BBC Mini Series Piece of Cake stunts

[Blue Yonder]

Looking for info on Stunt Pilots in movie,Location of different sets,etc, and other related info of making the movie.

Any help would be appreciated, sorry if this is posted in wrong location.

 

[Airframes]

Can't remember all the details, as this as filmed in the late 1980s. But I believe Ray Hanna and Stephen Grey were two of the pilots, and I think the 'under the bridge' sequence was filmed in the Wye valley. The airfield and other scenes were filmed at Badminton I believe, but I might be wrong on this last point.

 

[Blue Yonder]

I found out that the bridge used was located just outside of Winston near Barnard Castle.
I've also learned quite a bit about Ray Hanna, what a guy he must have been.

 

[nuuumannn]

The old magazine Warbirds Worldwide did a feature piece on A Piece of cake, including listing the aircraft involved and pictures on set. It's long out of print though, so you'll have a bit of trouble finding it. The wiki page has some good general information on it:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbeA504VzR8

 

[Crimea_River]

Wow, 3 year old thread resumes like nothing happened. I feel like I was in a coma.

 

[Airframes]

It's the effect of a bacon-warp ................

 

[nuuumannn]

I've also learned quite a bit about Ray Hanna, what a guy he must have been.

A Kiwi, you know... I never met Ray, but I met his son Mark, who was a big part of The Old Flying Machine Company at Duxford. Really nice chap. The last time I saw him was only a week or so before he suffered the accident in the Buchon in Spain that led to his death.

 

[Blue Yonder]

What was the cause of the crash in Spain?

 

[nuuumannn]

Just a bit more info on "A Piece of Cake"; filming was done at the former RAF Friston in East Sussex; the Spits were flown from Duxford and filming was conducted at an elaborately constructed set to recreate a Battle of Britain airfield. It's amazing what you find when you put your fingers to the keyboards; here is a link to a site on British actor Jeremy Northam, who starred in the mini series, it's an interview with Derek Robinson, author of the book.

Derek Robinson on ?Piece of Cake? | The Jeremy Northam Blog

What was the cause of the crash in Spain?

The aircraft flipped over on landing. here is a link to the Old Flying Machine Company's webiste.

The Old Flying Machine Company

 

[Airframes]

Good info Grant. Some of the sets were also built on the airfield at Badminton, a lovely little strip which is more like a private garden.

 

[nuuumannn]

Yep, thanks Terry, before I read about the making of the series in Warbirds Worldwide I always thought it was made at Duxford.