Product Spotlight: Battle of Britain the Movie

Product Spotlight: Battle of Britain the Movie

As seen in the October 2023 issue of Model Aviation.

IN THE JULY 2023 ISSUE of Model Aviation two articles were written about the movie Battle of Britain. One source of information came from 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 has been republished as Battle of Britain The Movie: The Men and Machines of One of the Greatest War Films Ever Made. The new book provides some updates because more has been learned about the film since the original book was published in 2000.

The hardcover book spans 222 pages with 100 photos. An overview of the book on the publisher’s website reads, "This detailed description of the making of the film is supported by a mouth-watering selection of pictures that were taken during the production stages. The images cover not only the many vintage aircraft used in the film, but also the airfields, the actors, and even the merchandise which accompanied the film’s release in 1969—plus a whole lot more."

It includes numerous air-to-air shots of the Spitfires, Messerschmitts, Hurricanes, and Heinkels that were brought together for the film. There are also images that capture the moment that Battle of Britain veterans, some of whom were also acting as consultants, visited the sets. Interviews with people who worked on the film, such as Hamish Mahaddie, John Blake, and Ron Goodwin, among others, bring the story to life.

A chapter titled "Model Work" covers the model aircraft and their builders. A handful of photos include the models as well. Other than a painful look at a photo of some of the models on a bonfire at the end of filming, the photos of the models are a real treat. The book is a great resource, given that the models’ inclusion in the film was kept a secret until well after the film had been released.

Another chapter that was quite interesting was "The Aircraft Fleet Then and Now." This chapter, as the name suggests, provides information about the aircraft used in the film and where they currently reside. With this handy guide, it is possible to see if any of the aircraft that you might be interested in seeing reside in places that can be visited, such as museums.

Since the movie Battle of Britain is considered to be the first movie to use RC aircraft in flight to represent their full-scale counterparts, that alone makes the book an interesting read for modelers; however, anyone who is interested in the battle—specifically the film and its making—will find this book to be a great resource. The new edition provides updated information at a much more reasonable price than the original now fetches on the secondhand market.