Goofs

The continuity "goof" above is wrong. There are two arrivals of Spitfires. The one at 30 minutes is the one referred to, but they aren't allocated numbers. The allocation of numbers takes place on the second arrival of 60 Spitfires at about 60 minutes and all are allocated numbers with ground crew holding boards with the numbers on.

When the messenger races in with news that the tanker is entering the harbor Air Commodore Frank is seen looking in his direction towards the camera. The scene cuts to a closer view and Frank now has his back towards the camera.

About half an hour into the film, there is a scene just before the Spitfires arrive at Malta, depicting an officer briefing the ground crews who states that each aircraft will have an identification number painted on it. When the aircraft arrive shortly afterwards, none of them have numbers on them.

Early in the film a passenger plane lands at Malta airport during an air raid. As Alec Guinness and Hugh Burden leave their seats it can be seen there's other passengers on board.An air crew member having helped some of the passengers off remains in position to help others off but there's no sign of anyone else.

There is a scene in the movie where a 4 seat convertible is parked in front of a bomber and a few guys are up on the wing of the plane performing maintenance. The car is a 1948 or 1949 MG YT. Clearly this car would not have been available in the time period in which the movie is set.

When Ross leads the new Spitfires onto Malta, his plane is at a 45 degree angle to the camera. However, the planes in the back projection footage are parallel to the camera - traveling directly right to left.

When the aircraft lands at Malta about three minutes into the movie, it is very evident that it is a model aircraft. The strings that are attached to the forward fuselage and the tail are extremely obvious.

The story takes place circa 1942, but all of Muriel Pavlow's and Renee Asherson's hair styles and clothing are strictly in the style of the early 1950s.

The Spitfires that arrive on Malta in the early part of the film are low back models with teardrop canopies, which were not in wide spread service in 1942, when the film is set.