Castle Bromwich

[Terenceskipp]

Can anybody help with VHS or DVD footage of Alex Henshaw demonstrating a Spitfire for I think Churchill?
I've got the DVD Ferry Pilot which has part of his display, but am after a full length record?

[airfields man]

Sounds interesting to me , I too would like to see a full version of Alex Henshaw demonstrating a Spitfire. I've only ever seen brief clips of it, and yes you are correct about it being Churchill that he was doing it for. Afterwards Churchill is reputed to have said, '' Don't ever risk yourself again like that for my benefit.'' If you manage to find a full version of this Display please let me know as I would like a copy.

[cbrjock]

Shame no-one filmed him barrel rolling the Lancaster, now that'd be worth getting a copy of!

Pete

[canberra]

Ive seen the film of the protype 707 being rolled, and it can be done in the 747!

[norwichpaul]

WWI aircraft factory, Castle Bromwich c.1918

[Snoopy]

The display shown in 'Ferry Pilot' for the ATA film was not filmed at Castle Bromwich. There are a few very brief clips around that were taken at Castle Bromwish in other films, but they were edited-into those films about seventy years ago, so getting hold of the unadulterated footage now will be very unlikely. There's plenty of good footage of Ray Hanna chucking Spit's around though, which is excellent.

[papajuliet]

In the book "Fly and Deliver" by Hugh Bergel - [ATA memoirs] it states that The Crown Film Unit made a film called "Ferry Pilot". They decided it needed pepping up so they worked in a sequence of a Spitfire, flown by Alex Henshaw, doing really low level aerobatics. When the Film Unit saw the film they had taken they decided that they needed a few linking up shots. The camera crew, on 9th May 1941, positioned themselves high up on the edge of the Chilterns overlooking Benson. Bergel then flew Spitfire X4665 for 40 minutes, diving down on the camera, coming up at it from a valley,doing tight turns around it and generally seeing how close he could get to it without actually knocking it off it's tripod. That sequence is often shown in TV and cinema clips.
Hugh Bergel also mentions that Alex Henshaw, after an exhibition [ which included a perfect slow roll at a height of about 15 feet] at Ratcliffe, where the Film Unit was, apologised for a second rate show but the Spifire he was flying was straight off the production line, on it's first flight and that it wasn't a very good specimen!

[NJR]

We've received the following request about an artefact from Castle Bromwich.

Hi, we are currently in the final stages of the restoration of a WW11 two person consol portable fire watchers shelter ( bell like in shape ) . The shelter was discovered a few years ago underneath the old boiler house on the Jaguar Cars Castle Bromwich plant site. Due to the plants historical significance as most of WW11's Spitfire's were built here. The plant director wanted the shelter restored and when finished it is to be put on display. Could you possibly supply me with the information on what was the original colour of the shelter, I have seen them in various colours on the internet and I have been told that the colour could have depended on the location of the shelter, we would like the shelter to be as original as possible so any information on the colour would be very much appreciated.

If anyone can help reply here and I'll pass it on.

Cheers

[YellowPinkie]

Ive seen the film of the protype 707 being rolled, and it can be done in the 747!

Tex Johnston in a 707:

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photoga...707%20Roll.mpg

It's a 1G manouvre, no risk. "You know that, and now I know that. Just don't do it again!"

[norwichpaul]

Consol Shelters:

http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...table-Shelters