully.

[@obese1konobe]

Great film. Captures a moment in history. Right time. Right place. Real steam engines. Real crashes.

[@PunksGitRekt]

Thomas the tank engine brakes (Low pitched out of tune mode) 2:12 Also extremely sad that Didont blew the whistle by letting his anger out from the evil German soldiers 2:44

[@gargh]

Thats right, and to my knowledge it was carrying children being evacuated from London.

[@TheMish65]

This scene in the movie is the one with the greatest irony, They are trying to prevent the germans taking the french art by train but they save the engine from the Spitfire. had they hit the brakes enough to abandon the the engine and let the Spitfire destroy it their whole problem would have been solved in an instant, No engine no train no art taken to germany.

[@thomaswoll-vj1vf]

Einer der besten Filme aller Zeiten ❤

[@nicedog1]

They probably wouldn’t have been so lucky if it had been a mustang or a thunderbolt. They ripped trains to pieces.

[@downunderrob]

Having a Spitfire strafe the Train would have been a rare thing, even if it had 20mm cannon. A Typhoon or Tempest would have been more common. None left flying at the time of filming, sadly.

[@chitlika]

Spitfire has two 20mm cannon ..........One Pass No train no question

[@janreznak881]

Well at least it’s not a farmer on his cart. That must have been earlier.

[@H34D5H0T0WN5]

Wow I just saw the movie on military channel and i loved the movie even though i was born in the late 1990's

[@pbellbell]

man-o-man this is a GREAT flik.

[@spacemarinechaplain9367]

I like the whistle at the end. It's like blowing a raspberry at some bully who's on the other side of something.

[@Mikey300]

Primal Scream, perhaps?

[@spacemarinechaplain9367]

Mikey300 yeah that.

[@pincbit]

thought it was von ryans express but its really the train with burt lancaster

[@JintySteam1]

@up4004 yeh your right its where henry crashes in to the sea in something in the air they must of used it

[@RocksNotDead101]

@01276 Actually if memory serves me correct, the books were first published in 1945 (?).

[@DASCO2136]

@crazyracer12 before the show was even thought of or made i should point out. The film was made during the early-mid 1960s

[@joekrepps]

Search KZbin for "strafing trains". The Military Channel has some great footage of actual strafing runs. You can clearly see how effective are the attacks from the sides.

[@trainmandan05]

Well I know about the steam power and high pressure, You don't half to tell me twice! My question was, Why the bullets? A more affective way would have been a small bomb maybe. I understand now, Thanks for the info. Just one other thing, Why was side shooting more affective? A Longer burst causing more damage? I would think that a dive into the front or back of the locomotive would have been more affective.

[@danielpezin6750]

J aime ce genre de film

[@harry130747]

That wasn't a spitfire. Or even a hurricane.

[@edwardianeccentric]

Outlay of adrenaline fuelled emotion I suppose- why scream when the engine can do it for you?

[@BDesterson]

Yes, he did, and he'd be right. There would be eight .303 guns firing, not just the two the special effects guy rigged squibs for. I couldn't count the number of gun camera strips I've seen where a train is strafed culminating with the locomotive going up in a big blast of steam.

[@Synchro-Mesh]

@01276 thats an e-stop

[@trainmandan05]

I did, I just would have thought front/back attack would have been for affective but I guess not.

[@samanli-tw3id]

One an engine attacked by a plane Was afraid of a few bullets it rained

[@trainmandan05]

Ahhh, I would have thought that they would have had a bomb for taking out ground targets and not just the guns.

[@cedrictavernier1437]

The héros 😎😎😎😎

[@jabbyjabjo]

looks like a mk 12 Lf 4c twin cannons

[@NatStyke]

COUCOU JULES !

[@joekrepps]

Thicker steel, due to the angle (like the front of a tank) from the front or rear. Think "ricochet". Going in at a 90 deg. angle from the side, would be less steel to pierce. I'm sure a few bullets through the front smokebox would be bad but that's a small target compared to the whole side. It was easier to carry a long belt of bullets in the wings than a few bombs, to keep the plane light & maneuverable, to kill German planes and multiple ground targets A light bomber may have done better.

