Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (typically abbreviated to the acronym RAFFPU) was a unit of the British Royal Air Force that produced propaganda films depicting RAF personnel and aircraft both on the ground and in aerial action during Second World War from 1941 to 1945.
The film director and WAAF continuity girl discuss the set-up of a shot in a scene at a railway station from "Journey Together" at No. 1 RAFFPU at RAF Stanmore Park, Middlesex
The RAFFPU was formed in 1941 after it was recognised that captured film footage was being processed by civilian companies before it could be securely classified. Additionally, many civilian cameramen were not able to be taken on bombing raids, so service personnel were trained to be able to perform these tasks.[1] The RAFFPU had two main tasks; to document the RAF's work and to produce propaganda films involving the Royal Air Force.[2]
One of its early successful propaganda films was Target for Tonight. The aim of the film was to show the public how Bomber Command operated, especially with a varied crew drawn from Britain, Australia and Canada. The film followed a Wellington crew (F for Freddie) bombing railway infrastructure over Germany. The film was a big success with the British public and its investment of £6,000 was regained 12 times over as it took £73,000 at the cinemas. The film's director, Harry Watt, later regretted that most of the allied aircrew who starred in the film, did not survive the war.[3]
The RAFFPU mainly worked at Pinewood studios which is where Richard Attenborough was seconded. He starred in one of their films, Journey Together, which was directed by Flight lieutenant John Boulting. After the war, Attenborough went on to be directed by Boulting in the film Brighton Rock because of his connection with the RAFFPU.[4] Personnel from the film unit were present on many notable raids, such as Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid, which was flown to free members of the French Resistance under threat of execution.[5] The director, Lewis Gilbert, also served in the unit during the Second World War.[6]
The unit had access to Beaufort, Anson, Hudson, Havoc and Auster aircraft based at RAF Benson and RAF Langley. Whilst production stopped in 1945, the unit was officially stood down at RAF Stanmore Park in March 1947 when it became the Film Production Unit Library.[7]
^Buckman, Keith (1997). "The Royal Air Force Film Production Unit, 1941-1945". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 17 (2): 219. doi:10.1080/01439689700260701. ISSN 1465-3451.
^Browne, Stephen (2013). The Encyclopedia of British Film (4th ed.). Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 663–664. ISBN978-0-7190-9139-1.
^Connelly, Mark (2001). "3: Committing Britain to a Bomber War February 1941 – Spring 1942". Reaching for the Stars a New History of Bomber Command in World War II. London: I. B. Tauris. pp. 59–62. ISBN978-1-86064-591-4.
^"The Richard Attenborough Stage opens for business at Pinewood Studios". www.pinewoodgroup.com. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
^Darlow, Steve (2008). "7: Gaolbusters - the Amiens Prison Raid". Special OP: Bomber: Daring Missions that Changed the Shape of WWII. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 171. ISBN978-0-7153-2782-1.
^"Lewis Gilbert Obituary". The Times. No. 72740. 28 February 2018. p. 55. ISSN 0140-0460.
^Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF: The Ancestry, Formation and Disbandment of all fFying Units from 1912 (1st ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 175. ISBN978-1-84037-086-7.
