JUNGLE OUTPOST - RAF 20 SQUADRON [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: JUNGLE OUTPOST - RAF 20 SQUADRON [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 10
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Hawker Hurricane operations from a beach airfield in the Arakan, Burma, showing aircraft maintenance, airfield life, RAF Regiment defences, attacks on enemy positions and some of the local population and wildlife.
  • Description: Reel 1: Hawker Hurricanes airborne and taxiing at beach airstrip 'Hove' on the Arakan coast. Men undressing behind Hurricane (later shot from reverse angle). Hurricane being serviced in concealed dispersal, with propellor spinner replaced, gun barrels reamed, engine cowling replaced and machine guns reloaded. Salvaged Bristol Beaufighter being dismantled - crane removes outboard starboard wing. Hurricane taxis to dispersal, shuts down and pilot disemplanes. Local people queuing for treatment at RAF medical post. Child is bandaged. Cookhouse scenes including the butchering of meat and the use of oil drums as an oven. Airmen shaving, washing clothes and drawing water from a well. Close shots of local labourers. Brief shot of Dakota being serviced. Airborne footage showing attacks on enemy positions - smoke from tracer ammunition and fires on the ground. Reel 2: Exterior shots of canteen. Airman cleaning his Lee Enfield No.3 rifle and another airman writing a letter. Brief shot of twin anti-aircraft machine gun position. Fine shot of two Hurricanes flying low over beach surf. A small group of naked airmen run into the sea. A small herd of local longhorn buffalo. Local fisherman in the surf catches a stingray. RAF Regiment anti-aircraft gunners man a twin Browning machine gun and train it on passing aircraft. Other airmen drinking tea and playing draughts surrounded by camouflage netting. Local labourers with children. Distant shot of Spitfires at dispersal. Hurricane taxis away from camera, followed soon after by a Dakota in the opposite direction. Dakota's wingspan passes over camera. Airstrip control tower being thatched. Air-to-air footage of four Hurricanes in line abreast. Hurricanes peel off left-right. Airmen undressing in front of Hurricane. A jeep passes parked Hurricanes. Airmen gather around a map. Airman climbs out of aircraft.
  • Alternative Title: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ABY 10
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-05-17
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company) Hughes, H R (Production individual) McKee, J L (Production individual) Goozee, S (Production individual) Connochie, T D (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force, 20 Squadron (regiment/service) Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force Regiment (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Mardhaibunia, Arakan, Burma (geography) Fighter operations, Air operations over Burma, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Aerial Warfare (theme) Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme) Far East 1939-1945 (theme) Burma 1942-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 2 Footage: 1819 ft; Running time: 21 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 10

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