De l'enfer à la victoire

De l'enfer à la victoire movie poster.

Movie (1979)
Italian title : Contro 4 bandiere
Spanish title : De Dunkerke a la victoria
English title : From Hell to Victory

Starring:
George Peppard (Brett Rosson)
George Hamilton (Maurice Bernard)
Horst Buchholz (Jürgen Dietrich)
Ray Lovelock (Jim Rosson)
Anny Duperey (Fabienne Bodin)

Four friends in Paris must leave at the end of August 1939, in the hope of finding again Fabienne, a charming French woman who is the heart of their friendship. But they are of four different nationalities and war breaks out.

Heinkel He 111

Junkers Ju 87 B-2 Stuka

The cinemascope format has reduced the upper part of the image but it's the same footage used in Jeux interdits.
Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Military Fixed-Wing).

Junkers Ju 52/3m

TM+BY Junkers Ju 52/3m.

Another one with G code.

North American T-6

Acting sometimes as Luftwaffe fighter or light bomber. Footage reused from La battaglia d'Inghilterra.

Hispano Aviación HA-1112-M1L

Footage reused from La battaglia d'Inghilterra.
The Spanish variant of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 ('Buchon') is acting the most iconic of the Bf 109 adversary : the Supermarine Spitfire !
Three-blade Buchon on the right. On the left, fake four-blade Spitfire (matte painting technique).

Made for Movie (what would be a Spitfire)

La battaglia d'Inghilterra was filmed in 1969 and used the same aircraft seen the previous year for Battle of Britain. Ten years later, the Buchon have been sold to private owners or museum and the production using footages of Enzo G. Castellari's movie, Jean-Pierre Cassel (Dick) must rush to his 'Spitfire'. A Made for Movie airframe was therefore built and filmed on the same airbase as in 1969. Despite careful assembly, the ‘new’ aircraft had a number of weaknesses: the most obvious was the fragile structure of the canopy. Others are the markings: the squadron code LI instead of the RF used in the 1969 film... and the shape of the tail is closer to a Spitfire than a Bf 109 / Buchon... but the tilting canopy is that of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter (on the Spitfire, it slides backwards).

Timing : 24 mn.

Later, Dick is landing his aircraft now with Fabienne in white (first time : in red) and coded AY°F serial BS435 (former BS235).

Timing : 49 mn.

Later Dick is at the controls of a third aircraft; so markings were slighty modified with 'Fabienne' now in yellow, code KE°D (and 7 as last digit of the serial).

Timing : 1h01.

Unidentified Aircraft

Close up of pilots are filmed with made for movie (unrealistic) cockpit (joystick are always too tall or canopy doesn't match a real one).

The same JP Cassel now with a different canopy; check with the previous still.

Next screenshot are all already seen in La battaglia d'Inghilterra.
Even on general shot, both Luftwaffe and RAF aircraft are most of the time Made for Movie like this foreground.

And radio command aircraft used for crash action are of poor effect.

Such national flag was put on Spitfire or Hurricane manned by RAF pilots from Czechoslovakia. The canopy is closer to that of the Bf 109, but still not perfect. Note the protruding and un-aerodynamic latch lock quick release !

Unit badge of II./JG3 on a Made for Movie aircraft.

Supermarine Spitfire (model)

Background model wearing code 32. The other ones are closer to the Bf 109 (see bottom the Bf 109 F).

Supermarine Spitfire Mk V

Footage reused from La battaglia d'Inghilterra.

CASA 2.111D

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

T.3-2 coded 911°05 was the second of the 67 T.3 (Spanish name for the Douglas C-47 Skytrain) belonging to 911 escuadrón (squadron) of the 91º Grupo de Estado Mayor (91st General Staff Group (former 90º Grupo / 90th Group)). Seen here with the USAAF roundel overlying the Spanish one.
Delivered to the USAAF (s/n 42-108953) then transferred to the RAF as KG619 in 1944. To the Ejercito del Aire (Spanish Air Force) as T.3-2 in 1947. To Fairoaks Aviation Service as G-BGCE in 1978. Sold as N37529 in 1979. Impounded in Mexico in 1990 then thought to have gone to Lineas Aereas Oaxaquenas as XA-ION. Derelict at Oaxaca by 2002.

The first time, the cinematographer (Jose Luis Alcaine) was able to avoid the Aspa de San Andrés (Saint Andrew's Cross used as fin flash by the Ejército del Aire (Spanish air force)) but not on this action.

CASA 2.111D

Footage reused from La battaglia d'Inghilterra.
In 1969, the footage was shown in day for night mode. It was not filmed as such, as this 1979 usage shows, but just darkened during post-production.

(right) Note the yellow North American T-6/Harvard in the far background.

CASA 352

During the rush of German crew, some of them are quickly viewed in front of this CASA 352 (Spanish licence-built of the Junkers Ju 52). Specific scene to this film.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 F

A model of poor quality already seen in ... La battaglia d'Inghilterra. Here this new variant of the Bf 109 is welcome as the story covers the whole of World War 2.

Supermarine Spitfire

Another model this time painted with Luftwaffe colors and markings !

Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor

Screenplay (or director) used this transport aircraft as a bomber (to create a diversion). The co-production between Italy, Spain and France allowed to use an aircraft of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force), code RS-?6.

Heinkel He 111

When the bomb are dropped, we see the bomb bay doors of a Heinkel He 111 (a footage used in a different way in ... La battaglia d'Inghilterra).

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Another original filming (or perhaps using public Air Force Promotional Film deemed to be in the public domain) of some Aeronautica Militare Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar seen during an action set in July 1944. A little bit anachronistic as the C-119 first flight was not before November 1947.

Back To:

• Movie/TV List
  
• Top

See also

• De l'enfer à la victoire at IMDb
• De l'enfer à la victoire at Wikipedia
• De l'enfer à la victoire at IMCDb