At Armada Road airfield near Calcutta Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricanes are demonstrated, while at Baigachi airfield recently arrived Bristol Beaufighters are displayed for the Indian press.

On an airfield, with parked aircraft in the background, a number of airmen kneel by a sign which reads Fighter Flight and handle belts of .303-inch and 20mm ammunition, with a number of local young men taking an interest. Airmen and young locals with a long belt of .303-inch ammunition. Airmen at a workbench with aircraft guns, including .303 Browning and 20mm Hispano cannon. A cannon is held up to two Indian men, and a British airmen works on it with a spanner. Examining cannons. A Hawker Hurricane, serial HV845 R, taxis past. Close-up of a pilot, Wing Commander F R Carey, DFC and two Bars, DFM, in the cockpit. Pilot poses with his aircraft. Close-up pilot. Hurricanes in line. A junk shot showing a vehicle wheel and BN125 R. Pilots passing. Pilots standing by a Hurricane. Close-ups of various pilots. A rather jerky mobile shot as the cameraman shoots the line of Hurricanes from a moving jeep, or similar. Hurricanes taking off. Three Hurricanes fly very low over the line of aircraft. A second dramatic flypast, this time directly towards camera. Hurricanes take off. Aerial footage; Hurricanes passing. Hurricanes in formation. A squadron, some distance away, peels off one at a time. Back on the ground two Hurricanes, the nearest BG783, take off past a group of Indian spectators. Another take off with HV4xx S nearest. Spectators. Aircraft passing overhead in various formations, with good views. Spectators. More low passes, including by BG783. Bristol Beaufighter F, presumably of RAF 176 Squadron, taxiing. Several low passes by a Beaufighter. Pressmen inspect a Hurricane, which has had its cowling opened. Another Beaufighter pass. Inspecting a Beaufighter; among the officers present is Air Commodore Hunter. Two spectators with the Beaufighter, which has a name on its nose Isibonga (?).

Notes

Group Captain Frank Reginald Carey CBE, DFC & two Bars, AFC, DFM, was a leading RAF ace with twenty-five victories. He flew and scored kills during both the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, and also downed Japanese aircraft over Burma. He later commanded RAF Alipore near Calcutta.

The Beaufighter proved an effective and useful aircraft in the Far East, serving as a nightfighter and also interdicting Japanese supply lines. The location of the Beaufighter demo is not specified, but another film shot shortly after (MWY 5) was shot at Baigachi.

Series note: The MWY series of films is believed to be part of a ‘pool’ of film received by the Government of India from various sources, including South East Asia Command, the Indian Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate, the Ministry of Information, and from Allied governments. This footage would have been considered for editing and release through the Indian Newsreel Parade; see INR series.