Toward purposes of the movie a large Mix of Lorraine emblem was utilized with the routes in order to depict the fresh Free French squadron
In Summer 1956 MH415 are ended up selling in order to a beneficial Belgian organization, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which had a goal-towing deal for the Belgian and you will NATO forces. COGEA had prior to now run individuals white aircraft towing banners and you can similar, but once the armed forces target pulling price emerged, this new Percival Proctors these people were playing with did not have the new abilities expected. The latest Belgian Air Forces last few Spitfires offered the ideal opportunity, and you can COGEA purchased six of them to perform for their army offer. Months photos let you know the latest flights inside the a clean aluminium livery with environmentally friendly nosecone and you will tail. During the 1961 it had been rented to own movie use in This new Longest Day, which was filmed on location when you look at the France.
To the 14th Could possibly get MH415 turned up to your flick unit at the RAF Northern Weald when you look at the Essex, and you can is actually later based during the Debden, Duxford and you may Hawkinge
The brand new routes try painted inside the a good camouflage program and you may flown with 340 (Ile de france) Squadron codes GW-R. From inside the Sep 1961 the fresh new flights caused a stir because of the appearing within new RAF Competition away from Britain sky screen during the Biggin Hill within the its livery regarding the Longest Go out, flown because of the Pierre Laureys, a French The second world war Spitfire airplane pilot. It is realized that MH415 is actually the very last airworthy Spitfire in order to be ended up selling by COGEA, and is thought that it had been on Ostend because the later just like the December 1964. MH415 was bought away from COGEA by the Rousseau Aviation from Dinhard for the France, towards the amount of 8, 000 francs on the ish Mahaddie is actually collecting with her routes towards certain movie The battle off Great britain, and you can just after a survey of the John Simpson, MH415 was purchased to possess a keen undisclosed contribution.
The latest aircraft try dismantled and shipped by Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd at Elstree to possess a redesign, inserted Grams-AVDJ, to Mahaddie into the 29th December 1966. It actually was try flown and you will brought to the film equipment in the RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 because of the T An effective Davies. The fresh aircraft try stored, the Merlin 66 system inhibited, through the most of 1967, also it was not flown once again up until November, in the event it got another type of Certification regarding Airworthiness, being try flown to the 29th of that week by T An excellent Davies at the Henlow. During the early 1968 shooting got started in The country of spain, so that as a good Spitfire is actually needed for location works, MH415 is chose and you may prepared in the Henlow and Luton. An effective ninety-gallon shed-container try fitted and different sample routes achieved through the March in the Henlow, Luton and Farnborough by Lt Cdr Meters T Hynett.
In late March MH415 kept great britain, traveling through France to Tablada Air Foot during the Spain. Because of it a lot of time trip it had been flown of the V H Bellamy. Film location act as N3312/ AI-C then followed within the The country of spain, flown in the main of the Lt Cdr Hynett. The latest Spitfire the fresh new arrived back in The united kingdomt on Manston to your 11th Will get 1968, in the business that have a bunch Aargau call girl away from Messerschmitts, a couple Heinkels and you can Jeff Hawke in the a b-twenty-five cam-vessel. The sun and rain into the 1968 try usually Uk, additionally the flick team was basically running out of go out. Financing has also been ultimately causing issues, that it are chose to move the aerial device on good weather of your Southern of France.
MH415 and you will a great many other Spitfires and several Messerschmitts was in fact flown out to Montpelier in the August for a few months, additionally the required video footage are received in the sun. MH415 used of a lot markings while in the shooting, along with N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-M, N2210/ CD-A beneficial, N3310/ A goodI-An excellent, Letter3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you can N3314/ AI-E. So it Spitfire is fitted that have strobe bulbs in the machine-gun harbors and you may try flown to possess a maximum of 125 hours throughout the filming. In the October 1968 it absolutely was depending within Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later you to times was used during the filming bail-away photos within Netheravon Wiltshire. Among the many movie tool pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, obtained MH415 into completion of the film requirements and it are dismantled from the Bovingdon of the Simpson’s Aeroservices for distribution to Houston, Tx, where it found its way to January 1969.