B-17 low passes from “The War Lover”

This video shows several low passes by a B-17 at RAF Bovingdon in England; it’s a capture from the movie “The War Lover.”

The War Lover is a British black-and-white war film from 1962, it is loosely based on the 1959 novel, The War Lover which was written by John Hersey. The names of the characters and events have been altered, but its basic framework has been retained.The Second World War itself is not the most important element of the movie. It focuses more on the character of Captain Buzz Rickson who is played by McQueen and his determination to serve himself and get what he wants – in the process antagonising everyone.

An American Boeing B-17 in flight. Wikipedia / Public Domain
An American Boeing B-17 in flight. Wikipedia

To show his disagreement with his commanding officer, Buzz ‘buzzes’ the airfield to make his opinion known.

Three Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers formed the main aerial component in the film. The producers were able to locate one B-17G and two postwar PB-1W Coast Guard rescue aircraft, all located in the United States. After extensive modifications, the three warbirds flew the arduous transatlantic crossing to England, which later became the topic of two books.

The Boeing B-17, known as the ‘Flying Fortress,’ was designed in the 1930s in the United States. Its maiden flight took place in 1935, and it quickly became a legendary piece of hardware for the US military, and for the British. When WW2 broke out, the B-17 was put to good use in the war effort. It was fast, it could fly very high, and it could carry a huge payload long distances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGynxYbA48