Into purposes of the film a giant Cross of Lorraine emblem was used on the aircraft to help you show this new Free French squadron
From inside the Summer 1956 MH415 is offered to good Belgian team, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a target-pulling bargain towards Belgian and you will NATO forces. COGEA had in earlier times run certain white aircraft pulling banners and you may similar, nevertheless when the fresh military target towing bargain emerged, the fresh new Percival Proctors they were using didn’t have the latest abilities necessary. The fresh Belgian Air Forces last couple of Spitfires considering the best possibility, and you will COGEA bought half dozen of those to run for their army offer. Several months images reveal brand new routes in a clean aluminum livery that have environmentally friendly nosecone and you may end. Into the 1961 it had been leased to have flick include in This new Longest Day, that has been filmed on site inside France.
For the 14th Get MH415 turned up into the film product on RAF North Weald within the Essex, and is actually later based at Debden, Duxford and you can Hawkinge
The routes is coated during the a great camouflage program and flown that have 340 (Ile de france) Squadron requirements GW-Roentgen. In the Sep 1961 the latest aircraft triggered a stir from the lookin on the fresh RAF Competition from Great britain air monitor at Biggin Mountain in the its livery on the Longest Day, flown by the Pierre Laureys, an effective French The second world war Spitfire pilot. It’s knew you to MH415 is actually the final airworthy Spitfire to be marketed of the COGEA, and is also considered that it absolutely was at the Ostend given that later due to the fact December 1964. MH415 are ordered off COGEA of the Rousseau Aviation out-of Dinhard in France, into sum of 8, 000 francs for the ish Mahaddie is actually event with her routes toward forthcoming movie The battle of The uk, and you can just after a study by the John Simpson, MH415 is purchased to own an enthusiastic undisclosed share.
The newest flights are dismantled and you will shipped from the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd during the Elstree getting a redesign, registered Grams-AVDJ, to help you Mahaddie to your 29th December 1966. It actually was attempt flown and you will brought to the movie device at the RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 by T A beneficial Davies. This new flights are kept, its Merlin 66 system restricted, while in the a lot of 1967, plus it was not flown again up until November, if this obtained a special Certificate from Airworthiness, are take to flown on 29th of these times of the T A Davies from the Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 shooting had were only available in Spain, and also as good Spitfire is you’ll need for venue performs, MH415 is selected and you can wishing from the Henlow and you can Luton. An excellent 90-gallon drop-tank was fitted as well as other decide to try aircraft carried out while in the March within Henlow, Luton and you will Farnborough by Lt Cdr Yards T Hynett.
From inside the late March MH415 left great britain, traveling via France to help you Tablada Sky Foot into the Spain. For it a lot of time journey it had been flown from the V H Bellamy. Motion picture area become N3312/ AI-C accompanied inside The country of spain, flown in the main by the Lt Cdr Hynett. New Spitfire the fresh arrived back in England in the Manston towards 11th May 1968, during the business having a bunch from Messerschmitts, a few Heinkels and you will Jeff Hawke during the a b-twenty-five camera-watercraft. The sun and rain into the 1968 was generally Uk, and movie providers was not having enough go out. Financing has also been leading to problems, which is chose to flow the fresh new aerial device for the a environment of one’s Southern area away from France.
MH415 and you can a number of other Spitfires and several Messerschmitts have been flown over to Montpelier into the August for three days, and the expected video footage are acquired in the sun. MH415 used of several scars during filming, and additionally N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-An excellent, N3310/ GoodI-A great, Letter3322/ AI/ N, N3319/ DO-K and you may N3314/ AI-Age. That it Spitfire is installing having strobe bulbs on the machine-gun harbors and you will try flown to have a maximum of 125 period throughout the filming. Inside the October 1968 it actually was founded from the Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and soon after one to week was applied into the shooting bail-away escort Canton of Solothurn images during the Netheravon Wiltshire. Among the many motion picture equipment pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, received MH415 to your achievement of the movie duties and it are dismantled in the Bovingdon of the Simpson’s Aeroservices for delivery in order to Houston, Colorado, where they arrived in January 1969.