Thank you for doing this , amazing job . My Dad was the Wing Commander WGG Duncan Smith in this footage ( 0ne with the springer spaniel ) or SH - Z marking . He went right through the war till the end taking the fight over to France and the lowlands , then down to Malta and up through Italy .
Ah thats wicked, great to see he still has relatives in good health, amazed really that its spread to one of very well know fighter pilot's children. An honour in my books
Why would anyone give this film a thumbs down? Do they realise if it had not been for these brave selfless young men that they would not be able to exercise that power of choice. Shame on you!
Probably members of the woke & PC brigade. No doubt angry at the Spitfires, for flying numerous sorties a day and blaming their emissions & carbon footprint on the future warming of the planet.....wouldn't put it past them.
Thank you for this, great job. My Dad was the radio engineer, on the wing and leaning into the cockpit with the headset on. He never knew he was being filmed! He went on to serve in several Spitfire squadrons leading the Radio engineering section.
Your dad at 3:55? Wow what an honour to have connected in this way to his next of kin. Are you a Hornchurch local or was it his job to come here from afar?
Thank you for this. Sadly I didn’t see him in this footage but my grandfather (Flight Sergeant and then Warrant Officer John A Hall) flew with 154 Squadron until he was shot down on 27th August 1942. Sadly he never flew again after taking a 20mm shell from an FW190 through his leg and 4 MG rounds to the back and a broken leg when he hit the channel. Made of stronger stuff, he made it until 1998 when he sadly passed away. It’s amazing to see the airfield he flew from for most of his flying career during the war though.
That's very unfortunate but the men and women of that era as you said were made of strong stuff, resilient and yes it is quite a sight to see into the past into something so local
I was born in Hornchurch and remember my parents taking me to an Air Show here in 1935. Even to my tender eyes the biplane bomber doing mock raids and biplane fighters looked antique. Fortunately the eight gun fighters arrived just in time to save us in 1940. By that time my local fighter airfield was Duxford. Wonderful film and very evocative of the time.
My Dad peeled potatoes at RAF Hornchurch , then did the dishes at RAF Boxsted. He finished the last 3 years at an HQ where he pilfered so much stuff he retired in 1950 Thank you for your service I followed in his footsteps of service, having recently completed 20 years at McDonalds
Fascinating! There….before our very eyes…images from eight decades ago of the young, brave men with their hurricanes and spitfires. Some of them never returned from their missions but thanks to their, ground crews, flying skills and those legendary planes….many survived and finally prevailed.
My Father had a period of time at Hornchurch I recall him saying. He was a member of 603 City of Edinburgh Squadron & I believe this was a period of training. He also mentioned Fleetwood before they actually settled in Scotland. I remember the joy in our household when her came home on leave & he always brought goodies from the NAAFI for me to enjoy. When he returned to base my mother & I would go as far as Kings Cross with him & wave him off as the train disappeared into the tunnel just down the track. We travelled from Reading & it instilled in me, a love of travel & of London.
To think that this footage will be eighty years old next year. This colour job stands as a testament almost as if it were filmed weeks ago and not nearly a century ago. A time when Great Britain had the courage and capacity to stand on its own against severe adversity. Makes you proud to see this. Thank you. Simply superb.
Colour makes this real. Black and white brings a distance to the event, so this footage is good. My father in law was a Lancaster navigator. He showed me his log books from 1941 to 1944. Pencil on paper has rarely conveyed so much. Thanks for sharing.
