Title:BEAUFIGHTERS OF 489 SQUADRON [Allocated Title]
Film Number:ARY 36-1
Other titles:
Summary: Beaufighters of 489 Squadron RNZAF set out on a sortie.
Description: The camera looks across the airfield where the Beaufighters of 489 Squadron are parked at dispersal. General activity can be seen. The aircraft start up and move off to the runway where they take off. A single aircraft flies past with its wheels still down whereafter the camera films the whole squadron in the air. The same move from the dispersal is seen from another camera giving good close shots of the aircraft and crews. There is a particularly good shot of Beaufighter P6*U (serial number NE826). The action then moves to the groundcrew who are seen polishing windscreens, and attending to an engine. An aircrewman enters the rear lower fuselage hatch carrying an American USM-4 flak helmet. Another walks past an aircraft carrying his parachute, whilst yet another is seen entering a rear hatch as before and also carrying a USM-4 flak helmet. . A pilot climbs onto the wing and places his parachute into the cockpit. P6*T (serial number LZ540) is seen at rest. Ground crew sit on the tail of a Beaufighter and look into the distance as do some engine fitters seen next. Various establishing shots are taken of chocks being pulled away, the traffic controller flashing the Aldis lamp from the control hut and personnel watching the take off from the control tower balcony. Pilots settle into their cockpits and engines are started. The aircraft are seen warming up and the Squadron flies very low over the airfield. After a brief shot of the crash tenders and ambulance on standby the reel finishes with a view of the squadron taxiing. In the foreground stands a Wellington Mk XIII of 524 Squadron.
Production Details: Royal Air Force (Production sponsor)
RAF Film Production Unit (Production company)
Heath (Sergeant) (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force, Sqdn 524 (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force, Sqdn 489 (regiment/service)
Royal New Zealand Air Force & Royal New Zealand Air Force & Sqdn 489 (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Bristol Beaufighter T F 10 (object name)
aircraft, British - combat: Vickers Wellington Mk 13 (object name)
equipment, United States air - personal: USM-4 Flak Helmet & [British] (object name)
GB, Scotland & Leuchars, Fife <RAF Station> (geography)
