Spitfire
A newsreel sets the scene for summer 1940, showing Nazi advances in Europe (Austria, Czech, Poland, Denmark, Norway and France are all occupied) with Britain facing invasion and aerial attacks on the…
Spitfire
A newsreel sets the scene for summer 1940, showing Nazi advances in Europe (Austria, Czech, Poland, Denmark, Norway and France are all occupied) with Britain facing invasion and aerial attacks on the island increasing. On 15 September 1940 (called zero day), during the Battle of Britain. Nazi Airforce sends 100s of bombers and fighters towards England to bomb the island into submission. The British RAF fights valiantly with the limited resources it has, but the enemy attack waves are relentless and unending. RAF Squadron Leader Geoffrey Crisp (David Niven), the station commander of a Spitfire squadron, recounts the story of how his friend R. J. Mitchell (Leslie Howard) designed the Spitfire fighter. Mitchell is a bit of a legend and there are many rumors about who he is, where he lives and how he designed the spitfire (some believe he designed it in 2 hours at a golf club). His pilots listen as Crisp begins with the 1922 Schneider Trophy competition, where Mitchell began his most important work, designing high speed aircraft. While watching seagulls (with his wife Diana (Rosamund John)) with his binoculars, he envisages a new shape for aircraft in the future. At the time Mitchell was a renowned artist. The 1921 Schneider Trophy was won by the Italians and the Brits are determined to win it this yr. Britain wins the race in record time, flying at 145 mph. Mitchell was the designer. Mitchell wants to ask sponsors from Supermarine, Mr Higgins (David Horne) & Commander Bride (Roland Culver) to let him build his new plane, but Higgins wants Mitchell to get practical experience in the assembly shops. In 1923, the US wins the Schneider Trophy. Crisp, an ex-First World War pilot seeking work (he is unemployed after the war (he tested airplanes, then bikes and then even worked in garages to make ends meet) and knows that Mitchell is the designer for the seaplanes), captivates Mitchell with his enthusiasm and the designer promises to hire him as test pilot should his design ever go into production. Mitchell shows Crisp his revolutionary idea of a single frame, no wires or struts, fuel in the floating pods and cooling liquid circulating under the wings, where it is cooled by air. Facing opposition from official sources (Higgins is worried to stake the finances of the club on an unproven design and a completely new engine and cooling system) (Mitchell decides to quit when Higgins is not ready to accept his proposal) (Back home Mitchell regrets quitting as he has a family, but that's when Commander Bride (the MD of the firm) calls and approves his design), Mitchell succeeds in creating a series of highly successful seaplane racers (Till the last minute Higgins insists that the new plane would never fly) (and at the 1925 competition, Crisp faints at the first turn, crashing the aircraft. Although Crisp survives and insists that it was his fault, and not the plane). In 1927 Mitchell was given one more chance as RAF took an interest in his ideas. A British team was sent to Venice to participate in the Schneider Trophy. The engine block developed a snag 7 hours before the race and Mitchell stayed with his team the entire night to fix it before the race. Crisp wins a tight race with the Italians, flying at 281 Mph. Mitchell sets out to break his own record but loses a test pilot in the process. He is devastated. Ian Mclaren of Victor aviation buys the Supermarine aviation firm for 0.5 MM pounds just to get their hands on Mitchell. Ian provides a new engine to Mitchell to power his new designs and sweeps the Schneider Trophy in 1929. Mitchell meets Lady Houston (Toni Edgar-Bruce), who tells him that she sees England in great danger and the country to be strong and be prepared. In 1931, the Brits have to host the race, but the economic recession is on and the race costs $100K pounds. Lady Houston steps in and sponsors the race. Britain wins again at 340 mph. 3 times in a row and the trophy is British for keeps. After a visit to Germany in 1935 (when Germans aren't allowed to build engines and thus fly gliders instead), a chance meeting with leading German aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt (Erik Freund), and hearing talk of German re-armament (Germans have declared the Versailles treaty as dead), Mitchell resolves to build the fastest and deadliest fighter aircraft (even though the government of the day wants to maintain peace at all costs, by appeasing the Germans). Convincing Henry Royce of Rolls-Royce that a new engine (he convinces Mr Henry Royce (George Skillan) to invest in a new engine without knowing if it will ever pay off. The cost is 200K Pounds), eventually to become the famous Merlin, is needed, Mitchell gets the power-plant he requires. Faced by the devastating news that he has only one year to live (The doctor suggested a full yr of rest and relaxation if he wanted to live longer) and battling against failing health (The govt finally wakes up to the German threat and orders Mitchell to produce a working aircraft in 12 months), Mitchell dies just after hearing word that the government has ordered the Spitfire into production. Crisp ends his account when the squadron is scrambled to counter a German attack. The Germans are beaten, with the Luftwaffe losing more planes than the British. In the end, Crisp is relieved with victory and looks to the clouds to Mitchell, voicing a thanks to him for creating the Spitfire. A single airplane ascends towards the sun, followed later by three others.