@@barrybarnes96 I don't support nor agree with those who showed up in Charlottesville Virginia in 2017, nor any other place these SCUM on EITHER side chose to promote Racism, Violence, and Hate... and that goes DOUBLE for the IDIOTS PRETENDING to be one of those Hate Groups this week to SMEAR a Political Campaign. Fact is, I too have served in uniform, in combat, and ultimately to Support and Defend the U.S. Constitution. The one NEITHER of those HATE FILLED Groups of MORONS has any use for. So how about you keep your EFFIN "Tiki Torch" comments to yourself next time. SSG. U.S. Army (Medically Retired) Infantry / Sniper / SOF Intel (SOT-A), multiple tours
Not the first time I have watched this. Such lovely footage, love it all. The Spitfire flights taking off and landing, the maintenance, the pilots interactions and the springer spaniel. Some bumpy sections on that airfield! Just a joy to watch. Thank you :)
what a tribute to these brave lads thank you for what you done for us.i had the great honour of doing a guard of honour for robert stanford tuck & adolph galland when i was a civilian instructor with the air cadets at 4f ilford sqn at a fighter meet airshow at north weald in the 1980's.
My great uncle was CO of 4F Sqn ATC for quite a number of years in the 50's I believe. I was a cadet at 6F Romford Sqn, from 1977 until I joined the RAF in 1983.
So pleased to see this as i lived in Elm Park for most of my life.Born in Wennington Road Rainham 1952 .Brought up in Elm Park in my parents 1st real home ..Number 48 Ennerdale Ave.Went to Dunningfords J&I school. My last call was in my fifties decade , actually on the housing estate that now exists on the grounds of the RAF Hornchurch.. Remember back in the 1950`s barrage balloon with SAS trainees i believe parachuting out of the basket. If i had been born 10 years earlier then i would have been in the thick of it all .
These were truly brave men. My father was an anti aircraft gunner and served at many airfields including on Malta, but he always said he would not change places with these guys for a pension. These are true hero’s and must always be remembered.
I remember playing on that field in the early 70s just before the airfield estate was built. Always wondered what it would have been like, thank you for posting
Yep so does my dad, as a youthful troublemaker riding dirt bikes through without getting shot by the farmer. He still clearly remembers all the other E Pens being accessible
This was also my playground in the mid/late 70's. I grew up in Lancaster Drive, just a short walk away. Spent many happy hours playing in the shelters and pens.
If you guys want goosebumps, years ago I found a clip of 16 Spits flying together in formation (its from 2010) --> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c6c3v9iihgw.html Just volume up and enjoy as I did (and still do from time to time ;)
It's so amazing to see all those young Spitfire pilots! They took to the skies with their cannons and gunned down every German plane they saw. They had nerves like bastards and balls of steel to do this! It's October 26 and I have my red poppy on my coat already. It really gets to me that this generation is almost no longer with us. Soon we won't hear anymore war stories from them and those stories are valuable lessons of courage and bravery. God bless them all! 🇨🇦✌️🙏
I grew up in King Edward Ave, Rainham Essex, and used to watch a barrage balloon go up from Hornchurch Airfield where they did parachute jumps. That would be in the late 50s. I think in the 80s they dug up a “ Herman” a 1000lb bomb, steamed it out, cleaned it up and presented it to the pub just outside the airfield. Not sure if they still have it on display. Great to see those Spits flying.
I used to watch the parachute jumps in the late 50's from the other side of the airfield at Elmer Gardens. Do you remember the dome shaped building by the main gate? I think it was where they taught astro-navigation.
@@listeningsteve1324 I always thought I was the only one watching those jumps, glad to hear you were too. Happy days. I’m afraid I don’t remember that dome building. As a kid, you remember exciting things, like men jumping from a balloon, not buildings. Thanks for your reply.
What's remarkable is many of these brave and skilful pilots were aged in their early 20s. Am very grateful to these men and their strength of character as well as that of the collective society of the day.
I was watching this video and when I saw the spaniel and the aircraft markings I went to my copy of "Spitfire into Battle" by Group Captain Duncan Smith Which has a picture of him saying goodbye to his spaniel Vicky before taking off and which also shows the aircraft marking "Z". This film brings the whole thing to life. Amazing.
Certainly was, Biggin Hill and Hornchurch were Londons last line of defence. Both got the world record for the most bombed airfields during The Battle of Britain
Seeing these actual machines and the spontaneity of the actual young men who serviced and flew them has an authenticity never quite captured on feature films.
