Old Tom Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 I have just purchased, and started to view, the BBC series called Wings broadcast in the 70's. I saw some when it was broadcast, but that was before I developed a significant interest in WW1. I have found the first episodes, which deal with a Flight of the RFC in 1915, to be excellent. While I have no special knowledge of WW1 aviation, it seesm to me that the portrayal of the aircraft and operations of the RFC is accurate. I wonder if any experts are aware of the series and if they would agree with my initial (4 episodes) assessment? Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Good luck, Old Tom, you've got a lot of viewing ahead of you. I bought myself the set for Christmas 2009 and watched them all over four days at the rate of 6 hours a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Has the BBC finally reissued this on DVD? I saw these when they first came out, and I recall that it was an excellent series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Ridiculously cheap for 24 hours of quality content — http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wings-1-2-DVD-Tim-Woodward/dp/B002R2FE0U/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1296673451&sr=1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Driving back from Brighton to St Albans. One summers evening, pre jM25, indeed pre a lot of Ms, I cringed as a low flying US jet went across the road ahead of me, then when my ears had recovered there was a gentle putt putt putt and a BE2C floated over the hedge in front (I suspect a repro from Wings) in clear dope dope finish, on a warm summer' s evening the contrast was delightful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Loved that series, will be looking out for it on old faithful (Amazon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 A very good series, made with an effort to be reasonably accurate. Naturally, as is always the case, there are some points to upset us nitpickers, such as one episode where people went around saluting while not wearing caps. The major flaw in the plot series was that when the characters came down on the enemy side of the lines, they seem to have had very little difficulty in returning to the squadron - often in a matter of hours! Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 A spin off from something called Flambards if I remember right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 It's not advisable to watch 24 hours of something with your 'acute nitpicking antennae' switched on, so I didn't, but I'm pleased to hear that a specialist like Gareth found comparatively little to 'ping'. Thank goodness they didn't play cricket ...! I watched some episodes of 'Wings' first time round on TV, but had forgotten almost all of the detail by the time I came to watch it again on DVD. It dates from an era when the BBC made several highly-acclaimed historical costume drama series, apparently financed by the flush of money that came with the introduction of the colour TV licence fee. The interior scenes in particular have a theatrical feel and quality that you don't see in TV series these days, and many of the characters were played by young, up-and-coming classical actors. Nicholas Jones, in particular, was superb as Captain Triggers. Tim Woodward did a good yeoman job of portraying Alan Farmer, and, having made the transition to being an officer and a gentleman, went on to play Squadron Leader Rex in 'Piece of Cake'. Michael Cochrane was never quite right as Charles Gaylion, which is probably why, in later years, he perfectly fitted the role of Sir Henry Simmerson in 'Sharpe'. On re-watching the DVD collection, there is too much 'home front' and 'away from the squadron' content, which I now tend to fast-forward over when I watch an episode, but on first viewing it all fits very well. All things considered, and at about £15 for a whole day's entertainment, it's very good value on every level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 4 February , 2011 Share Posted 4 February , 2011 It's brilliant, absolutely love it - never watched it first time around (mainly due to the fact I wasn't born) so only saw it for the first time when it came out on TV. Captain Triggers is absolutely fantastic, and the replica aircraft superb. The BE2c and 'Viper' (actually a Sopwith Pup) replicas can be seen at; http://www.biggles-biplane.com Unfortunately the wonderful Albatros replica was destroyed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deerhunter Posted 5 February , 2011 Share Posted 5 February , 2011 A spin off from something called Flambards if I remember right I remember them both, though I was a younger man then. One interesting point in Flambards was a keen inclusion of the use of German POWs for work on the land, which I thought, at the time, was quite accurate. In terms of Wings, I have just ordered this from Amazon, having read this thread. I was just ten when this was first shown and am feeling quite old now! Can't wait to watch it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 7 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2011 I am getting towards the end of the first series, well up to expectations and memories of the 70's. Gareth had a point about saluts and head dress. I thought that Mess Dress in the field in 1915 together with the menu was a little unrealistic. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 8 February , 2011 Share Posted 8 February , 2011 I was very glad (tho' not as much as the other half, being ex-RAF very interetsed in aviation) when this came out on DVD as old video copies were fetching very 'funny money'. Yes, we can cavil, but allowing for 'dramatic licence' pretty good for the time. Nicholas Jones caught my eye then and ever since. Rather better, as it had more space to develop, than 'Aces High' (the movie) - basically 'Journey's End ' with planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 9 February , 2011 Share Posted 9 February , 2011 Does anyone know if the theme music from Wings is based on an actual song? In one episode in the first series, the Training Squadron are in the pub and singing a song to the same tune as the entry/exit music, the song ends with 'now i've got my angel wings' or similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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