FloridaLarry
Well-Known Member
Fans of this most British clunky-looking 8-9 PAX tail-dragger bi-plane may want to check their public library for some flying and ground shots.
They are in a British series called Foyle's War, seen in this country on PBS stations. It's in Series 8, episode 3, entitled "Elise" at 1:12:24 and following. There's a fly-by at 50 feet, taxiing footage, PAX loading and unloading. Unfortunately, no interiors or cockpit shots. The sub-plot concerns its airline pilot in the late 1940s who during WWII flew spies and saboteurs into Nazi France. Far more information on the planes is in the Bonus Feature on the DVD in the set, called "Back in Time with Foyle's War."
The aircraft (registered as G-AKIF), is one of two flyable Rapides in the UK, owned by the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, near Cambridge. It is dark blue, has no airline livery on its paint. They take people on rides in them.
Also seen: a replica Spitfire Mark 9 (built in 1980). Non-flying (at least in the show), appears to be missing a few parts & panels, but the bonus feature does include some cockpit stills in the bonus feature. Also an Auster J-3-N with a 130 Hp Gypsy Major engine. The Auster was a development of the US Taylorcraft Cub, 2-3 person tail-dragger, used for observation, artillery spotting, and dropping spies into Nazi France. No flying footage, just ground ops and taxiing.
All this doesn't amount to a lot of great looking footage, but it exists in pretty much a vacuum on these historic Brits. Plenty of Spitfire footage, of course, but not much on the Rapide or Auster. There isn't enough here to induce you to purchase Foyle's War for this purpose, but my public library had it, check yours. Those episodes of Foyle's War I've seen are superb British period drama, WWII and late 1940s cold war, detective / spy genre.
Cape Air should order some Rapides.
They are in a British series called Foyle's War, seen in this country on PBS stations. It's in Series 8, episode 3, entitled "Elise" at 1:12:24 and following. There's a fly-by at 50 feet, taxiing footage, PAX loading and unloading. Unfortunately, no interiors or cockpit shots. The sub-plot concerns its airline pilot in the late 1940s who during WWII flew spies and saboteurs into Nazi France. Far more information on the planes is in the Bonus Feature on the DVD in the set, called "Back in Time with Foyle's War."
The aircraft (registered as G-AKIF), is one of two flyable Rapides in the UK, owned by the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, near Cambridge. It is dark blue, has no airline livery on its paint. They take people on rides in them.
Also seen: a replica Spitfire Mark 9 (built in 1980). Non-flying (at least in the show), appears to be missing a few parts & panels, but the bonus feature does include some cockpit stills in the bonus feature. Also an Auster J-3-N with a 130 Hp Gypsy Major engine. The Auster was a development of the US Taylorcraft Cub, 2-3 person tail-dragger, used for observation, artillery spotting, and dropping spies into Nazi France. No flying footage, just ground ops and taxiing.
All this doesn't amount to a lot of great looking footage, but it exists in pretty much a vacuum on these historic Brits. Plenty of Spitfire footage, of course, but not much on the Rapide or Auster. There isn't enough here to induce you to purchase Foyle's War for this purpose, but my public library had it, check yours. Those episodes of Foyle's War I've seen are superb British period drama, WWII and late 1940s cold war, detective / spy genre.
Cape Air should order some Rapides.