Yep and lots still don't. I live pretty much within the airfield and there really isn't a lot left unless you go digging it up for everyone to see, which I've done
@@radiationking9875 I visited Hornchurch and the Commonwealth war graves cemetery in 1987 whilst on holiday from Australia. I always had a great respect for this aerodrome during the "Battle" and 54 Squadrons time there on the "front line". As an aside one poignant episode comes to mind and that is of the late Paddy Finucane who commanded the Hornchurch Wing up until his death, and the faithful friend he left behind. I knew of some objects that were held by the Hornchurch library so I made a visit and asked a friendly librarian about the history of the station. She said to me we dont get many people here asking about the station and its WWII history, and with that she brought me all these albums with pictures and newspaper cuttings to look at. A little later she lead me to a wall where an RAF Crest was hanging under a portrait of Spitfires heading off on a sortie, the crest was the Hornchurch Station Crest formerly mounted on the main gate of the Station. It had been thrown on a rubbish pile when the aerodrome was in the process of being demolished in 1966, but was saved by a keen eyed contractor. The Station dog & mascot, and faithful friend of Paddy Finucane named "Binder" (mentioned above) who died in 1953, and was later buried with full military honours beside the Station flag staff with a beautifully handcrafted and engraved headstone to mourn his passing. But when the aerodrome closed nine years later, Binder was left behind. And in 1966 during the destruction of the old base the headstone was thrown onto the rubbish tip, just like the Station Crest, where it broke into three pieces. And there it might have lain but for the sister of Binder’s original master. When Clare Kelsall, who survived Paddy, found out the stone had been salvaged, she had it professionally repaired.....and in 1990 she presented it to the Kent Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge.
Fantastic footage, everyone is a hero and not just the pilots. The ground crew were also heroes they were working in the centre of a huge bullseye that would be attacked by the Luftwaffe at any time. And I never ceased to be amazed how these young men and women always seemed in good form, laughing and joking. Thank you to every one of you for our freedom. And thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this great footage. My Dad flew Spitfires with the 340 Sq. I would have loved to show this film to him before he took his last flight 3 years ago at the age of 100. Merci beaucoup.
@@radiationking9875 Well, thanks for Dad, he was an outstanding gentleman and I wished he had stayed away from Pfizer... Here is an interesting page from his logbook, for your records. Bonne Journée, Monsieur. image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2024/10/1/1709553043-20200407-141113.jpg
My late father tried to get stationed there during the war as he live in Romford later on live in Furness way again the road was name after one of the pilots my father always used to say that there was not enough memorials there as this was a major fighting squadron during the battle of Britain know a park and a housing estate
This should be of interest , The two squadrons comprising the Hornchurch wing in the film are SH - 64 squadron and MT- 122 squadron. The aircraft are Spitfire Mk V's.
Yep and it was still until 2018 I believe, saw the machinery chipping away the top from the window of sanders drapers school, every day more would be gone until it was all gone
My father in law was an armourer at RAF Kenley during the Battle of Britain. 615 Squadron flew Hurricanes but the pilots were the same breed of brave young men who flew Spits. He had the greatest respect for those amazingly courageous men. He knew only too well how many pilots ‘ Failed to return’ from their first operational sortie. Later in life, far removed in time from those fearsome days, he would joke that the RAF was the place to be in wartime. “ We held their coats while the officers and sergeants did the fighting”
Grew up in Hornchurch in the 60s 70s & can remember playing on the airfield vividly the hangers were still standing but only just one did collapse but you could still find plenty of 303 & 20mm cartridge casings in the grass in some places
Wonderful, wont be finding too much like that now however I have been making a comprehensive map of the whole airfield with overlays of today. I want to say I've found where some dump sites may be, if they haven't been built on already
Even without the audio, anyone who knows the Merlin engine can hear it roar into life. Wonderful. Maybe that film maker who did that wonderful job of bringing the lost voices and film of WWI can do the same with film from WWIi.
Superb document. The coloring work is splendid. Let's not forget that these very young men saved the world from Nazi tyranny during the Battle of Britain. We owe them a lot.
