Screen Credits For The Most Famous Spitfire
MH434 first appeared on screen in 1962 (from long distance) in the movie The Longest Day while still registered in Belgium and in use as a target towing aircraft.
MH434 Played a reconnaissance Spit (FR Mk. IX) in the 1965 movie Operation Crossbow. The owner of the aircraft at the time, Tim Davies, appeared on screen as the pilot of the aircraft.
Blockbusters
MH434 wore five different codes and serials while starring in the 1969 film Battle of Britain.
MH434 appeared several times, albeit briefly each time, in season 4 of the 1969-1973 series The Flaxton Boys.
MH434 played a FR Mk IX again in the road reconnaissance scene in the 1977 film A Bridge Too Far. A second scene featuring the aircraft was cut from the already-lengthy film.
More Credits For The Most Famous Spitfiree
Ray Hanna flew MH434 when they appeared together in the opening sequence of the 1973 film The Blockhouse.
Now owned by the Old Flying Machine Company and flown by Ray Hanna, MH434 scored a victory over a mock-Messerschmitt and performed a climbing victory roll in the 1987 feature Hope and Glory.
Again flown by Ray Hanna, MH434 appeared along with five other airworthy Spits in the 1988 miniseries Piece of Cake, including a memorable flight under Winston Bridge on the river Tees. Here’s the clip uploaded to YouTube by 66Soupy.
Starring on TV Too
MH434 wore several paint schemes for series 1 episode 8 (The Incredible Theft) of Agatha Christie’s Poirot In 1989.
MH434 wore several paint schemes (including one as a Belgian Spit) while appearing in the 1991 series A Perfect Hero.
MH434 fought, lost, and won aerial engagements wearing Eagle Squadron colors against a Hispano Aviación HA-1112 Buchon impersonating a Bf-109J in the 1993 movie Diamond Swords, which was based on the life of Luftwaffe ace Hans Joachim Marseille.
You Know You’ve Made It When…
The most famous spitfire was the only Spitfire actually flown during the 1996 miniseries Over Here. Interestingly, Bf-109Gs with Daimler-Benz engines (in other words not Buchons) appeared in this series as well.
MH434 appeared in series 4 episode 1 (Woeful Second World War- Take That parody “The Few”) of the series Horrible Histories in 2012.
Commercial Success
Using footage shot for Piece of Cake edited together with some new footage, the most famous Spitfire appeared in the 2002-2015 series Foyles War.
Appeared on the ground in series 16 episode 5 (The Flying Club) of Midsomer Murders in 2014.
MH434 also appeared in the 2014 documentary The Spitfire: Britain’s Flying Past
MH 434 appeared briefly on the ground in the 2014 film The Monuments Men.
MH434 appeared in a Breitling commercial featuring a Spitfire. Here’s a clip uploaded to YouTube by WingsTV Channel.
Cracking stuff – thank you. The Hannas are legendary in the UK, and MH434 practically mythic!