You Can't Win 'Em All

[duderank 2000]

The lastest issue of Aeroplane Monthly, just published in the UK, features an excellent and well illustrated article on filming the mini SE5s for this 1970 action movie, starring Tony Curtis and Charles Bronson. Features on movie flying in magazines are few and far between, from anything other than recent releases, but this one is well worth checking out. Hopefully there will be more coverage to come on other Pictures. Off topic perhaps for a World war one forum, but next September sees the 40th anniversary of the "Battle of Britain" film. Fingers crossed for something special that'll make the wait worth while!

[Lufbery]

I've not seen the movie, but now I'd like to check it out.

When you say "mini SE5," are you talking about scale flying models, or reduced scale (e.g. 7/8th scale) airplanes?

Regards, and thanks for the heads up,

[duderank 2000]

I first read about Mini SE5s in Derek Piggot's book "Delta Papa". There was a whole chapter about how they started out as Currie Wots, I believe , and built up to approximate the look of the SE5, only to a smaller scale, hence "Mini Se5s". Somebody probably knows a lot more about them, and could go into a lot more detail than I can. What I do know is that they were originally built for the film "Darling Lili". A movie making neccessity, much like when Garland Lincoln purpose designed and built the LF1 in the thirties to replace antique Nieuports.

[Colin A Owers]

The Minis also appeared in "The Red Baron" or "Von Richtofen and Brown" directed by Roger Corman.

Colin A Owers