That aircraft again

[Bob Womack]

Yes, they had a two-cockpit dual-control Hispano HA-1112 Buchon (Bf-109) on the film and on one of the days of filming in England Dolpho (Adolph Galland) went to the field and was invited to take the plane for a spin. The film's pilot took the plane up and then Dolpho beat up the field with aerobatics for about thirty minutes and impressed everyone.

The CASA 2.111s (Heinkel 111s) were still in service with the Spanish Air Force and Spain was in an uncomfortable period of relations with England. It was amazing to all that Spain place their entire fleet of bombers at the disposal of the film company in Spanish airspace and allowed them to repaint the planes to Geman colors. One of those planes was Franco's personal plane that ended up in the Commemorative Air Force's fleet until it crashed on landing. My boys and I were able to tour it before that crash.


The clowns

Two bombers were allowed to fly to England and eventually France to allow interaction between the film company's British planes as well. Two interesting sidebars:
1. All of the "German" planes used in the filming except one were powered by Rolls Royce Merlins engines, the engines that powered the British planes. My understanding is that one actual BF-109 was used and it retained its Daimler-Benz engine.
2. There were only three flyable Hurricanes at the time of shooting so spare Hispano HA-1112 Buchon (Bf-109) were repainted to British colors and markings and placed at a distance in Hurricane formations to fill them out.

Bob