Spitfire
Adventure,Biography,Drama
Film Details
A newsreel sets the scene for summer 1940, showing Nazi advances in Europe (Austria, Czech, Poland, Denmark, Norway and France are all occupied) with Britain facing invasion and aerial attacks on the island increasing. On 15 September 1940 (called zero day), during the Battle of Britain. Nazi Airforce sends 100s of bombers and fighters towards England to bomb the island into submission.
The British RAF fights valiantly with the limited resources it has, but the enemy attack waves are relentless and unending. RAF Squadron Leader Geoffrey Crisp (David Niven), the station commander of a Spitfire squadron, recounts the story of how his friend R. J.
Mitchell (Leslie Howard) designed the Spitfire fighter. Mitchell is a bit of a legend and there are many rumors about who he is, where he lives and how he designed the spitfire (some believe he designed it in 2 hours at a golf club). His pilots listen as Crisp begins with the 1922 Schneider Trophy competition, where Mitchell began his most important work, designing high speed aircraft.
While watching seagulls (with his wife Diana (Rosamund John)) with his binoculars, he envisages a new shape for aircraft in the future. At the time Mitchell was a renowned artist. The 1921 Schneider Trophy was won by the Italians and the Brits are determined to win it this yr.
Britain wins the race in record time, flying at 145 mph. Mitchell was the designer. Mitchell wants to ask sponsors from Supermarine, Mr Higgins (David Horne) & Commander Bride (Roland Culver) to let him build his new plane, but Higgins wants Mitchell to get practical experience in the assembly shops.
In 1923, the US wins the Schneider Trophy. Crisp, an ex-First World War pilot seeking work (he is unemployed after the war (he tested airplanes, then bikes and then even worked in garages to make ends meet) and knows that Mitchell is the designer for the seaplanes), captivates Mitchell with his enthusiasm and the designer promises to hire him as test pilot should his design ever go into production. Mitchell shows Crisp his revolutionary idea of a single frame, no wires or struts, fuel in the floating pods and cooling liquid circulating under the wings, where it is cooled by air.
Facing opposition from official sources (Higgins is worried to stake the finances of the club on an unproven design and a completely new engine and cooling system) (Mitchell decides to quit when Higgins is not ready to accept his proposal) (Back home Mitchell regrets quitting as he has a family, but that's when Commander Bride (the MD of the firm) calls and approves his design), Mitchell succeeds in creating a series of highly successful seaplane racers (Till the last minute Higgins insists that the new plane would never fly) (and at the 1925 competition, Crisp faints at the first turn, crashing the aircraft. Although Crisp survives and insists that it was his fault, and not the plane). In 1927 Mitchell was given one more chance as RAF took an interest in his ideas.
A British team was sent to Venice to participate in the Schneider Trophy. The engine block developed a snag 7 hours before the race and Mitchell stayed with his team the entire night to fix it before the race. Crisp wins a tight race with the Italians, flying at 281 Mph.
Mitchell sets out to break his own record but loses a test pilot in the process. He is devastated. Ian Mclaren of Victor aviation buys the Supermarine aviation firm for 0.5 MM pounds just to get their hands on Mitchell.
Ian provides a new engine to Mitchell to power his new designs and sweeps the Schneider Trophy in 1929. Mitchell meets Lady Houston (Toni Edgar-Bruce), who tells him that she sees England in great danger and the country to be strong and be prepared. In 1931, the Brits have to host the race, but the economic recession is on and the race costs $100K pounds.
Lady Houston steps in and sponsors the race. Britain wins again at 340 mph. 3 times in a row and the trophy is British for keeps.
After a visit to Germany in 1935 (when Germans aren't allowed to build engines and thus fly gliders instead), a chance meeting with leading German aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt (Erik Freund), and hearing talk of German re-armament (Germans have declared the Versailles treaty as dead), Mitchell resolves to build the fastest and deadliest fighter aircraft (even though the government of the day wants to maintain peace at all costs, by appeasing the Germans). Convincing Henry Royce of Rolls-Royce that a new engine (he convinces Mr Henry Royce (George Skillan) to invest in a new engine without knowing if it will ever pay off. The cost is 200K Pounds), eventually to become the famous Merlin, is needed, Mitchell gets the power-plant he requires.
Faced by the devastating news that he has only one year to live (The doctor suggested a full yr of rest and relaxation if he wanted to live longer) and battling against failing health (The govt finally wakes up to the German threat and orders Mitchell to produce a working aircraft in 12 months), Mitchell dies just after hearing word that the government has ordered the Spitfire into production. Crisp ends his account when the squadron is scrambled to counter a German attack. The Germans are beaten, with the Luftwaffe losing more planes than the British.
In the end, Crisp is relieved with victory and looks to the clouds to Mitchell, voicing a thanks to him for creating the Spitfire. A single airplane ascends towards the sun, followed later by three others..