[@01276]

SNCF Frence or German locos

[@samanli-tw3id]

01276 France

[@citrovideorevient130]

Proba 230B SNCF

[@Wriggles1990]

spitfire MK V

[@TheDarkFalcon]

Fukn aye

[@katiewolfie5221]

The train red tails train attack spitfire

[@3NUNS]

I would throw lots of coal on the fire

[@Paraffinmeister]

Their French

[@Lavrentizodiac]

They don´t make movies like this anymore.

[@PlymouthVT]

Burt was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and won best Actor in 1960 for this movie. Really a spectacular movie. I still watch it once in a while on DVD.

[@vinalboy]

You can purchase it 4K.

[@janszczyglewski5721]

Qq Zxxsxdcv o

[@DASCO2136]

The whole plot line of the movie did in fact happen in real life. The filmmakers added more dramatic action scenes to the movie to make it more theatrical. This scene for instance was added in to the original script at a cost of 500,000 bucks. Today a scene like this would cost at least 5 million bucks. Also as a tidbit, they shot this scene in two takes. First attack run was using strobe lights. The other two attacks they used live rounds.

[@papoocanada]

Its all real, Director Frankenheimer was given carte blanche by the SNCF to use all the equipment he needed as it was destined for the scrap yard anyway. It was shot on an abandoned branch line in Calvados, France. Great movie. Spectacular.

[@rboltt]

What a great film this is! John Frankenheimer was one of the most underappreciated directors ever. Live action sequences rule, CGI is "for the birds!"

[@MLawrence2008]

Locomotive being chased by a spitfire, not a train :(

[@isimizgucumuzguldurmek]

:(

[@mikevonkleist6767]

Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield. Great movie. Watch this every chance I get. The Nazi's obsession to posses all the art on the planet against a reluctant French Patriot. Brilliant parable on humanity.

[@Dallas-Nyberg]

The best train movie ever.....it's on DVD....I never get tired of watching it...great scenes!

[@johnappleby405]

Burt Lancaster stars in 'the train' very good movie far above the average war flick also features Jeanne Moreau and Paul Schofield

[@samanli-tw3id]

"The bullets will spoil my lovely black paint" said the engine to his driver.

[@VadoVoodoo]

"Head for that tunnel!" Said the Fat Controller.

[@joelcartagena953]

If someone was going to do a Thomas & Friends version of this I was thinking maybe the engine who would be rushing to the tunnel and escaping from the Spitfire would 🤔be.............James.😲

[@samanli-tw3id]

Joel Cartagena Why would a Spitfire attack James? Replace it with a Bf 109.

[@joelcartagena953]

What? Guns?! Cinders and Ashes!! In the tunnel. The Driver applied the brakes just in time.

[@heartlandrails]

the engine was considered a target of opportunity by the spit. after primary mission was complete, with whatever fuel was left in their plane, the pilots had instructions to attack anything that could be used in the war effort = engines. we've all seen the classic WWII clips of the P51 strafing the French train and the engine blows up like the USS Arizona did.

[@01276]

to try and show the pilot he was french rather than german

[@sean57]

john frankenheimer one hell of a director!, burt lancaster, one hell of a actor! one great movie! check out the making of THE TRAIN that Spitfire scene cost him one million dollars to shoot! back in 64!

[@tomwatson9032]

Based on some of the Critical Past newsreels I've seen on YT, the train would have been swiss cheese and its occupants similarly perforated.

[@notbraindead7298]

Spectacular camera work, great acting! The suspense is palpable!!! Extraordinary film making!!

[@ryanpoulin5144]

Cool chase scene. I'm kinda curious to know, what kind of locomotive is that 1? I'm sorry for sounding rude I'm just curious as a old train enthusiast.

[@strafrag1]

Great film which was made when the French National Railway was modernizing quite a bit.

[@livesteam]

Ha! I remember this film: The Train; Great movie! Thanks

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

2:11 Thomas S5-12 Break Sound Effect!!!!

[@muddydisco4]

a superb film,real atmosphere and intensity. so much better than most of today's recycled rubbish

[@petermcgoohan8100]

I think the aircraft is a Mark IX Spitfire probably an LF Mk IX with clipped wings. It is not a Mustang as the tailplane and fin are rounded. It is definitely not a Tempest as none have been airworthy since the 50s. When the film was made (1965) there were only a few airworthy Spitfires and most were Mark IXs There were certainly no airworthy Mk XIIs then and I don't even think there iare currently.

