RAF Airfield Manston (and more from the Battle of Britain)

[Olham 164]

Just stumbled across this website on my search about Battle of Britain airfields.

The site is specialised on the Hawker Tempest, but still - have a look.

 

I guess what I like about the Battle of Britain and the British achievements is

the purity of this important victory. They defended their very homeland, with all

their available energy, against an enemy about to conquer it.

They knew it was all or nothing - and they gave all. It was extremely straining,

and many good young men fell in these fights, but in the end they succeeded -

for the sake of Old Blighty (which I couldn't imagine being under the dictatorship

of that eager man with the Groucho-Marx-moustache).

I can only take my hat off for them all.

 

The airfields can be found under "In Action".

 

http://www.hawkertem....se/Manston.htm

 

 

 

And this is a touching video with interviews with pilots from both sides:

 

http://www.youtube.c...v=B3nOS_pqC2o#!

 

.

Edited October 13, 2012 by Olham

[JimAttrill 24]

My father was stationed at Manston for a few years from 1922, working as a Fitter IIE (ie. Engines) on Vickers Vimy's and Later Virginias. He met my mother while there - she worked at a hotel in Margate. So I reckon I owe my existence in some way to Manston!

[Olham 164]

Hey, the world is small! ...

[Hauksbee 103]

While we're on the Battle of Britain, I watched it again last night. It holds up pretty well. But one thing plagued me as I watched: how did they stage all those burning, exploding aircraft. Not just the ones with white smoke bombs attched, but the ones that actually blew up? The Heinkle-111's were rented from the Spanish airforce and had to be returned.

[Olham 164]

They had built 1:1 dummies of wood, tin and painted canvas, as far as I know.

[Olham 164]

Yes - Wikipedia is so much better than many of us think. Here is an excerpt, and the link:

 

To recreate airfield scenes in the film, with the limited number of period aircraft available for the film, large scale models were used.

The first requirement was for "set decoration" replicas. Production of full-size wood and fibreglass Hurricanes, Spitfires and Bf 109s

commenced in a sort of production line set up at Pinewood Studios. A number of the replicas were fitted with motorcycle engines to enable

them to taxi. Although most of these replicas were destroyed during filming, a small number were made available to museums in the UK.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_%28film%29

[Hauksbee 103]

Wikipedia! Of course. I should have just gone there first; but thanks, Olham. it's a great article. What I specifically wanted to know about was the aerial destruction of planes, and those were large radio-controlled models. Sure looked real to me.

[Olham 164]

Didn't it, Hauksbee? We were not so spoiled yet by Industrial Light and Magic and Co.

What wasn't exactly there to see, was added by our phantasy.

I wouldn't change it for today's youth's wealth of i-phones and all that. Never!

[JimAttrill 24]

In 1968 I worked with an 'ancient' Cpl rigger who had experience of Spitfires and Hurricanes. He was detached from the RAF to work on the aircraft used in the film. He didn't mind as he was paid two salaries! He told us some funny stories. All the real fighters had 4-bladed props and the BoB aircraft had 3-bladers. So they had some glass-fibre replicas made which had lawn mower engines to turn the props and pyrotechnics to simulate the smoke out of the exhausts when the engine fired. The 'pilots' and the ground crew had trouble not laughing when they started a 'Spitfire'. The aircraft had little signs inside that said something like 'Do NOT attempt aerobatics in this aeroplane'

 

Out of interest, nearly all the 'gate guardians' in the UK have been replaced with glass fibre replicas. The real things are kept under cover or are being refurbished. But I think XV779 which was originally a 4Sqn Harrier GR1 is now a GR3 with the laser rangefinder (ugly) nose and is still outside what used to be RAF Wittering, unfortunately in 20Sqn colours. It used to be tail code 'A' and was the commanders plane.

[Lewie 7]

Isn't there a RAF BoB Hurricane based Museum somewhere near Lydd? I seem to recall they have a couple original MkIIa's out in the weather.