Name's Steve, Live near Birmingham & I still only work Nights!
Please don't forget my other review...
Name's Steve, Live near Birmingham & I still only work Nights!
Please don't forget my other reviews. Websites,Books,DVDs and 3 Fronteras
Member since:31.01.2006
Reviews:28
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Anyone who has seen the Spitfire in Flight and heard the roar of the Merlin will tell you that it's a Sound of freedom and the sight of Her elliptical wings in the sky stirs feelings in your stomach.
This DVD will take you through the History of this Classic Warbird from it's roots with the S.5 Seaplane to the Aircraft we are still fortunate to see in the air today!
When Mr Reginald Joseph Mitchell designed the Supermarine S.5 Seaplane to enter the Schneider Trophy Race in 1927 he didn't realise he'd started on the base of an Aircraft that still captures hearts today.
In 1936 a Prototype Aircraft with the Ministry of Defence number F37/34 had completed Ground Trials and engine run-up tests. This Aircraft had the Registration K5054. (A well known Reg in Aviation Circles) This Prototype was then named the "Spitfire" and Flew for the first time at 4:35pm on 5th of March 1936 with a flight lasting 8 minutes! It was enough, the Spitfire was go!
The Classic mix of beautifully tapered airframe, a Rolls Royce Merlin engine and a dual mix of Cannons and Machine Guns struck terror into the enemy in Nearly every theatre of Conflict.
At the end of WWII They estimate there had been an estimated 22 579 Spitfires Airframes made of 20+ varients of the Supermarine Spitfire across the Seafire and Photographic Reconnasiance Models
From the Classic Mk1 with Elliptical wings and Machine-guns to the T.Mk 9 a Twin-seat Trainer (Which can still be seen at Airshows today in the form of Carolyn Graces' ML407 which started it's Operational life as a Single Seater!) and the Clipped wing Mk.IXe the sight and sound of a Spitfire in Flight (Or a load of them if you can get to Duxford on Show Day) is something you'll always remember.
The DVD takes you to an interview with Air Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding talking about the expeiences of WWII and into the Blitzkriegs and the Spitfires against bomber formations.
Then we step into Eagle Day, The Moment that the Luftwaffe were going to Crush the RAF in the Skies and on the Ground.
There is also some details of the Battle of Malta, this Battle wasn't well known about. (A bit about it!) In 1942 the Axis Powers decided to squash the tiny Island of Malta as the RAF had staged Sorties against Axis Supply Ships heading for North Africa. The Battle of Malta lasted THREE times Longer than the Battle of Britain.
The DVD 6 Scene Scelections, an Interactive Menu. Also like other DVDs from the "War Files" there is Excerpts from 10 other titles and a Stills Gallery.
All in All, a Very Impressive DVD but it only lasts for 55minutes. It's in Dolby Digital Surround so you get that crisp sound. A PAL Region 0 (Free) Disk it's in English but can be watched anywhere (As long as it's PAL not NTSC)
You can look at anything from £5 to £14 for this DVD & I haven't seen a VHS Price. Steve
Pictures of The Story Of The Spitfire (DVD)
K5054
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