Chocks away!
Battle of Britain: Model Squadron
From 9 September Channel 4
Over the summer of 1940, Britain’s skies became a deadly battlefield. For three long months the outcome of the Second World War hung in the balance, as RAF fighter pilots battled to outwit the Luftwaffe and keep the country fighting.
In this three-part series from Channel 4, model-aircraft pilots from both the UK and Germany come together to recreate the dramatic events of the Battle of Britain. Radio-controlled Spitfires and Hurricanes fly head to head with miniature Messerschmitts and Stuka dive-bombers controlled by some of Germany’s most skilled enthusiasts.
The model pilots are tested like never before, recreating a series of dramatic dogfights and airborne encounters over England’s south coast. They take on daring dive-bombs and challenging flying formations to reveal just how skilled and courageous the real pilots involved were. Unlike their 1940 counterparts, however, model pilots from both nations are lucky enough to enjoy a drink together at the end of a hard day’s flying.
Fronted by military historian James Holland, the three episodes aim to recreate three fateful days from the battle. “This is a fresh look at the events of 1940,” says Holland. “It was one of the most decisive and pivotal moments in the Second World War – the largest and most catastrophic conflict in history – so it’s really important that the Battle of Britain is not forgotten. The stunning aerial footage should make for exciting viewing, so I hope it will capture people’s imaginations.”
So, with the sky full of model aircraft attempting some of the most daring aerial manoeuvres ever seen over Britain, what could possibly go wrong? In the words of Richard Rowland, from the RAF team: “It’s a huge challenge, and I think we all knew that it could end in absolute carnage. But we knew it would be really quite spectacular if we did manage to pull it off.” Ellie Cawthorne