Americans in the Battle of Britain...

[Wing Nut]

I also found a reference to Tom Cruise directing a movie about Billy Fiske.

[Hagar]

Two months later, he was posted to the No. 601 Air Force Squadron at Tangmere, England — a unit known as the Millionaires' Squadron because its original members had been handpicked by Lord Grosvenor in 1924.

He would have fitted in well. 601 (County of London) Squadron was one of the Auxiliary squadrons. Pre-WWII these were more like fashionable gentlemen's clubs when flying fighters at weekends & annual camps was seen as a "bit of a lark" for their mostly wealthy members. However, they certainly played their part when the time came.

No 601 Squadron was formed on the 14th of October 1925.
A Royal Auxillary Air Force Squadron, this was the so-called "millionaires squadron" of the RAF. Among its members was The Honourable Max Aitken, son of Lord Beaverbrook, the Minister for Aircraft Production, who was also the Squadron C/O until posted away on July the 20th 1940, and Whitney Straight, who was medically unfit (due to injuries he suffered in the Norwegian campaign) until late September but who became Managing Director of B.O.A.C. after the war.

No 601 Squadron flew Hurricane's from Tangmere until moving to Debden for two weeks on 19 August 1940. They returned to Tangmere on the 2nd of September before moving to the relative quiet of Exeter in 10 Group on the 7th of September 1940.

http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/squadrons/601sqn.html

[ozzy72]

Pip try http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/ ... erican.htm for a list of the American BoB KIAs. You can click on most of them for further information. Brave men following their convictions, and paying the ultimate price for them
When Americans joined the RAF on their uniform they were allowed to wear a small dark blue flash on their right arm (just below the shoulder) with light blue stitching bearing the letters "U.S.A.". As if the accent didn't give them away as not being Cockneys

Ozzy

[Hagar]

As if the accent didn't give them away as not being Cockneys

I very much doubt that Max Aitken & his old cronies in 601 Squadron spoke with anything vaguely resembling a Cockney accent.

I was thinking about this film Pip mentioned. They would have a job finding enough Hurricanes to make it look authentic. From what I can make out there are only about 9 airworthy examples & these are based all over the world. I do hope computer graphics won't be involved. In the meantime I reserve my judgement.

[Wing Nut]

I don't know, they did a pretty good jobs with the Stukas and Ju-88's in 'Enemy at the Gates.'  They could pull it off.  Remember, CG has advanced considerably in the last 5 years since 'Pearl Harbor' came out.  I would rather see that than having them put the guy in a Spit when he shouldn't be there.  Besides, they brought planes in from all around the world for 'Pearl Harbor', why couldn't they do it for this one?

[Hagar]

m[quote]I don't know, they did a pretty good jobs with the Stukas and Ju-88's in 'Enemy at the Gates.'

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]I don't know, they did a pretty good jobs with the Stukas and Ju-88's in 'Enemy at the Gates.'

[Wing Nut]

I used in the BOB film is stored..

 HUH!?  :o

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]

"I used in the BOB film is stored.. "

[Hagar]

Spitfire Mk I.

PS. Snap....!

[Wing Nut]

I thought you meant a Spit you personally used in the movie.  I almost had a heart attack there!  :)

[C]

Tom Cruise I believe has been lined up to play Fiske for some time.

In the UK, 4 civilian Hurricanes (Fighter Collection, Historic Flying, Real Aero Co and Shuttleworth) are airworthy, plus the BBMF (doubtful), and many of the full size model Hurricanes and Spitfires are dotted around the southern coast of the Uk, many in one or two places (Hawkinge for a start - shame the airfield has just disappeared!). Really you need two or three, as not even CG can realistically imitate the characteristics of formating a/c, or, I haven't seen a film that's done it well...

Charlie

[Scorpiоn]

Oh no........! Anything but that.
Hollywood rewriting history again. Why do they insist on doing it? To my mind this is an insult to the memory of a brave man & his comrades. ::)

Everyday I see more and more side to Woody's argument.  It seems Hollywood wont make movies that don't concern Americans (in the plot).  Although, true, the average person isn't going to take interest in them, they should still please the minority every once and awhile.

Here we go, America saved Britain...

[Wing Nut]

Except for the little fact that it's a movie about an American who paid his own way to go fight in the Battle of Britain and died doing it.  I mean heck, perhaps we should change his nationality to British, toss him in a Spitfire and make him shoot down every plane the Germans had, while foiling the plot to kidnap Churchhill while assasinating Hitler.

Obviously the BoB is one of Britains greatest moments and justifiably so.  Britain was outnumbered, outgunned and out-experienced, but the Brits still came back and kicked their ass.  Churchill got what he wanted.  It will always be remembered as one of their finest hours.

But this is a movie about an AMERICAN going to Britain to fight in that battle.  I think it's ok in this movie that the protagonist is an American.

[Hagar]

[quote]Except for the little fact that it's a movie about an American who paid his own way to go fight in the Battle of Britain and died doing it.