On the purposes of the film a big Cross off Lorraine emblem was applied toward flights in order to represent the Totally free French squadron
In the June 1956 MH415 try offered so you can an effective Belgian organization, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a goal-pulling contract towards Belgian and you can NATO forces. COGEA got previously operate individuals white routes pulling ads and you may comparable, nevertheless when this new army target pulling deal came up, the latest Percival Proctors these were using didn’t have the new performance requisite. Brand new Belgian Sky Pushes last few Spitfires considering the ideal opportunity, and COGEA ordered half a dozen of those to operate because of their army bargain. Several months images tell you the flights inside a blank aluminum livery having green nosecone and you can end. Inside the 1961 it was leased getting flick include in The fresh Longest Big date, which had been filmed on location when you look at the France.
Into the 14th Can get MH415 showed up into flick unit from the RAF North Weald inside the Essex, and you will is later built in the Debden, Duxford and Hawkinge
The latest routes try painted for the an effective camouflage plan and flown having 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron codes GW-R. Within the Sep 1961 brand new routes caused a blend by the searching in the the newest RAF Battle out of Great britain air display screen during the Biggin Mountain when you look at the its livery from the Longest Go out, flown from the Pierre Laureys, an effective French World war ii Spitfire pilot. It’s realized you to MH415 was the last airworthy Spitfire to feel marketed from the COGEA, and is believed that it had been within Ostend as the late because December 1964. MH415 was purchased away from COGEA of the Rousseau Aviation away from Dinhard when you look at the France, toward amount of 8, 000 francs to the ish Mahaddie was event together with her aircraft into certain flick The battle from Britain, and you will after a study by the John Simpson, MH415 was bought to possess an undisclosed sum.
The new flights is actually dismantled and mailed of the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd at Elstree getting an overhaul, joined Grams-AVDJ, to Mahaddie with the 29th December 1966. It absolutely was decide to try flown and you will delivered to the film unit within RAF Henlow during the early 1967 because of the T Good Davies. The latest flights are stored, its Merlin 66 motor inhibited, throughout the the majority of 1967, and it wasn’t flown once again until November, whether or not it received an alternative Certificate out-of Airworthiness, getting test flown into the 29th of that day of the T A Davies at Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 shooting had were only available in The country of spain, and as good Spitfire try necessary for area work, MH415 try selected and you will waiting at the Henlow and you can Luton. A good 90-gallon lose-container try installing as well as other sample aircraft carried out during the February from the Henlow, Luton and you will Farnborough of the Lt Cdr Yards T Hynett.
For the later March MH415 left the uk, flying via France so you’re able to Tablada Sky Feet inside the The country of spain. For this long flight it was flown because of the V H Bellamy. Movie area become N3312/ AI-C implemented into the Spain, flown in the main of the Lt Cdr Hynett. The fresh Spitfire the brand new showed up into England from the Manston to your 11th Could possibly get 1968, during the providers having a bunch out of Messerschmitts, several Heinkels and Jeff Hawke inside a Ostermundigen escort girl b-twenty-five digital camera-boat. The sun and rain from inside the 1968 is actually normally British, together with movie providers was not having enough big date. Financing was also causing trouble, that it was decided to flow new aerial product into the a great weather of one’s Southern from France.
MH415 and you will a great many other Spitfires and several Messerschmitts were flown off to Montpelier into the August for three months, while the requisite footage are gotten in the sun. MH415 used of numerous markings during filming, and N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Yards, N2210/ CD-A great, N3310/ A beneficialI-A, N3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you may N3314/ AI-E. This Spitfire are fitted which have strobe bulbs on machine-gun ports and you can try flown getting a maximum of 125 times throughout filming. Within the October 1968 it had been depending at Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later you to few days was applied when you look at the filming bail-out shots within Netheravon Wiltshire. Among the many movie device pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, obtained MH415 on the achievement of the film obligations plus it are dismantled from the Bovingdon because of the Simpson’s Aeroservices to have distribution so you can Houston, Colorado, where they arrived in January 1969.