'Wings' TV show

[Jamo]

Those of you who are middle aged and older may remember the 'Wings' TV drama series about the Royal Flying Corps that ran on BBC television from 1977 to 1978. It was generally well regarded and has been issued on DVD



Here is an interesting article from Scale Models April 1977 talking about how the aeroplane sequences were filmed. Click on the images to enlarge







I only remember it vaguely. Has anyone got the DVD and would like to comment?

[Tony Haycock]

I have a copy (actually borrowed from a mate) and I watched it a couple of months ago. I am very pleased to report that while I still have one more disc to watch, it has actually aged very well. I remember watching it on tv (black and white as I come from a poor family!) as a kid so I was expecting to be disappointed but instead I really enjoyed it. The BBC also did a book at the same time as the TV series and it still takes pride of place in my bookcase, alongside my "Biggles" books.
If you remember the original TV series, get the DVDs, you won't regret it!   

[coyotemagic]

Does anyone know where to get it?  I've tried Amazon without luck.
Cheers,
Bud

[uncletony]

Does anyone know where to get it?  I've tried Amazon without luck.
Cheers,
Bud

Everything is free  now

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeagipoZmyfk2R9o0G_f2s_S0wHcG0KaZ

[Thumbs up]

Does anyone know where to get it?  I've tried Amazon without luck.
Cheers,
Bud

Everything is free  now

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeagipoZmyfk2R9o0G_f2s_S0wHcG0KaZ

Lovely jubbly  that's my evening sorted!!!

[coyotemagic]

Thanks, Bo!  I've saved them and have started watching S1E1 already.  Good stuff.
Cheers,
Bud

[Cimmerian]

Good series, remember it from my younger days. Will have to get it.

[Squiffy]

Everything is free  now

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeagipoZmyfk2R9o0G_f2s_S0wHcG0KaZ

Thanks for posting that, Bo. I've never seen this before (I think I would have been about 7 years old when it was on TV).

[uncletony]

I've watched the first several episodes. The acting is not particularly amazing, nor is the writing -- kind of community theater level feel to it all -- but the characters are interesting and likeable and the story manages to entertain while remaining a pretty darn good history lesson. Clearly the author did careful research and got the overall facts right.

As of 5 episodes in, there is not a Sopwith Camel nor Scarlet Triplane to be seen (thank god!) -- instead, the protagonists are trading potshots with carbines and pistols in Be2cs and Albatros B.Is. So for not giving in the typical WWI tropes you have to give it props. It really is about the dawn of air combat and there is a sense that everyone is muddling through.

Oh -- and having read the above it really is fun watching for the cuts to the RC planes. I doubt the footage would work in the HD age, but it is pretty cool on this grainy old videotape.

Thumbs up.

[Jim]

I picked up seasons 1 and 2 on DVD at RAF Museum at Hendon when I visited there late last year after I read some folks saying it was a good show. Unfortunately, I found it pretty boring to watch and stopped halfway through season 2.

[Thumbs up]

I've watched the first several episodes. The acting is not particularly amazing, nor is the writing -- kind of community theater level feel to it all -- but the characters are interesting and likeable and the story manages to entertain while remaining a pretty darn good history lesson. Clearly the author did careful research and got the overall facts right.

As of 5 episodes in, there is not a Sopwith Camel nor Scarlet Triplane to be seen (thank god!) -- instead, the protagonists are trading potshots with carbines and pistols in Be2cs and Albatros B.Is. So for not giving in the typical WWI tropes you have to give it props. It really is about the dawn of air combat and there is a sense that everyone is muddling through.

Oh -- and having read the above it really is fun watching for the cuts to the RC planes. I doubt the footage would work in the HD age, but it is pretty cool on this grainy old videotape.


Totally agree!

Thumbs up.

[Pup Cam]

I bought the boxed set of Amazon a year or so ago.   As I remember it from when it was first broadcast perhaps my enjoyment was nostalgia based rather than from a film critics perspective.   Anyway, I love it.

There was going to be third series with the squadron transitioning to the new fangled Sopwith Pup.   A Pup replica was built for the ground shots by David Boddington, a God in the world of aeromodelling for many decades, which so the story goes had a VW Beetle engine in it to enable it to taxi.    Having seen the airframe at close hand it's hard to imagine this particular story is true but who knows!      It is definitely a replica, well actually having owned for many years  a Boddington 1/4 scale Pup, its a fullsize model and is definitely not for flying, but none the worse for that.

Unfortunately the third series was still born and eventually many years later the Pup found a new home - what better place than Stow Maries.      It's recently been repaired, re-covered and re-painted (albeit not quite finished yet!) by members of the UK Dawn Patrol group in time for the Rememberance Sunday event in Southend (a seaside town near Stow for the benefit of non-UK residents) and then back to Stow in time for Rememberance day yesterday.

You can see some photographs of the restoration here

http://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php/topic,101207.msg1195927.html#msg1195927

Alan

[Squiffy]

I've got as far as the third or fourth part the second series and although the first series was enjoyable, seemed quite believable and fairly realistic, the second series is getting a little far-fetched.

e.g. the one where Capt. Triggers and the lady spy are put on trial, she is shot at dawn whilst he is reprived and sent to a P.O.W. camp but escapes...

OK, so I suppose that's possible but for him to escape his captors, somehow cross the lines and be back at his own airfield in time to take off, locate and strafe the car of the German officer responsible for having the lady shot as he's seemingly leaving the 'scene of the crime' is a bit too much to be within the realms of possibility for me.

Still, it's not as bad as that 'The Red Baron' movie... Just don't get me started on that one... 

Yours Sincerely,

Barry Norman, er, I mean, Squiffy 

[NP]

Nah Squiffy, that was all in a normal days work for Capt. Triggers.  I love the show, got the discs, just wish someone would get around to doing some more - they only got up to round 1916 or so (and the Hornblower books could do with being finished off on TV as well, the actor is the right age now too!

I made an attempt at turning the Roden kit into Triggers' mount number 1706 a while ago