FILM - It's in the Air - Where is it?

OK REF, now post the clippings of the aircraft flying through a hangar at Debden!

What's the story behind this incident Peter ?

Off the top of my head, in 1938 Dickie Lee flew a Hawker biplane through one of the hangars for the George Formby film "It's in the Air". Further details... somewhere in the vast pile of pony and trap that is my filing system...

Adrian

That's the stunt:

The airfield was opened in April 1937 and was first used by the Royal Air Force. One of Debden's early and most bizarre experiences was when the airfield was chosen as a location for the film "It's in the Air" in which George Formby was to pilot a Hawker Fury through Hangar No. 3. The rather sharper angle of the hangars at Debden built around the tarmac apron allowed free access at both ends of the end hangar. The flying for the sequence was actually done by Flying Officer R. H. A. Lee who went missing on 18 August 1940 when he was last seen ten miles north of Foulness Point chasing three German aircraft out to sea.

I was posted to Debden in 1964 and the northernmost Type C which housed our RAF Bomb Disposal Flight was the hangar used for the stunt in 1938(?) and the story often came up in conversation. The doors of this hangar, as with many other Type C were double skinned and (so the story goes) could be filled with gravel as an extra protection against aircraft gunfire. When I was there, the north doors had obvious penetration marks from a wartime enemy attack.

Hi chaps re, Its In The Air George Formby
It's often stated that it was filmed at RAF Debden but I disagree.
Always thought it was at Debden until I got a copy of film and can state with some conviction that the airfield in the film is not Debden.
I'm now sure that, after some research ,that it was filmed at Hanworth ( London airdrome) south of heathrow . If you can get a copy of the film check it out
Not sure how the story of Debden got started but it's disappointing to me as Debden is the first place I ever flew from!

Thanks Trigger, looks like another legend destroyed!

I must admit I have never reviewed that film so will have to see if it is on-line.

There are some images of the Hanworth hangar layout in a forum thread as I recall. If not, there are almost certainly some on the Britain from Above website.

A friend of mine, Bert Roomes, now sadly departed, was Dickie Lee's fitter, and recalled seeing the hangar flight at Debden on a Sunday morning.

A conflict requiring other opinions. Need to locate and view the film.

Hi chaps, I have copy of the film if you would like to borrow it. Send me your address and ill post it. Would be interested in your opinion .
Wiki states it was at feltham but I also found a site which suggested it was Halton.

from what I can find, the main location for the film was Hamworth Air Park (Feltham) but looking at the hangar layout in old mapping can't see one that would lend itself to a fly-through so perhaps that scene was Debden?