Hornchurch was then, a nice village in Essex. Today, you will never see that landscape again. Housing estates everywhere and what is left of the airfield is a country park of sorts.
Well, that’s the way really; people gotta live somewhere. After all, before the base was there, people would have described it “a really pretty spot before they decided to put that messy, noisy airfield there.” We’re all kinda picky-choosy which developments we give a pass or acknowledge as necessary.
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Great job with this historically important footage. Still to this day the Spitfire just barely edges out the Mustang as the most beautiful single engine fighter ever built.
Wow, this is great. Thanks. When I was a kid I met some of the ground crew from this station. They were old boys then. Great to see them in their prime.
A lovely record of those dark days when the outcome of the war was unknown. Nice that the filming concentrates more on the men than the machinery. I wonder how many survived the war years.
Thank you, it's great for me to see an airfield as it was before it became (mostly) a housing estate. This is not far from where I live, and even closer to my sister.
Very moving footage. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I grew up in Hornchurch in the 70s and 80s and used to go to amazing annual air shows at North Weald airfield where there was always an impressive turnout of Battle of Britain aircraft. My dad used to talk about when Hornchurch was an active airfield but I never saw it myself so to actually see not just B&W photos but lots of colour footage of the day to day goings on is precious.
I can’t help feeling emotional seeing this..My mum would have been ten years old at the time and living not far from Hornchurch..These brave true heroes was defending our country as well as my mum..This footage is a wonder to watch..Thank you.!
Emotional is definitely a way to describe it. Hate is another to describe what we did to it after the war when the Air Ministry no longer wanted it and let it be destroyed. All the life gone
Yes, the spinner colour also usually matched the visual IFF band on the rear fuseulage. As today many parts were interchanged during servicing of aircraft and the paint colours of the day could fade/change more with age.
Thank you Radiation King for your time and effort regarding this video. ... ☺ Indeed it gives some insight to us watching this footage nigh-on 60 years later.
Nice job RK, I swear I could hear the Merlin engines and the voices of those brave pilots ,and ground crew all those years ago ! AND the pox on whoever gave it a thumbs down!
In the early 50s I remember seeing a Spitfire flying over Hornchurch. The other sad fact is the last death from a butterfly bomb was at the old aerodrome (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Bomb)
Outstanding stuff. Best way to honour our brave aviators. One omission however. the absence of sound. Whether it was intentional or not i cannot guess I am not in mute and have RU-vid volume full. Nor am i hard of hearing. but i feel the general banter of the pilots not to mention the magnificent roar of those merlin lions/engines would have made this the best damn video on RU-vid.
Wonderful stuff. Well done for the hard work. A pity there was no sound with the pictures then...that Merlin engine was so distinctive and thrilling even to hear. As a boy circa 1950 when they were still flying Spits out of Hornchurch, my elder brother used to take me plane spotting -and listening - from a field nearby. Decades later, in the kitchen of my then home in Sussex, I heard that wonderful sound again and grabbed my son to run outside. Sure enough, two Spitfires chasing two ME109s for the filming of a TV series!
The old aerodrome was my playground growing up. The main runway used to pass across the South End Road running from Hornchurch to Rainham and had a set of railway crossing type gates that had to be closed when the planes were taking off. It’s now part housing estate part country park.
@@radiationking9875 Do you remember the big concrete dome that was just behind the Good Intent? I always wondered what that was for…someone told me it was where they practiced the anti-aircraft gunnery but I don’t know if that was correct.
@@annoyingbstard9407 Yep It was the anti aircraft training dome, on the inside was a mockup display of what the outside looked like with fake clouds and aircraft hung up. An aircraft gun was in placed in the middle on a rotating platform. According to info I think it was used for nighttime training too
This AI colouring is seriously impressive. I imagine that in the decades to come black and white films classic can be given a new lease of life, as colouring technology improves.
I remember at least two uxb's were detonated when I was at Scott's school which were unearthed as they developed the site. Will never forget that boom.
