New Spitfire was taken to the latest COGEA feet in the Middlekerke, Ostend, where it was entered OO-ARD, and very quickly entered provider

New Spitfire was taken to the latest COGEA feet in the Middlekerke, Ostend, where it was entered OO-ARD, and very quickly entered provider

For the purposes of the movie a giant Get across off Lorraine emblem was utilized on the flights in order to depict new Free French squadron

In the June 1956 MH415 are marketed so you can a great Belgian company, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which had a target-towing bargain to the Belgian and you can NATO pushes. COGEA got before run various white flights pulling ads and you may equivalent, however when the newest armed forces address pulling contract came up, the brand new Percival Proctors they were having fun with did not have the newest overall performance necessary. The new Belgian Heavens Pushes last few Spitfires provided the ideal opportunity, and COGEA ordered half a dozen of those to perform because of their military bargain. Several months photographs let you know the latest aircraft inside the a clean aluminum livery having environmentally friendly nosecone and tail. In the 1961 it actually was hired to have film use in The latest Longest Day, which had been filmed on location during the France.

Towards 14th Get MH415 turned up for the film equipment within RAF North Weald in Essex, and try after created within Debden, Duxford and you will Hawkinge

The newest flights was painted inside the an excellent camouflage program and flown that have 340 (Ile de france) Squadron codes GW-Roentgen. In the Sep 1961 the new routes triggered a blend by lookin in the the RAF Battle from The uk heavens screen during the Biggin Hill during the the livery in the Longest Go out, flown because of the Pierre Laureys, a great French World war ii Spitfire airplane pilot. It is understood you to MH415 are the final airworthy Spitfire to getting sold by COGEA, and is also considered that it absolutely was from the Ostend as the late because the December 1964. MH415 are ordered of COGEA from the Rousseau Aviation regarding Dinhard in France, into sum of 8, 000 francs to your ish Mahaddie are collecting along with her aircraft to the certain film The battle off The uk, and shortly after a survey from the John Simpson, MH415 try bought to have an undisclosed share.

The newest aircraft was dismantled and you will mailed by the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd within Elstree to have a change, inserted G-AVDJ, to Mahaddie towards the 29th December 1966. It actually was test flown and you can taken to the movie equipment at RAF Henlow in early 1967 from the T An effective Davies. New routes are stored, their Merlin 66 system inhibited, while in the most of 1967, and it also was not flown once more up to November, whether or not it received an alternative Certification from Airworthiness, getting shot flown into the 29th of this week of the T An effective Davies on Henlow. During the early 1968 shooting got were only available in Spain, and also as good Spitfire is needed for venue performs, MH415 try selected and you will prepared within Henlow and you will Luton. A 90-gallon lose-container is actually fitted and different test routes achieved during February in the Henlow, Luton and you will Farnborough of the Lt Cdr Yards T Hynett.

For the late February MH415 kept great britain, traveling via France so you can Tablada Heavens Base inside the The country of spain. For this a lot of time flight it actually was flown from the V H Bellamy. Movie area behave as N3312/ AI-C accompanied in pictures of prostitutes in Geneva the Spain, flown however of the Lt Cdr Hynett. The fresh new Spitfire new turned up back in The united kingdomt on Manston into the 11th Get 1968, from inside the providers that have a gaggle out-of Messerschmitts, a couple of Heinkels and Jeff Hawke within the a-b-25 cam-vessel. The elements when you look at the 1968 are usually British, additionally the movie providers were not having enough go out. Fund was also ultimately causing difficulties, this are chose to disperse the fresh new aerial product towards the a weather of your Southern off France.

MH415 and you may many other Spitfires and lots of Messerschmitts was indeed flown out over Montpelier within the August for a few days, while the required footage was obtained in the sunshine. MH415 used of a lot markings through the shooting, and additionally N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-A good, N3310/ A goodI-A, Letter3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you will N3314/ AI-Elizabeth. That it Spitfire is actually fitted that have strobe bulbs on the machine-gun ports and you may is flown having a total of 125 hours during the shooting. In Oct 1968 it absolutely was depending at Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later you to definitely day was utilized within the shooting bail-out photos during the Netheravon Wiltshire. One of the film product pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, acquired MH415 to the end of its motion picture duties also it is dismantled in the Bovingdon because of the Simpson’s Aeroservices to have shipment in order to Houston, Colorado, in which they arrived in January 1969.

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