This film is part of Free
Spectacular feats of early aviation at Hendon Aerodrome, North London.
Non-Fiction 1914 1 mins Silent
The two stars of this film, Gustav Hamel and Bentfield Hucks, were airborne celebrities, famous for pioneering stunts like 'looping the loop' - first performed by Hucks at Hendon the year before this was shot. This thrilling Topical Budget newsreel item shows the plane's dynamic take-off and the 'loop' itself, rounding off with a portrait shot of the dashing pair safely back on the ground.
Both Hucks and Hamel died tragically young. Hamel, who was also famous for delivering the first official airmail in 1911, disappeared over the English Channel just two months after this film was shot, while Hucks caught pneumonia and didn't live to see the end of the First World War.
Comedy 1914 14 mins Silent Location: Twickenham
The intrepid Lieutenant Pimple thwarts foreign enemies in an action-packed wartime spy spoof.
Travelogue 1914 5 mins Silent
On the brink of invasion, holidaymakers promenade while refugees shelter in beach huts on the Belgian coastline in 1914.
War 1914 7 mins Silent
Inventive WWI propaganda in which a rejected volunteer foils a German plot to blow up Parliament.
Fantasy 1914 23 mins Silent
A well-acted early version of Charles Dickens' much loved Christmas story, featuring some impressive ghost sequences.
Travelogue 1914 10 mins Silent
Cairo street scenes, the pyramids, the majestic Nile and a visiting Lord Kitchener in a gorgeous tinted travelogue.
Fantasy 1914 9 mins Silent
A mysterious pair of gloves from an ancient Egyptian tomb cause chaos in this silent 'trick' comedy.
Amateur film 1972 4 mins Silent Location: Hendon
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines: planes loop-the-loop and twist and turn as Hendon's RAF Pageants are revived
Non-Fiction 1927 1 mins Silent Location: Hendon
The RAF’s founding father, Hugh Trenchard, then marshal of the Royal Air Force is shown unveiling a church foundation stone.
Non-Fiction 1928 3 mins Silent Location: Hendon
A barrage balloon goes down in flames during an impressive show of strength from the RAF at their air show in Hendon.
Non-Fiction 1928 1 mins Silent Location: Hendon
Boats and plane demonstrate their manoeuvrability in a display for crowds at Hendon
Non-Fiction 1925 1 mins Silent Location: Hendon
Impressive aerial footage of bipanes flying in formation over the fields around Hendon in north London.
Travelogue 1953 21 mins Location: York
The Stationmaster at York guides us through a typical day, from dawn to dusk.
Industry sponsored film 1960 24 mins
A new luxury express is put through its paces. This film looks over the shoulders of the select band of craftsmen, engineers and operators, whose combined skills try to ensure that a train journey is a delightful experience.
Industry sponsored film 1957 20 mins
Illustrating the efficiency of express freight trains, and how they link manufacturers with their customers at the other end of Britain.
Documentary 1952 30 mins
Examining a day in the life of what was then the busiest railway system in the world – British Railways.
Documentary 1973 15 mins
British Transport Films record the varied daily lives of their neighbours as seen from the high roof of their building in London’s Marylebone.
Industry sponsored film 1957 9 mins
A 1957 film examining the future for British Railways, and some of the opportunities provided by a new modernisation plan.
Do you recognise a place, building or location in this film?
Help us populate the Britain on Film map by spotting and plotting the street or location you know. This is a BFI project and anyone can help.
Go to our Britain on Film crowdsourcing site and contribute to our mapping mission – to identify locations within our archive films.
Add a location