[@up4004]

I heard the sound of the brakes on thomas & friends.

[@skullcrusher301]

@01276 i think he ment that the sound of the brakes from this movie were used on Thomas and Friends, like some brake sounds from the movie emperor of the north were used on thomas too.

1:15 Pesquet: No! No, Didont! Didont: *NOT US!!! NOT US!!! NOT US!!!*

[@rajr1032]

Seeing this 17 years old clip, and reading some comments on DVD viewing. That technology is already history!

[@Synchro-Mesh]

every ounce of steam to the cylinders

[@robertgift]

What an excellent scene! The strafing looked so real. (Wonder how many takes it took to get it just right?) Loved the sound of the engine when full throttle was applied. First saw this scene on the Johnny Carson show in 1964(?).

[@sean57]

damn i love this movie!!!!! the way that Frankenheimer edited this!

[@mrincrediblebecomingeveryt2594]

2:11

[@LycoValleyRRFan]

I love this film I hope know one will NEVER redo this. agree anyone.

[@SteamKing2160]

2:42 Thats what I do when I get angry

[@samanli-tw3id]

SteamKing2160 Do you have a whistle? :D

Why Didon't is angry?

[@samanli-tw3id]

Lucas Martínez Parra Cause they got strafed by that plane

[@tomasbenedictomaza]

que grandísima película la tengo en DVD y Digital 4k

[@robertbruce1887]

To me it was cruel the attacking of normally defenseless trains by aircraft. Later on during WW2 the Germans started including anti- aircraft gun or "flak cars" as they called. . Many a hot-shot Allied pilot met his death at the accuracy of the Germans firing from these flak cars & towards the end of the war Allied pilots were often warned against attacking trains for this reason.

[@joekrepps]

Both. Piercing the steel between the steam, probably between 150psi and 200psi, and the fire which created the steam would have stopped the loco and possibly forced the high pressure steam into the cab, cooking the crew. It would have been tougher to do from the front and back due to the angle. Shooting from either side would have been harder to aim but more effective. There's a lot of actual archive film out there showing a successful side shot, blowing up the loco.

[@catherinefan32]

the brakes affect sounded in the tunnel was so cool i mean almost all the parts in this film looks as if they were from the railwayseries books

[@trainmandan05]

Did the pilot really think he could destroy a steam engine with bullets or was he just trying to take out the crew?

[@samanli-tw3id]

Daniel Arnold Maybe he was trying to strafe the crew.

[@thegreatdivide825]

A steam locomotive can be destroyed with bullets

[@lennyos]

I vote on pissed that the allies shot at him.

[@mitsubishi109]

two train drivers did not like this video

[@Synchro-Mesh]

@01276 who would treat a perfectly good locomotive like that

[@fredericksaxton3991]

Does anyone know where in france this was filmed?

[@tictacgalapagar3399]

BURT IS GOD IN THE EARTH🇪🇸

[@vian68trainminiatureetlego]

Comment il s'appelle le film

[@terencewilliammckenna6121]

Happy 60th anniversary

[@Lavrentizodiac]

Real men scene.

[@trainagri]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE !!!!!!!!!!! Thank you

[@dexculpepper-py1jr]

This was a great movie, the train

[@Synchro-Mesh]

Damn talk about Emergency stop

[@garshdarnitibelieve8260]

Just for general knowledge trains were not strafed from the front or the rear... Always from the side... Peace!

[@samanli-tw3id]

But that’s a single locomotive

[@robertgift]

Doubtful this would ever have happened. They would move the engine at night. When I first saw the Spitfire, I would have opened throttle full. Stupid for them BOTH to get killed by one bullet. Should have allowed him to keep waving. Should have waved jacket. Very well done scene. Difficult to coordinate.

[@robertgift]

Required such timing an coordination. How many times did they shoot the aerial views to get it right? Makes no sense to stop or reverse the wheels. Keep them turning forward at a lower speed.

[@danlefou]

Definitely a clipped-wing Spit, probably a IX. Freeze frame at 2.05 and see the twin radiators under the wings, the dihedral, the upcurved wing roots and the profile of the Merlin cowling. Wrong picture aspect ratio distorts it a bit, but it couldn't be anything but a Spitfire.

[@bettycurry6752]

Great movie