The fresh new Spitfire is actually delivered to the fresh new COGEA foot in the Middlekerke, Ostend, where it had been joined OO-ARD, and very quickly entered service
To your reason for the movie a huge Get across out of Lorraine emblem was utilized into the flights so you’re able to portray the latest Totally free French squadron
Inside June 1956 MH415 was sold so you can a great Belgian company, COGEA (Compagnie Gnrale dExploitation Aronautique), which had a target-pulling contract for the Belgian and NATO forces. COGEA got in earlier times run various white aircraft pulling ads and you can comparable, however when the fresh new armed forces target towing deal came up, the newest Percival Proctors they certainly were using did not have the newest abilities needed. The newest Belgian Sky Forces last few Spitfires provided the perfect opportunity, and COGEA purchased six of those to operate due to their armed forces contract. Period images reveal brand new routes into the a blank aluminum livery that have eco-friendly nosecone and tail. In hop over to this website 1961 it had been hired to possess film include in Brand new Longest Day, which had been shot on location inside France.
Into 14th Can get MH415 turned up towards the movie device within RAF Northern Weald when you look at the Essex, and you will is later on situated in the Debden, Duxford and you can Hawkinge
The fresh new routes try coated when you look at the a camouflage strategy and you will flown with 340 (Ile-de-france) Squadron codes GW-Roentgen.