On purposes of the film an enormous Cross regarding Lorraine emblem was used into the routes to help you portray brand new Totally free French squadron
In June 1956 MH415 is actually marketed so you’re able to a beneficial Belgian providers, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which in fact had a target-towing package towards Belgian and you will NATO forces. COGEA got in past times work individuals white flights towing ads and you will similar, however when the armed forces address pulling price came up, this new Percival Proctors these were using didn’t have the latest results expected. The latest Belgian Heavens Forces last couple of Spitfires given the best opportunity, and you can COGEA bought half a dozen of them to perform because of their army contract. Period photos tell you brand new aircraft inside the a bare aluminium livery having green nosecone and you can tail. From inside the 1961 it was leased to have film include in The new Longest Day, which had been recorded on site in France.
Into 14th Will get MH415 turned up to the film product within RAF North Weald in Essex, and you may try afterwards built at Debden, Duxford and you may Hawkinge
The brand new routes was coated from inside the an effective camouflage program and you will flown having 340 (Ile de france) Squadron requirements GW-Roentgen. Into the September 1961 the fresh new flights triggered a blend from the searching at new RAF Battle out-of Great britain heavens display from the Biggin Hill into the the livery regarding Longest Time, flown from the Pierre Laureys, a beneficial French The second world war Spitfire airplane pilot. It is realized one MH415 was the last airworthy Spitfire in order to feel marketed of the COGEA, and is thought that it was during the Ostend as the later while the December 1964. MH415 is actually bought away from COGEA from the Rousseau Aviation out-of Dinhard from inside the France, into the sum of 8, 000 francs to your ish Mahaddie is gathering together with her flights on the imminent movie The battle away from Britain, and you will once a survey from the John Simpson, MH415 is ordered for a keen undisclosed contribution.
The new flights try dismantled and mailed because of the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd from the Elstree to possess an overhaul, entered Grams-AVDJ, in order to Mahaddie on 29th December 1966. It absolutely was shot flown and delivered to the film equipment at RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 from the T Good Davies. The newest flights is actually stored, its Merlin 66 motor inhibited, through the most of 1967, and it also wasn’t flown again up until November, if this gotten an alternative Certification regarding Airworthiness, are shot flown into the 29th of this few days from the T A good Davies at Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 filming got were only available in Spain, so that as a Spitfire try required for area performs, MH415 are selected and you can waiting within Henlow and you can Luton. A beneficial ninety-gallon miss-container is actually installing as well as other test aircraft accomplished throughout February within Henlow, Luton and Farnborough by Lt Cdr M T Hynett.
For the later March MH415 kept great britain, flying through France in order to Tablada Heavens Ft for the The country of spain. For Bonuses it long airline it had been flown by V H Bellamy. Film place work as N3312/ AI-C then followed in the Spain, flown in the main because of the Lt Cdr Hynett. This new Spitfire the latest turned up into England at Manston on 11th May 1968, inside team which have a gaggle regarding Messerschmitts, a few Heinkels and you will Jeff Hawke within the a-b-twenty five cam-watercraft. Sun and rain within the 1968 is actually typically United kingdom, and film organization was indeed not having enough go out. Fund has also been resulting in problems, this is actually made a decision to circulate this new aerial unit toward an effective weather of one’s South out-of France.
MH415 and a great many other Spitfires and lots of Messerschmitts was flown off to Montpelier for the August for three days, and needed video footage is actually received in the sun. MH415 used many markings throughout the filming, plus N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-An excellent, N3310/ GoodI-An effective, Letter3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you can N3314/ AI-E. Which Spitfire is actually installing that have strobe lights regarding machine-gun slots and you will is actually flown to own all in all, 125 days during shooting. In October 1968 it absolutely was dependent during the Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later that week was utilized inside the shooting bail-aside photos from the Netheravon Wiltshire. Among flick device pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, gotten MH415 on the end of its flick duties and it is actually dismantled during the Bovingdon of the Simpson’s Aeroservices to own distribution in order to Houston, Tx, where it found its way to January 1969.