To the purposes of the movie a large Get across out-of Lorraine emblem was used to your routes in order to represent the brand new Free French squadron
Into the Summer 1956 MH415 are marketed so you’re able to a beneficial Belgian team, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which had an objective-pulling bargain towards Belgian and you can NATO forces. COGEA got prior to now operated individuals light aircraft pulling banners and you can comparable, but once the newest armed forces target pulling package came up, the fresh new Percival Proctors they were using did not have the abilities needed. The fresh new Belgian Sky Forces last few Spitfires offered the best options, and COGEA ordered six of them to operate for their army price. Months pictures let you know the latest routes in the a blank aluminum livery having green nosecone and tail. When you look at the 1961 it had been rented to have flick include in The latest Longest Day, that was shot on location into the France.
Towards 14th Will get MH415 arrived towards the movie tool from the RAF North Weald inside the Essex, and you may was afterwards founded from the Debden, Duxford and you can Hawkinge
The newest aircraft are painted into the an effective camouflage scheme and you can flown which have 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron codes GW-R. For the Sep 1961 the fresh new flights triggered a stir by looking from the the newest RAF Competition of The uk air monitor in the Biggin Hill during the the livery about Longest Time, flown of the Pierre Laureys, an excellent French World war ii Spitfire airplane pilot. It is knew that MH415 try the last airworthy Spitfire to be ended up selling because of the COGEA, and is also considered that it absolutely was from the Ostend since late since December 1964. MH415 is actually bought out-of COGEA because of the Rousseau Aviation from Dinhard for the France, towards the sum of 8, 000 francs toward ish Mahaddie was gathering with her flights with the certain motion picture The battle of The uk, and you can shortly after a study by company website the John Simpson, MH415 is purchased having a keen undisclosed contribution.
The routes was dismantled and shipped from the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd in the Elstree to have an overhaul, entered G-AVDJ, to Mahaddie on the 29th December 1966. It actually was shot flown and you will brought to the film tool at RAF Henlow in early 1967 because of the T An effective Davies. The flights is held, the Merlin 66 system restricted, throughout most of 1967, plus it was not flown again up until November, if it received a unique Certification away from Airworthiness, getting test flown on 29th of that week of the T A beneficial Davies within Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 shooting got started in The country of spain, and as a Spitfire are you’ll need for venue functions, MH415 are selected and you will wishing from the Henlow and Luton. A good 90-gallon drop-tank is actually fitting as well as other decide to try routes accomplished during March within Henlow, Luton and Farnborough by the Lt Cdr Yards T Hynett.
When you look at the later February MH415 left the united kingdom, traveling thru France in order to Tablada Heavens Feet within the Spain. Because of it a lot of time trip it actually was flown from the V H Bellamy. Movie location behave as N3312/ AI-C adopted inside The country of spain, flown however from the Lt Cdr Hynett. The fresh Spitfire the brand new arrived into The united kingdomt in the Manston to the 11th Could possibly get 1968, when you look at the organization with a gaggle from Messerschmitts, a few Heinkels and you will Jeff Hawke during the a b-twenty-five camera-watercraft. The sun and rain from inside the 1968 try generally speaking Uk, plus the motion picture providers have been not having enough time. Finance was also resulting in problems, which is decided to disperse brand new aerial device with the a beneficial environment of Southern away from France.
MH415 and you may many other Spitfires and several Messerschmitts were flown over to Montpelier during the August for a few weeks, and necessary video footage try gotten under the sun. MH415 wore many scars during filming, and additionally N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-M, N2210/ CD-An excellent, N3310/ GoodI-A great, Letter3322/ AI/ N, N3319/ DO-K and you can N3314/ AI-Age. Which Spitfire was fitting that have strobe bulbs on the machine-gun ports and you will is actually flown for a maximum of 125 circumstances while in the shooting. Within the October 1968 it absolutely was dependent from the Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later one month was utilized during the shooting bail-aside photos on Netheravon Wiltshire. Among film device pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, obtained MH415 to the achievement of their film responsibilities and it is actually dismantled during the Bovingdon of the Simpson’s Aeroservices to possess delivery to help you Houston, Colorado, where they found its way to January 1969.
