Swill1952xs Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Having rudely interrupted the thread about "Memphis Belle" with my witterings about B25's that I thought were connected to the subject; I now find that they weren't.........(gasps for breath). So I decided to start a new thread. I thought this TV program was connected to the "Memphis Belle" topic but was in fact a story about a man called Jeff Hawke, who brought several B25's over from America for the filming of "Hanover Street" starring Harrison Ford. It's a fascinating tale of them finding and starting the aircraft after many years of storage and preparing them for flight to the UK. They had a band of "Cowboy" pilots, one of which hadn't flown since WW2 and arguments about the flight plans etc. They flew these barely airworthy planes after some really unbelievable antics on takeoff, and this makes great viewing. Enjoy..............http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Me81QS-AGY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Me81QS-AGYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOB1o-AwMII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNNr0uDjJFQ&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4AalxrEgO4&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td2rhAXn4MU&feature=related I thought you might like to see this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 What a story! :tup:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Yup, great viewing, thanks for posting. :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Burley Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Yup, great viewing, thanks for posting. :thumbsup:I remember the documentry well. Unfortunatly Hawke was killed some years ago under dubious circumstances of the coast of croatia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 There was a connection to between this program and Memphis Belle. That was that David Tallichett, who flew one of the B-25's across, also piloted his own B-17 over the Atlantic in 1989 for the Memphis Belle film. David was a wartime B-17 co-pilot in the 100th Bomb Group. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 have got this one on video somewhere, very enjoyable. Rumour was that Jeff Hawke was working for the CIA, when he died, although threr was no proof Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Burley Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 have got this one on video somewhere, very enjoyable. Rumour was that Jeff Hawke was working for the CIA, when he died, although threr was no proof Mark That was one of many rumours amongst others.Even rumours that his plane was shot down over the Croatian coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 pardon my ignorance but what does " IMC " stand for ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Burley Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 pardon my ignorance but what does " IMC " stand for ?? "In Miltary Context" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 IMC - 'Instrument Meteorological Conditions' Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlangham Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Steve is correct, it's Instrument Meteorological Conditions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonsfotos Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I remember this dicumentary when it was first on TV. I made a particular effort to see it as I had taken a load of photos of these same B-25s when they were parked up at a certain airfield five minutes drive from where I live...Blackbushe! They were parked there for a long time, gradually deteriorating and I've often wondered what happened to them all. I know that one or two were restored and at least one languished at North Weald for donkey's years! I seem to remember that there were some 'comments' about the way that the flight acropss the Atlantic actually happened and some of the 'risks' that were taken. I somehow think it wouldn't happen that way these days with the much more stringent H&S, not to say flying safety rules that now exist. I really must get the old pics out and scan them. It's a shame that the documentary is now only available on YouTube (unless anyone knows different that is!). It would make a nice 'extra' to the Hannover Street film on DVD - in spite of the fact that the film itself had a mainly romance storyline, at least Lesley Anne Down was in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I found this info spread across a few forums....... Film Serial - Film Name - Aircraft's Actual Serial - Civil Registrations - Current Location - Original Name During Ferry Flight #15164 - Marvelous Miriam - B-25J 44-29366 - N9115Z - currently at RAF Hendon #151790 - Amazing Andrea - B-25J 44-86701 - N7681C - destroyed Le Bourget fire #151863 - Big Bad Bonnie - B-25J 44-30210 - N9455Z - restoration at Chino - Tokyo Express #151724 - Brendas Boys - B-25J 44-29121 - N86427 - Museuo del Aire, Spain - Doolittle Raider #151632 - Gorgeous George-Ann - B-25J 44-30925 - N9494Z/G-BWGR now Europe (?) - Laden Maiden Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toby burnham Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I remember it being on the TV it was on when channel four had just started.I asked my dad about it and as if by magic he had recorded it on video.I had a friend at work transfer it to DVD Its about an hour long and it basicaly tells the story of jeff hawke bringing five not very airworthy B25 From all corners of the USA to England for filming.On the way they had problems with old raylon tyres giving out,engines that wont start,wings iceing up,and original WW11 radios packing up.Hawkes Aircraft only had short range tanks fitted so he strapped a pair of 45 gallon drums and a hand pump to pallets and loaded them into the bomb bay.A amazing jounery and a amazing man. Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 All the you tube videos have been removed save the last one. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Warne Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I have this on DVD and it's a great documentary. I think the B-25 that languished at North Weald was the Aces High camera plane (Mike Woodley) used in the Battle of Britain originally. I don't believe it was one of the Hanover flight? By coincidence, I've heard that there might be similar programme 'on the cards', but heading the other way and featuring a different US WW2 aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) I have this on DVD and it's a great documentary. I think the B-25 that languished at North Weald was the Aces High camera plane (Mike Woodley) used in the Battle of Britain originally. I don't believe it was one of the Hanover flight? By coincidence, I've heard that there might be similar programme 'on the cards', but heading the other way and featuring a different US WW2 aircraft. #151632 - Gorgeous George-Ann - B-25J 44-30925 - N9494Z/G-BWGR now Europe (?) - Laden Maiden http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b25registry/b25-4429121.html This one was at North Weald from 95-98 in the ownership of Aces High. It is now most definitely in Europe undergoiong retoration for display at Brussels Air Museum http://www.bamfbamrs.be/B25/B25-en.htm IIRC they used to be another one their prior to that. http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=Aces%20High%20Ltd&u=operator Just for interest here is a picture of "Big Bad Bonnie" at Stapleford Aerodrome in 1982. Must have been June as it broke down in France that July that year. Wonder which engine failled. http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b25registry/b25-4430210.html Mike PS: Remember seeing the program on the TV back when video was relatively new Edited January 25, 2011 by mike65 typos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Turns out the other one from North Weald was "Bedsheet Bomber" and was possibly the one in 633 Squadron http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b25registry/b25-4430861.html Lokked pretty sorry at North Weald. Mind you don't look much better now sitting on a portacabin at Booker. http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24292&p=244780 Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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