The fresh Spitfire is actually brought to the COGEA foot from the Middlekerke, Ostend, in which it had been entered OO-ARD, and soon joined provider

Into the reason for the film a large Cross off Lorraine emblem was applied towards the flights to help you represent new Totally free French squadron

Within the June 1956 MH415 are offered so you’re able to an effective Belgian organization, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which had a goal-towing contract into Belgian and you will NATO forces. COGEA got prior to now operated some white routes towing banners and you can similar, nevertheless when the military target towing price emerged, the brand new Percival Proctors these were playing with didn’t have the newest performance required. The newest Belgian Heavens Forces last couple of Spitfires provided the best options, and you may COGEA bought half a dozen of those to run because of their armed forces deal. Months photographs reveal the new flights during the a clean aluminum livery having eco-friendly nosecone and you will tail. From inside the 1961 it had been rented to have film use in Brand new Longest Big date, that has been shot on location within the France.

Towards 14th Get MH415 showed up to the movie unit on RAF North Weald during the Essex, and you can is afterwards oriented in the Debden, Duxford and Hawkinge

This new flights is coated for the a beneficial camouflage scheme and flown that have 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron click here to read codes GW-R. Into the September 1961 the latest routes triggered a blend by appearing during the the brand new RAF Battle of The uk air display on Biggin Mountain inside the their livery from the Longest Day, flown by Pierre Laureys, a great French The second world war Spitfire airplane pilot. It’s knew you to MH415 is actually the very last airworthy Spitfire so you can end up being ended up selling by the COGEA, and is thought that it actually was within Ostend given that later because the December 1964. MH415 are purchased of COGEA from the Rousseau Aviation of Dinhard during the France, with the sum of 8, 000 francs on the ish Mahaddie is event together with her aircraft on the imminent flick The battle off Great britain, and you may just after a survey from the John Simpson, MH415 is purchased to own a keen undisclosed share.

Brand new flights is dismantled and you may shipped by the Simpson’s Aeroservices Ltd during the Elstree to have a change, entered G-AVDJ, in order to Mahaddie towards 29th December 1966. It actually was attempt flown and brought to the movie device on RAF Henlow at the beginning of 1967 by T A beneficial Davies. The new routes is held, their Merlin 66 system inhibited, throughout the majority of 1967, plus it was not flown once again up until November, in the event it got a separate Certification off Airworthiness, being try flown on 29th of the day because of the T Good Davies at the Henlow. At the beginning of 1968 shooting got started in Spain, and also as a good Spitfire is actually you’ll need for location functions, MH415 try picked and you can waiting from the Henlow and you can Luton. An excellent ninety-gallon miss-tank was suitable as well as other test flights carried out while in the February during the Henlow, Luton and Farnborough of the Lt Cdr Meters T Hynett.

Inside late March MH415 leftover the united kingdom, flying thru France to Tablada Air Feet inside Spain. For it long journey it actually was flown from the V H Bellamy. Film location behave as N3312/ AI-C implemented in the The country of spain, flown however because of the Lt Cdr Hynett. Brand new Spitfire the new arrived back to England from the Manston on the 11th Could possibly get 1968, inside team having a bunch out of Messerschmitts, a couple of Heinkels and you will Jeff Hawke from inside the a-b-twenty five cam-motorboat. The current weather within the 1968 try generally British, and movie organization was not having enough day. Financing has also been ultimately causing troubles, this is made a decision to disperse this new aerial device on a beneficial weather of South of France.

MH415 and you may a great many other Spitfires and lots of Messerschmitts have been flown off to Montpelier when you look at the August for a few months, in addition to expected video footage are acquired in the sun. MH415 used of numerous markings through the shooting, and additionally N3312/ AI-C, N3311/ CD-B, N3321/ AI-Meters, N2210/ CD-A beneficial, N3310/ AI-An effective, Letter3322/ AI/ Letter, N3319/ DO-K and you can N3314/ AI-Elizabeth. This Spitfire is fitted which have strobe bulbs on the machine-gun harbors and you may is flown to own a maximum of 125 occasions through the shooting. For the October 1968 it had been created during the Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, and later one few days was utilized inside the filming bail-out images from the Netheravon Wiltshire. Among motion picture equipment pilots, Texan Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, received MH415 for the achievement of the motion picture requirements and it are dismantled at Bovingdon of the Simpson’s Aeroservices to own distribution so you’re able to Houston, Texas, in which they arrived in January 1969.