Target for Tonight (1941)

The planning and implementation of an RAF night raid on Germany in World War II, concentrating on a low level mission by a Wellington bomber on an oil storage facility by the Rhine.

2 wins.

Storyline

The planning and implementation of an RAF night raid on Germany in World War II, concentrating on a low level mission by a Wellington bomber on an oil storage facility by the Rhine.

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Plot Keywords:

world war two

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Taglines:

Actually filmed under fire! The RAF is its cast! The RAF filmed it!

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1941 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Alvo para Esta Noite

Filming Locations:

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Crown Film Unit, Ministry of Information

Technical Specs

Runtime:

48 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In order not to give away information to the enemy, RAF Mildenhall took the fictitious name of Millerton Aerodrome.

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Goofs

Although the film was about a bomber squadron flying Wellingtons, the aircraft shown on the movie poster are actually Boulton Paul Defiant fighters.

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Connections

Featured in Britain Through a Lens - The Documentary Film Mob (2011)

User Reviews

Filming and Location background information.

'F for Freddie', OJ-F (P2517) was used as the 'star' aircraft in the Ministry of Information film 'Target for Tonight', piloted by then Squadron Leader 'Percy' Pickard. It served with No. 149 Squadron from November 1940 to September 1941, but never saw actual combat operations (transferred to No. 3 Group Training Flight) (Caption to Photograph p30)

For one month covering the last two weeks in March and the first two weeks in April (1941), No. 149 Squadron's aircraft and crews were used as background for the Ministry of Information film "Target for Tonight" with P C (Charles) Pickard seconded from No. 311 (Czech) Squadron to play the part of the pilot (the only member of the crew not from No. 149) of No. 149 Squadon's Wellington P2517, 'OJ-F' for Freddie' around which the story was written, the film being made at Blackheath Studios in London with Harry Watt as director. The man in the flare-path caravan shown in the film was No. 149 Squadron's Commanding Officer, Wing Commander 'Speedy' Powell. Pickard later rose to Group Captain, but was killed while leading a Mosquito attack on the Amiens prison on 18th February 1944. (p36)

At the time of filming, No. 149 Squadron was based at Mildenhall, Suffolk (12th Apil 1937 - 6th April 1942).

Strong By Night. History and Memories of No. 149 (East India) Squadron Royal Air Force 1018/19 - 1937/56. John Johnston and Nick Carter. An AIR-Britain Publication. www.air-Britain.com