Introduction

Wings is a drama series about the Royal Flying Corps that ran on BBC television from 1977 to 1978.

It stars Tim Woodward as Alan Farmer, a young blacksmith turned fighter pilot in the First World War. Nicholas Jones played his teacher and mentor, Captain Triggers and Michael Cochrane played his upper-class friend, Charles Gaylion, who began a relationship with Farmer’s girlfriend while Farmer was believed dead, shot down over France.

Outline

May 1915: Alan arrives at “C” Flight in St Marie, France and faces resentment from some officers because of to his background (“A blacksmith? We are getting desperate for chaps”), but quickly wins over his commanding officer (CO), Captain Dornish, and is delighted to be reunited with his friend Charles. Following the death of another NCO on the day he arrives, Alan, initially sent out as a “spare” pilot, is sent on a mission to range for the artillery, in the company of Lieutenant Richard Bravington, an experienced Observer officer. When they are attacked by a German plane, equipped with a machine gun, Bravington is wounded. Alan fails to follow Bravington’s instructions correctly, and lands the plane behind enemy lines. However, he uses Bravington’s rifle to fight off an attack by approaching German soldiers, thus winning Bravington’s regard. At home, Alan’s mother is invited to the cinema by the local grocer, Mr Rudkin, and Harry appears jealous, until she reveals that she has turned down a second invitation because she is not romantically interested in Mr Rudkin.

Wings Series

You can find a full index and overview of Wings here.

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 16 January 1977.
• Running time: 50 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: UK.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)