Towards the reason for the movie a big Mix out of Lorraine emblem was utilized towards the routes to help you show the fresh 100 % free French squadron
When you look at the June 1956 MH415 are marketed so you’re able to an excellent Belgian team, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a target-towing bargain on Belgian and NATO pushes. COGEA had Aarau escort prior to now operated individuals white aircraft towing banners and you can similar, but once the fresh army target towing deal emerged, the fresh new Percival Proctors these were playing with did not have the results called for. This new Belgian Sky Forces last few Spitfires provided the perfect opportunity, and you may COGEA bought half dozen of these to run due to their armed forces package. Several months photo reveal the brand new flights from inside the a blank aluminum livery having environmentally friendly nosecone and you may tail. Into the 1961 it had been leased having movie include in The brand new Longest Day, which was shot on site in the France.
Toward 14th Could possibly get MH415 showed up into the flick tool at the RAF Northern Weald inside Essex, and was later on oriented at Debden, Duxford and you will Hawkinge
The new flights are painted in the good camouflage system and you will flown that have 340 (Ile de france) Squadron codes GW-R. In the Sep 1961 the fresh routes brought about a stir by searching at new RAF Race off The uk heavens screen within Biggin Mountain for the its livery about Longest Go out, flown by Pierre Laureys, a good French World war ii Spitfire pilot. It is realized you to definitely MH415 try the last airworthy Spitfire so you’re able to feel ended up selling because of the COGEA, and is considered that it actually was from the Ostend while the later because the December 1964. MH415 is actually bought away from COGEA by the Rousseau Aviation out of Dinhard for the France, into amount of 8, 000 francs with the ish Mahaddie try collecting together with her flights into impending motion picture The fight out of Britain, and you can immediately after a study from the John Simpson, MH415 are ordered having a keen undisclosed contribution.
The fresh aircraft try dismantled and you will mailed by Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd in the Elstree getting a change, registered G-AVDJ, so you can Mahaddie toward 29th December 1966. It actually was decide to try flown and you may brought to the film unit at RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 because of the T Good Davies. The newest flights was held, its Merlin 66 engine restricted, throughout a lot of 1967, plus it wasn’t flown again until November, in the event it gotten a different Certificate of Airworthiness, becoming shot flown to your 29th of the day because of the T A Davies in the Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 filming got were only available in The country of spain, so when a good Spitfire is required for location work, MH415 was chose and you may waiting in the Henlow and you can Luton. An effective 90-gallon drop-container are fitting and other test flights achieved while in the February during the Henlow, Luton and you may Farnborough by Lt Cdr M T Hynett.
Within the late February MH415 left the united kingdom, traveling thru France so you’re able to Tablada Heavens Foot within the The country of spain. For this long airline it had been flown by the V H Bellamy. Motion picture venue work as N3312/ AI-C accompanied inside the Spain, flown in the primary by the Lt Cdr Hynett. This new Spitfire the latest showed up into The united kingdomt within Manston towards 11th Get 1968, during the team which have a gaggle out-of Messerschmitts, a couple of Heinkels and you can Jeff Hawke for the a-b-twenty five camera-watercraft. The weather into the 1968 try normally Uk, and the flick team was basically not having enough big date. Finance has also been leading to trouble, it are chose to flow the aerial unit for the a good weather of one’s South from France.
MH415 and a great many other Spitfires and many Messerschmitts was indeed flown off to Montpelier within the August for three weeks, in addition to requisite footage try received in the sunshine. MH415 dressed in of many markings during filming, together with N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Yards, N2210/ CD-A beneficial, N3310/ An effectiveI-An effective, N3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you can N3314/ AI-E. Which Spitfire are suitable which have strobe lighting throughout the machine-gun harbors and you can are flown getting a total of 125 instances during shooting. Inside October 1968 it actually was created on Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and soon after you to few days was applied within the shooting bail-out shots at the Netheravon Wiltshire. Among the many motion picture equipment pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, received MH415 on the achievement of its movie duties also it was dismantled at the Bovingdon by the Simpson’s Aeroservices having delivery so you’re able to Houston, Texas, where they arrived in January 1969.
