Into reason for the movie a huge Mix of Lorraine emblem was utilized to your routes so you’re able to portray the latest 100 % free French squadron
Inside the Summer 1956 MH415 is actually ended up selling so you can good Belgian providers, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a goal-pulling package towards the Belgian and you may NATO forces. COGEA got in earlier times work some white flights towing ads and equivalent, however when the new armed forces target towing deal emerged, the fresh Percival Proctors they were playing with didn’t have this new results necessary. The latest Belgian Air Pushes last few Spitfires offered the best options, and you can COGEA purchased half dozen of those to operate due to their army price. Several months photographs inform you this new routes inside a clean aluminium livery which have eco-friendly nosecone and tail. Within the 1961 it absolutely was leased having flick include in The Longest Go out, that was shot on site when you look at the France.
On the 14th May MH415 turned up into motion picture unit within RAF Northern Weald into the Essex, and you may was afterwards dependent on Debden, Duxford and Hawkinge
The newest routes was painted within the an effective camouflage system and you may flown which have 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron codes GW-R. In the September 1961 the fresh new flights triggered a stir from the searching within brand new RAF Race away from The uk air display from the Biggin Slope when you look at the the livery regarding Longest Big date, flown because of the Pierre Laureys, good French The second world war Spitfire airplane pilot. It is knew you to MH415 was the last airworthy Spitfire so you can getting marketed by COGEA, and is also believed that it had been in the Ostend because the later as December 1964. MH415 try ordered from COGEA because of the Rousseau Aviation off Dinhard inside France, on the sum of 8, 000 francs towards the ish Mahaddie is collecting together with her routes to the certain film The battle regarding Britain, and just after a study by John Simpson, MH415 was purchased having a keen undisclosed contribution.
The latest flights is actually dismantled and mailed of the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd from the Elstree to have an overhaul, joined Grams-AVDJ, to Mahaddie to the 29th December 1966. It was take to https://escortlook.de/en/switzerland/basel-landschaft/binningen flown and you can delivered to the movie device during the RAF Henlow in early 1967 by T An effective Davies. The latest flights was kept, the Merlin 66 motor inhibited, throughout the majority of 1967, plus it wasn’t flown once again until November, whether or not it obtained a new Certification off Airworthiness, getting try flown for the 29th of these month by T An excellent Davies at Henlow. During the early 1968 filming had were only available in Spain, and as a beneficial Spitfire is actually you’ll need for area work, MH415 are selected and you may waiting within Henlow and you can Luton. A beneficial 90-gallon shed-container try suitable as well as other sample aircraft achieved while in the March within Henlow, Luton and you may Farnborough by the Lt Cdr Yards T Hynett.
Inside the late March MH415 remaining the uk, traveling thru France in order to Tablada Heavens Legs in the Spain. Because of it enough time flight it was flown because of the V H Bellamy. Motion picture area behave as N3312/ AI-C then followed into the The country of spain, flown in the primary of the Lt Cdr Hynett. The brand new Spitfire the latest arrived back into The united kingdomt at the Manston towards the 11th Can get 1968, when you look at the company which have a gaggle out of Messerschmitts, one or two Heinkels and you can Jeff Hawke within the a-b-25 digital camera-watercraft. The sun and rain for the 1968 try typically United kingdom, as well as the movie providers was not having enough go out. Finance has also been ultimately causing problems, it is chose to flow new aerial device on a beneficial climate of the Southern area away from France.
MH415 and many other Spitfires and lots of Messerschmitts had been flown over to Montpelier during the August for a few days, while the requisite footage are acquired in the sunshine. MH415 dressed in many markings while in the filming, together with N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-Good, N3310/ GoodI-A good, N3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and N3314/ AI-Age. It Spitfire are installing having strobe bulbs throughout the machine gun slots and was flown for all in all, 125 times during the shooting. Inside Oct 1968 it actually was centered within Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later you to times was utilized inside the shooting bail-away shots on Netheravon Wiltshire. One of several motion picture unit pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, acquired MH415 on conclusion of the motion picture requirements and it are dismantled within Bovingdon from the Simpson’s Aeroservices getting delivery to help you Houston, Tx, where it arrived in January 1969.