Collecting Battle of Britain Movie Memorabilia

Some Items That Might Interest Fans of the Film

By Jay Smith | [email protected] | Photos by Jay Smith

As seen in the July 2023 issue of Model Aviation.

I’ve always been fascinated with the Battle of Britain and what the pilots and crews on both sides had to endure between July 10 and October 31, 1940. It was purely an air battle between the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and the Royal Air Force (RAF). Ultimately, Britain prevailed, although the Luftwaffe had at least three times more aircraft when it began.

Beyond reading books and magazine articles, I was captivated the first time I saw the movie Battle of Britain and began to collect some memorabilia associated with the film. My first purchase is still my most valued item. It is an actual uniform from the movie, worn by Ian McShane who played pilot Flight Sgt. Andy Moore. I purchased it from Planet Hollywood, where it was previously displayed in one of the company’s restaurants. The uniform also came with a certificate of authenticity, which is quite important when it comes to movie props and wardrobe, to ensure that it is genuinely screen used or worn.

The movie, written by James Kennaway and Wilfred Greatorex, drew much of its inspiration from the book, The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood and Derek Dempster. Battle of Britain The Movie, by Robert Rudhall, covers the making of the film.

A photo from the Battle of Britain movie. It is a film tie-in softcover publication showing Ian McShane in uniform … possibly the same uniform shown in this article, or an additional one that was made to look dirty.

This is the actual uniform from the movie worn by Ian McShane, the individual who played pilot Flight Sgt. Andy Moore. It was purchased by the author from Planet Hollywood.

Battle of Britain A&BC Gum cards, released in conjunction with the film, consisted of a 66-card set. They were sold in packs of seven cards and a piece of gum.

The movie drew much of its inspiration from the book The Narrow Margin, by Derek Wood and Derek Dempster. It was released in 1961 and was considered by most at that time to be the best source in book form about the battle.

Battle of Britain A&BC Gum cards, released in conjunction with the film, consisted of a 66-card set. They were sold in packs of seven cards with a piece of gum. Interestingly, while the photos on the front of the cards were from the movie, several of the backs of the cards had details about the actual battle. Some cards, such as card 64, had a map showing where the attacks took place.

The Dinky Toys Spitfire is 1/65 scale, while the Stuka is 1/72. Each model has a special feature. The Spitfire had an electric motor that could be flipped to life with your finger, and the Stuka had a metal bomb that you could put a cap in and, when released via a lever on the model, the cap went "bang" when the bomb hit the ground. You can see the lever on the side of the fuselage.

Sackville Publishing released Battle of Britain, a film tie-in softcover publication that shared photos and information about the movie.

Two different DVD releases of the film. One has a single disc with just the movie and the movie trailer; however, the other release (L) includes two DVDs, with the second disc having a couple hours’ worth of bonus features, additional footage, and interviews.

Dinky Toys, started in 1934 in Liverpool in the U.K., also supported the film with the release of two diecast aircraft, the Spitfire and Stuka. When released, each was housed in a cardboard box that displayed artwork from the movie. A few years after the film was released, they were then sold in different packaging not connected with the movie.

The scale of each model is different, likely so that the same diameter box could be used for each one. The Spitfire is 1/65 scale, while the Stuka is 1/72 scale. Each model had a special feature. The Spitfire had an electric motor that you could flip to life with your finger, while the Stuka had a metal bomb that you could put a cap in and, when released via a lever on the model, the cap would go "bang" when the bomb hit the ground.

Sackville Publishing released Battle of Britain, a film tie-in softcover publication that shared photos and information regarding the movie. It is my understanding that these were available in theaters when the film was released.

For those who are interested in learning more about the making of the movie, there is an excellent book, Battle of Britain The Movie, by Robert Rudhall. The book is long out of print and commands a hefty price; however, it is soon to be republished as Battle of Britain The Movie: The Men and Machines of One of the Greatest War Films Ever Made. The book has been delayed twice and is now slated for release on June 30, 2023.

I own two different DVD releases of the film. One has a single disc with just the movie and the movie trailer. The other release includes two DVDs, with the second disc having a couple hours’ worth of bonus features, additional footage, and interviews. If you are looking to purchase a copy, I would recommend the two-disc version. I recently picked up a new copy for $10.

Everything shared here is from my personal collection. Obviously, many more items related to the film could be collected, including lobby cards and movie posters.