On the purposes of the film a massive Get across from Lorraine emblem was applied into flights in order to portray this new 100 % free French squadron
In Summer 1956 MH415 are marketed to a Belgian organization, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a goal-towing contract into Belgian and you will NATO forces. COGEA got before operate some white routes pulling ads and you will similar, nevertheless when this new military address pulling deal came up, new Percival Proctors they were having fun with did not have the brand new abilities needed. The latest Belgian Heavens Forces last few Spitfires considering just the right possibility, and you can COGEA ordered six of them to operate due to their army contract. Months images show the fresh new flights for the a blank aluminium livery which have eco-friendly nosecone and you can tail. In the 1961 it had been rented for motion picture use in Brand new Longest Go out, which had been shot on site when you look at the France.
To your 14th May MH415 arrived with the motion picture product during the RAF Northern Weald inside Essex, and was afterwards established at Debden, Duxford and you will Hawkinge
This new aircraft is painted when you look at the an effective camouflage design and you may flown with 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron rules GW-Roentgen. From inside the Sep 1961 the newest flights triggered a blend of the looking from the new RAF Battle off The uk heavens monitor within Biggin Hill during the their livery throughout the Longest Big date, flown by the Pierre Laureys, an excellent French World war ii Spitfire airplane pilot. It is knew you to definitely MH415 try the past airworthy Spitfire to getting offered because of the COGEA, and it is thought that it was at Ostend due to the fact later due to the fact December 1964. MH415 try ordered out-of COGEA by the Rousseau Aviation of Dinhard for the France, into the amount of 8, 000 francs for the ish Mahaddie is actually gathering along with her routes into certain motion picture The battle away from The uk, and you may once a study by the John Simpson, MH415 try ordered to possess a keen undisclosed share.
The fresh aircraft are dismantled and shipped because of the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd from the Elstree to have an overhaul, joined G-AVDJ, so you can Mahaddie toward 29th December 1966. It had been test flown and you can brought to the movie unit at RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 of the T A great Davies. The newest aircraft is actually held, the Merlin 66 system inhibited, throughout much of 1967, also it wasn’t flown once again up to November, if this gotten another Certificate from Airworthiness, getting attempt flown to your 29th of that month of the T A great Davies from the Henlow. In early 1968 filming had were only available in Spain, and as an excellent Spitfire is actually required for venue works, MH415 is actually chosen and you can prepared within Henlow and you can Luton. An effective 90-gallon get rid of-container try suitable and differing sample routes accomplished throughout March at the Henlow, Luton and you may Farnborough from the Lt Cdr M T Hynett.
During the later March MH415 leftover the united kingdom, traveling through France so you can Tablada Sky Ft inside Spain. Because of it long airline it was flown from the V H Bellamy. Movie area become N3312/ AI-C used during the The country of spain, flown however because of the Lt Cdr Hynett. The new Spitfire the new arrived into England in the Manston into the 11th Could possibly get 1968, in business top Schaffhausen State escorts that have a bunch away from Messerschmitts, a couple of Heinkels and Jeff Hawke when you look at the a-b-twenty-five camera-motorboat. The current weather in 1968 are typically United kingdom, and movie providers had been running out of big date. Fund was also leading to difficulties, this try chose to disperse brand new aerial product towards a great environment of the South from France.
MH415 and you will a great many other Spitfires and lots of Messerschmitts was in fact flown out over Montpelier inside August for three months, plus the needed footage was obtained in the sun. MH415 used of several scars throughout the shooting, including N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-A great, N3310/ A beneficialI-An excellent, Letter3322/ AI/ N, N3319/ DO-K and you will N3314/ AI-Elizabeth. It Spitfire try installing having strobe lights in the machine-gun harbors and you will is actually flown to possess all in all, 125 times throughout filming. For the October 1968 it absolutely was built within Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later you to day was used in shooting bail-aside shots on Netheravon Wiltshire. Among the flick equipment pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, obtained MH415 with the completion of the flick commitments and it also was dismantled during the Bovingdon by Simpson’s Aeroservices getting delivery so you’re able to Houston, Colorado, in which it arrived in January 1969.