Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary - Rare Camera Gun Footage

This video shows very brief records of aerial combat captured on 16mm film by cameras mounted in the wings of British fighter aircraft during July, August, and September 1940. Captions identify pilot name, squadron, date and time of attack, aircraft type and target.

Note: 'V' is used as an abbreviation for 'Versus' and does not refer to the Supermarine Spitfire Mark V, which entered service in early 1941.

0:10 - Camera-gun film taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 65 Squadron RAF, showing Flight Sergeant W H Franklin attacking Hawker Hurricanes probably of No. 79 Squadron. Sadly, this "friendly fire" incident resulted in the death of Squadron Leader John D. C. Joslin.

1:31 - Camera gun film taken from a Hawker Hurricane Mark I of No. 601 Squadron RAF, showing Flight Lieutenant William H Rhodes-Moorhouse shooting down a Junkers Ju 88 of 6./KG 54 off St. Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight on 16 July 1940. In the final pass, the Luftwaffe crew can be seen floating in their rubber dinghy, waiting to be picked up by a tug being directed by Rhodes-Moorhouse.

3:18 - Camera gun footage taken from a Hawker Hurricane Mark I of No. 501 Squadron RAF, showing Sergeant Paul Farnes intercepting one of two Junkers Ju 87 Stukas he shot down on 15 August 1940.

3:49 - Camera-gun film taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Flying Officer Tadeusz "Novi" Nowierski (formerly Polish Air Force) as he closes in on a formation of Dornier Do 17Zs of KG 3 south-west of London at approximately 5.45 pm on 7 September 1940, the first day of the Blitz. Tracer bullets from the intercepting Spitfires can be seen traveling towards the enemy aircraft which were heading back to their base after bombing East London and the docks.

4:23 - Camera gun footage taken by Pilot Officer Keith 'Skeets' Ogilvie of No. 609 Squadron showing a Dornier Do 17Z (F1+FH) of 1./KG 76 piloted by Oberleutnant Robert Zehbe under attack, 15 September 1940. The aircraft was later abandoned and flew on until being rammed over central London by Sergeant Ray Holmes of No. 504 Squadron. It crashed on Victoria station with two of the crew baling out. Zehbe was attacked by civilians and died of his injuries the following day.

4:47 - Camera gun footage taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF flown by Pilot Officer R F G Miller, showing a Heinkel He 111 of KG 53 or KG 55 taking hits in the port engine from Miller's machine guns. The aircraft was one of a force which bombed the Bristol Aeroplane Company's factory at Filton, Bristol, just before midday on 25 September 1940. Miller was killed two days later when he collided head on with a Messerschmitt Bf 110 of III/ZG 26 over Cheselbourne, Dorset.

6:01 - Camera gun film shows tracer ammunition from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a Heinkel He 111 on its starboard quarter. These aircraft were part of a large formation from KG 53 and KG 55, which attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company's works at Filton, Bristol, just before midday on 25 September 1940.

6:14 - Camera-gun film taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by by Pilot Officer J D Bisdee, as he dives on a formation of Heinkel He 111s of KG 55 which have just bombed the Supermarine aircraft works at Woolston, Southampton on 26 September 1940. The rearmost aircraft of the leading 'staffel' receives a burst of machine gun fire from Bisdee, as shown by the streaks of light from the tracer bullets. Its port engine is also on fire.

6:45 - Camera-gun film taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I flown by the Commanding Officer of No. 609 Squadron RAF, Squadron Leader H S Darley, as he opens fire amongst a formation of Heinkel He 111s of KG 55, which have just bombed the Supermarine aircraft works at Woolston, Southampton on 26 September 1940.

7:03 - Camera gun footage taken by a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Pilot Officer M E Staples, showing a Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 (3U+1M) banking steeply to port as it tries to avoid Staples' gun fire. This aircraft belongs to 4./ZG 26, which was providing fighter cover for Heinkel He 111s of KG 55 attempting to attack the Bristol Aeroplane Company's factory at Filton.

Music Credits:
The Planets, Op. 32 - I. Mars, the Bringer of War
Composed by Gustav Holst
Performed by the USAF Heritage of America Band
Public domain music from musopen.com

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