To Radiation King .I love this video IT IS OUTSTANDING and as a sound designer i'm tempted .A colossal amount of work would be required from me but would it add to it ?or just be too fake? .I would do it with utmost love and care every Merlin would have a very slightly different pitch due to distance and how sound carries in the wind and i can re record the chat or go on a forage for authentic banter and of course the dog barking and the vehicle engine tones. It could sound incredible .Wether it would be accepted is another thing. I'm torn on this one.
I mean you could try but its very difficult to add in the sound without sounding doctored. First of all you'd have to add the sound in layers such as wind, etc
@@radiationking9875 It's all about getting the weather sound design right to start with then with the distant sound close to near using multiple audio tracks to bring it it all together.
@@ericdelf Yeh i feel with todays technnology the completed audio soundtrack would be way too good .I mean what i would do would be to create something aswell ,too good and that in itself may seem other wordly.Sounds that we've never heard before 20 mk1/mk2 Spitfires ,whos ever heard that? It just does not exist.No ones ever going to know, or hear it and perhaps that is for the best. As i think you are right.
I used to walk across the airfield to school in the 60's . That must be St George's hospital chimney in the background . I went to the Raf closing airshow, was very young. Mainly biplanes, Gladiators I think.
Man, must've been a cool work to school, would that have been Suttons school? Yeah that's the St George's chimney, still very recognisable even before they shortened it. Now its gone completely unfortunately along with 80% of the hospital
It was suttons school. I got chased off the airfield once. They found an unexploded bomb. We used to play in the derelict ruins of shelters. They filled up with water and froze in the winter.
@@frederickwoof5785 Would you remember where these shelters were if they haven't been built on yet? I myself have found one intact shelter on the east perimeter of the airfield by the tett turrets. Further along is the remains of another which has since fell in
They were all near the southend road, east side. Nearly opposite Wood lane. They were a concrete, sunken base. They always had water and junk in them. Guess all built on. We used to walk down wood lane, then down an unmade track, at the back of a row of houses. This was 50 years ago. I believe there may be a Tesco on there now
At 32 minutes long and from the way it's cut ( a held picture of the tannoy for example) it looks very much like there would have been a soundtrack to this film. Also while much appreciating effort to bring it to us and colour I find the tone so muted that I cannot actually make out the aircraft colour scheme.
I felt that too, maybe the sound was lost overtime. It isn't as colourful as it could be but wartime colours where dull compared to modern restorations. The schemes are green and brown, beige underside
The exhausts and the three-bladed propeller indicate that it is MK V's The gun arrangement (two 20mm and four 303) indicates that they are equipped with the 'universal wing'. This agrees with time, 1942. Good show. /JD
True Heroes, you wouldn't get any of the Youngsters nowadays risking their lives 3 or four times a day to save our Country. We must never forget these and all the brave young souls who gave up so much.
@@davidransom643 aircrew weren't conscripted they were all volunteers and above the average intelligence. Always get your facts right before opening your mouth!
God bless all those involved in the war effort. RAF pilots were especially brave and deserve the many accolades they received. We will never see their like again. My father's hero was Douglas Boarder.
This was not uncommon as you probably know. Narrow landing gear made landing and taxing tricky.. This was rectified in later Marks by increasing the forward rake, and widening the gear a bit. But Spits always had this issue to some degree or another.
Half my family served on the western front, the other half served on the eastern front in the Allied cause. Politics don't interest me much these days regarding WWII, because it misses the most valuable example of solid people (with a few exceptions) going out and doing something that very few of them actually wanted to do. I remember speaking to participants on both sides of my family and they never glorified any of it, it was just a job that had to get done, much like a farmer must harvest his crop. I find that a very strong example to follow, just getting on with the job in hand, no matter how tough it is. Even in their old age, facing decaying bodies and failing minds, the strength that bore these folk through the war was on display in full. Looking at most of them, to my young eyes, you'd never have known they were suffering. They were always so happy to cheerfully greet visitors, to have folk around for a visit, no matter how lousy they felt. That selflessness is very important, I think.
