SPITFIRE SQUADRON AT KAI TAK AIRSTRIP [Allocated Title]

Spitfires of RAF 132 Squadron operate at Kai Tak airstrip, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and adopt two local Chinese boys.

View of Kai Tak airstrip; the field is overgrown and the buildings appear to be in disrepair. A variety of aircraft are parked on the strip and two Short Sunderland flying boats of RAF 205 Squadron are moored in the harbour. Spitfire Mk XIVs of RAF 132 Squadron take off and pass over the Sunderlands. Spitfires parked in long grass. A Spitfire taxis through long grass towards the camera and comes to a halt. Close-up of the spinning propeller slowing down and stopping. Aircraft in flight over a range of hills close to Kai Tak. Spitfire landing. Spitfire FF:O RM991 taxiing with FF:Z behind. A Spitfire named 'Anita' with FF:S taxiing in the background. A pilot climbs out of a Spitfire named 'Betty'. Groups of Indian ex-prisoners of war crowd around a couple of Spitfires. A Sunderland makes a fairly spectacular pass directly over the camera. An RAF seaplane tender (No. 1634) ties up at a jetty and Air Commodore W A D Brook (Air Officer Commanding, Hong Kong) steps ashore. Brook, and an unnamed Group Captain, talking with other officers. Japanese prisoners of war move petrol drums. Airmen and officers watch two young Chinese brothers, known as 'Big Wings' (11 years old) and 'Little Wings' (8 years old) play at boxing. The brothers, with dummy rifles, are taught drill by Corporal J Dawber of Wigan; 'Big Wings' goes smartly from 'order arms' to 'slope arms' and then to the 'present arms' position. The brothers seen polishing airmen's boots. The brothers sparring with each riding piggy-back on an airman. The boys watch a Spitfire revving up. The brothers sit in the cockpit of Spitfire FF:T RN188. The boys wear flying helmets and describe with hand gestures some imaginary dogfight. The boys walk away from two Spitfires with the pilots, Warrant Officers W S Morrison and K Young; 'Big Wings' carries Morrison's parachute. A brief glimpse can be had of a Sergeant Breeze, an RAF official photographer, who took the stills referenced below. The boys receive an English lesson by reading a magazine with Corporal Dawber. Local Chinese people washing clothes. Local women, wearing distinctively Asian conical straw hats, cut the overgrown grass on the airfield with sickles. The brothers, with curiously elaborate formality, sit down on a long packing crate (possibly an ammunition box) and an airman brings them both some food.

35mm