^"Looking for Flying Officer Rattigan, Group Captain Clive Montellier RAF, 2013" (PDF). The Terence Rattigan Society. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
^. BFI. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
Further readingedit
"The Royal Air Force film production unit, 1941–45" in Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television Volume 17, Issue 2, 1997
External linksedit
RAFFPU at IMDB
"Welfare with its Finger Out" 1944
Larry Thompson recalls his time in the RAF Film Unit
January 01, 1970
royal, force, film, production, unit, typically, abbreviated, acronym, raffpu, unit, british, royal, force, that, produced, propaganda, films, depicting, personnel, aircraft, both, ground, aerial, action, during, second, world, from, 1941, 1945, film, director. Royal Air Force Film Production Unit typically abbreviated to the acronym RAFFPU was a unit of the British Royal Air Force that produced propaganda films depicting RAF personnel and aircraft both on the ground and in aerial action during Second World War from 1941 to 1945 The film director and WAAF continuity girl discuss the set up of a shot in a scene at a railway station from Journey Together at No 1 RAFFPU at RAF Stanmore Park Middlesex Hamburg in ruins eyewitness photograph by a Royal Air Force official photographer Contents 1 History 2 Personnel 3 Films 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editThe RAFFPU was formed in 1941 after it was recognised that captured film footage was being processed by civilian companies before it could be securely classified Additionally many civilian cameramen were not able to be taken on bombing raids so service personnel were trained to be able to perform these tasks 1 The RAFFPU had two main tasks to document the RAF s work and to produce propaganda films involving the Royal Air Force 2 One of its early successful propaganda films was Target for Tonight The aim of the film was to show the public how Bomber Command operated especially with a varied crew drawn from Britain Australia and Canada The film followed a Wellington crew F for Freddie bombing railway infrastructure over Germany The film was a big success with the British public and its investment of 6 000 was regained 12 times over as it took 73 000 at the cinemas The film s director Harry Watt later regretted that most of the allied aircrew who starred in the film did not survive the war 3 The RAFFPU mainly worked at Pinewood studios which is where Richard Attenborough was seconded He starred in one of their films Journey Together which was directed by Flight lieutenant John Boulting After the war Attenborough went on to be directed by Boulting in the film Brighton Rock because of his connection with the RAFFPU 4 Personnel from the film unit were present on many notable raids such as Operation Jericho the Amiens prison raid which was flown to free members of the French Resistance under threat of execution 5 The director Lewis Gilbert also served in the unit during the Second World War 6 The unit had access to Beaufort Anson Hudson Havoc and Auster aircraft based at RAF Benson and RAF Langley Whilst production stopped in 1945 the unit was officially stood down at RAF Stanmore Park in March 1947 when it became the Film Production Unit Library 7 Personnel editFPU personnel included early commander Flight Lieutenant John Boulting as well as later director Richard Attenborough who flew camera missions over Europe Noted dramatist Terence Rattigan then a Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant was posted in 1943 to the RAF Film Production Unit to work on The Way to the Stars and Journey Together 8 Films editThese were some of the films produced by the RAFFPU 9 Target for Tonight 1941 Mosquito Day Raid 1942 Fly Away Peter 1942 Malta GC 1943 Desert Victory 1943 Operational Height 1943 Now it Can be Told 1944 The Big Pack 1944 The Nine Hundred 1945 RAAF over Europe 1945 Journey Together 1945 Air Plan 1945 See also editPinewood StudiosReferences edit Buckman Keith 1997 The Royal Air Force Film Production Unit 1941 1945 Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television 17 2 219 doi 10 1080 01439689700260701 ISSN 1465 3451 Browne Stephen 2013 The Encyclopedia of British Film 4th ed Manchester Manchester University Press pp 663 664 ISBN 978 0 7190 9139 1 Connelly Mark 2001 3 Committing Britain to a Bomber War February 1941 Spring 1942 Reaching for the Stars a New History of Bomber Command in World War II London I B Tauris pp 59 62 ISBN 978 1 86064 591 4 The Richard Attenborough Stage opens for business at Pinewood Studios www pinewoodgroup com Retrieved 24 July 2017 Darlow Steve 2008 7 Gaolbusters the Amiens Prison Raid Special OP Bomber Daring Missions that Changed the Shape of WWII Newton Abbot David amp Charles p 171 ISBN 978 0 7153 2782 1 Lewis Gilbert Obituary The Times No 72740 28 February 2018 p 55 ISSN 0140 0460 Lake Alan 1999 Flying units of the RAF The Ancestry Formation and Disbandment of all fFying Units from 1912 1st ed Shrewsbury Airlife p 175 ISBN 978 1 84037 086 7 Looking for Flying Officer Rattigan Group Captain Clive Montellier RAF 2013 PDF The Terence Rattigan Society Retrieved 3 November 2021 Royal Air Force Film Production Unit BFI Archived from the original on 22 September 2020 Retrieved 24 July 2017 Further reading edit The Royal Air Force film production unit 1941 45 in Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television Volume 17 Issue 2 1997External links editRAFFPU at IMDB Welfare with its Finger Out 1944 Larry Thompson recalls his time in the RAF Film Unit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Royal Air Force Film Production Unit amp oldid 1210077007, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
