SEVEN DAYS TO WHITE TENT

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: COI 768).

Synopsis

Television programme about life in the RAF.

The film follows 3 characters as they pursue their duties over a seven day period culminating in 'Exercise White Tent', designed to test Harriers in the Arctic conditions of northern Norway. Mike Shaw is a Harrier pilot; Ralph Green an engineer on a Belfast transport; Chris Gould, captain of a Lockheed Hercules. The activities of the three men are intercut to evoke the atmosphere of "one hectic, complicated, confusing but routine week in November." Mike Shaw: parachute ditching drill off Plymouth; pilots DH Tiger Moth G-ANRN of Peterborough Flying Club; discusses Harrier navigational display with new pilot at Wittering, Lincolnshire; goes along in Puma as it exercises with men of RAF Regiment; tries new Harrier simulator; participates in Operation White Tent, flying a practice strike with Norwegian FAC. Ralph Green: travels in VC10 to Cyprus as part of slip crew to pick up aircraft for flight from Akrotiri to Gan; Belfast's flight aborted due to faulty warning light, and crew relaxes in Limassol before flying to Gan by VC10 to pick up another aircraft for return flight to UK; Belfast leaves Gan carrying marines and equipment in transit from Singapore; Operation White Tent - Belfast lands and unloads supplies. Chris Gould: tested in Hercules simulator; participates in exercise over England, dropping paratroopers after preliminary photo-reconnaissance by Phantoms; flight from Lyneham, Wilts, to Ascension Island via Lajes in the Azores, and return flight to Britain; Hercules loads for White Tent but is re-scheduled to Karachi and Islamabad to evacuate refugees. The three characters are all given the opportunity to express conventional views on their life in the service.

 

Titles

  • SEVEN DAYS TO WHITE TENT
 

Technical Data

Year:
1972
Running Time:
55 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
16mm
Colour:
Colour
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
1963 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
cameraman
Davies, Mel
director
Mead, John
dubbing mixer
Cross, John
film editor
Elgar, Terry
producer
Mead, John
Production company
HTV West
script
Mead, John
sound recordist
Stokes, Bob
 

Countries