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Pete Truman.

At the time, I was working as an architect in Bishops Stortford; only 15 mins drive from Duxford, (well it was in my Golf GTi).
I had a client who was a bit of a Jack the Lad and knew people in the film industry so I had daily reports of what was happening.
Somebody has said that there was a shortage of people for aircrew on the a/c, this isn't true as my pal tried to get me on the cast list and it was over subscribed, every crew position on those B-17's was filled and everyone wore authentic uniforms, it was something to see when the a/c were preparing for take off.
I used to go up there every lunchtime and evening to watch the action, sometimes I had days off depending on what I was being told was about to happen that day.
The first time I went, the B-17's hadn't arrived but there were 7 Mustangs on the tarmac having their serial numbers changed, the crew doing this told me that David Putnam the producer, was being very fussy with regard to detail, the next minute he arrived in his Range Rover, PUT1, and gave them all a lecture with me standing in the middle of this feeling very embarrassed.
The next day the B-17's arrived along with the 3 Bf 109's (Buchons), it was awesome, I could not believe what I was seeing.
They all took off for a photo shoot over Southwold, when they returned I got pally with the MGM stills photographer, who was as sick as a pig because he didn't like flying but reckoned that it was the greatest experience he had ever had, sitting in the top turret of Sally-B taking stills of the fighter attacks.
I had several memorable experiences, top of the list had to be when everything fired up to take off, i.e. 5 B-17's, 7 P-51's and 3 Buchons, they were all taxiing for take off when 3 old boys arrived on the flight line next to me, they were 3 USAAF B-17 vets, just over for a last trip and couldn't understand what the hell was going on , we all burst into tears together, the take off and subsequent low level flypast was beyond belief, the old boys couldn't believe it, that was a moment to remember.
Next, one of the B-17's blew an engine over Southwold, I knew that something was wrong when the P-51's did the most incredible landing sequence and one of the pilots told me that there was trouble.
All the emergency crews gathered next to the runway and the a/c came in trailing smoke with only 2 engines running, it was quite dramatic.
There was once an incredible sunset and all the B-17's did a low level flyby and break, it was awesome.
Another thing I remember was lying in a field next to the runway and watching the sequence being filmed where the formation is being attacked by a Bf109 diving vertically through the formation chased by a P-51, frightening to watch.
Anyway, I have loads of colour slides of all this but no means of publishing them, if you want copies, let me know.
Pete.

photos will be uploading soon.