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Last updated on 16 September 2014.

Battle of Britain american movie poster.

Movie (1969)

Starring:
Harry Andrews (Senior Civil Servant)
Michael Caine (Squadron Leader Canfield)
Trevor Howard (Air Vice Marshal Keith Park)
Curd Jürgens (Baron von Richter)
Ian McShane (Sgt. Pilot Andy)
Kenneth More (Group Capt. Baker)
Laurence Olivier (Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding)

In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle vs. the Nazi Germany Air Force for control of British air space to prevent a Nazi invasion of Britain.

Hawker Hurricane

3 Airworthy Hurricanes were used during the production of the film: MkIIc PZ865/G-AMAU, MkIIc LF363 and MkXII 5377/G-AWLW. 2 further Hurricanes MkI (P2617) and Sea Hurricane MkIb (Z7015) where not airworthy but used as taxiing examples. Hurricane MkIIc (LF751) was acquired by the production team and was used as a mould for the replica Hurricanes to dress the set and did not itself appear in the film. These non flying replicas included some that where fitted with motorcycle engines and able to taxi. All airframes where modified to resemble a Hurricane MkI as this is the correct variant for the Battle of France/Battle of Britain era.

Hawker Hurricane MkIIc

Hawker Hurricane MkIIc PZ865/G-AMAU painted as Air Chief Marshal Sir Park’s personal Hurricane OK-1. This aircraft is currently operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Hawker Hurricane MkIIc PZ865/G-AMAU.

Hawker Hurricane MkIIc LF363 Taxiing with fictional registration H3422 and squadron code. This aircraft is also currently operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Hawker Hurricane MkXII

Hawker Hurricane MkXII 5377/G-AWLW with fictional registration H3418. This aircraft was operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, until 1993 when it was destroyed in a hanger fire.

Supermarine Spitfire

12 Airworthy Spitfires where used in the production of the film, along with 7 taxiing examples and 7 used as static aircraft to dress the set. A number of full scale replicas where used as static and taxiing aircraft. Scale models were also used in the dogfights with the Stukas and scenes where Spitfires where destroyed in the air or on impacting the ground. Real airframes if required were modified to resemble early MkI or II Spitfires that flew in the Battle of Britain this required modifications to the rudder and wingtips, with tear drop canopies of later variants being removed replaced with a modified fuselage and a period canopy arrangement. However many features of the later variants could not be completely corrected these aircraft can be identified by under wing radiator arrangements the length of the aircrafts nose and cowling shape of RR Griffon engined variants, retractable tail wheel and other features. Below is a collection of aircraft that could be identified from the film footage.

Supermarine Spitfire MkIa

Supermarine Spitfire MkIa AR213/G-AIST.

Supermarine Spitfire MkIIa

Supermarine Spitfire MkIIa P7350 seen in the left of this shot bearing fictional squadron codes CD-H.This aircraft is also currently operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The aircraft entered service in August 1940 and during the Battle of Britain served with 266 and 603 Squadrons.

Supermarine Spitfire HF MkIXb

Supermarine Spitfire HF MkIXb HM434.

CASA 2.111

CASA 2.111D

Spannish production under licence of german bomber Heinkel He-111. Built by CASA and re-powered after war with Rolls-Royce engines.

CASA 352

2 CASA 352L were used in the production of the film to represent Luftwaffe Ju52s of which the CASA 352 was a post-war Spanish copy built under licence . The aircraft where loaned from the Spanish Air Force and painted in Luftwaffe livery, the CASA 352L is the only real aircraft in the film not to use Rolls Royce Merlin or Griffon engines.

CASA 352L

Junkers Ju-87 Stuka

Junkers Ju-87B Stuka

Hispano Aviación HA-1112

17 Airworthy Hispano Aviación HA-1112s were used in the production of the film with 16 being the HA-1112-M1L variant and 1 two seat HA-1112-M4L variant. 5 aircraft were used as taxing examples and 3 static aircraft for dressing the set, number of full scale replicas where produced for this purpose too. The Aviación HA-1112 is a Spanish built RR Merlin powered variant of the Bf109 used by the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, these aircraft differ from the variant used in the battle and where modified to resemble Bf109Es. A number of modifications where made: False machines guns added to the engine cowling, rounded wing tips removed and false tailplane braces added as well as a Luftwaffe livery.

Hispano Aviación HA-1112-M1L

Hispano Aviación HA-1112-M4L

Although it is not clear whether the two seat variant can be seen in the film, a section of footage is shown filmed from the rear seat of this aircraft.