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

Lorna visits Sainte Marie to look for Charles Gaylion, and tells him she wants Alan to stop visiting her; Charles impulsively asks her to marry him, and she accepts. Dick Bravington is aware of her visit, but neither he nor Charles tells Alan about it. Michael Starling goes out on patrol and is faced with two Eindeckers working as a team. They shoot him down and his plane continues to circle eerily for some time after he is dead; the loss makes an impact on the rest of the officers. With a big “push” due, Colonel Smith arrives with orders that “C” Flight are to adopt new signalling methods and patrol the lines, reporting progress. Smith insists on accompanying Triggers on his patrol to view battle conditions, and Triggers takes a delight in making sure he experiences the worst aspects of such a patrol. Their plane is hit and forced down in No Man’s Land. Taking cover in a ruined building, they find two trapped soldiers and realise they are under attack from both sides of the lines. Triggers and the men make it to a bomb crater but Smith is killed attempting to reach the British lines. Despite Triggers’ instructions that planes should continue to fly alone, Alan insists on accompanying Charles on patrol. They succeed in shooting down an Eindecker, but Bravington is unimpressed, and Farmer accuses him of resentment at the fact that Farmer has been promoted whilst Bravington is unable to get pilot training. When he confronts Charles about what he sees as his and Dick’s poor treatment of him, Charles confesses that he is engaged to Lorna. On hearing that Triggers has been shot down, the two pilots take off in an attempt to draw the German fire to allow Triggers and the others to return to their own trenches, but Triggers is hit by a shell blast while trying to carry a fatally-wounded man to safety. “C” Flight are assigned to a new squadron, and the three remaining officers commiserate with one another on having to leave their base and not having Triggers around any more. As they are packing to leave, a military truck arrives carrying Triggers, now unable to walk on crutches. The series ends as he is welcomed back by the men he commanded.

Wings Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 30 March 1978.
• Running time: 50 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: UK.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)