Part one.
A caption introduces the film: RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire 2nd December 1981
Crews from 617 Squadron are seen in the base canteen, being scrambled and then the take off is shown under the main titles.
We then see similar scenes using archive footage to provide a background to 617 Squadron and their most famous mission, the Dambuster raids in Germany. Archive of world war two bomber crews preparing for take off, testing of a bouncing bomb and stills of the Dambusters crew, their commanding officer Guy Gibson and Barnes Wallis who designed the bouncing bomb (audio from the Dambusters film is also included) and material of the 617 Squadron survivors meeting King George VI after the successful raid. There is also a shot of a Lancaster flying over a dam in Derbyshire (probably from Dambusters feature film).
Archive film providing a brief history of the Avro Vulcan bomber follows. This includes air to air shots and material from the 1952 Farnborough Air Show.
We are then introduced, via captions, to the current members of 617 Squadron: Flight Lieutenant Mike Kay (captain); Flight Lieutenant Chalie Brakewell (Navigator Plotter); Flight Lieutenant Austen Dancey (Navigator Radar); and Flight Lieutenant Paul Beech (co-pilot).
They are seen preparing for a flight and being briefed. By voice-over they each describe their role and how they plan a mission.
The crew are then seen boarding the Vulcan, making final flight checks, taking off and their training flight is seen from both inside the aircraft and air to air.
The crew are seen drinking in the mess and in voice over they describe their feelings at coming to the end of their postings.
Part two.
8th December 1981.
Squadron Leader Chip Brunson arrives to tell the crew that they have nine flying hours left before the squadron is disbanded. The ground crew are then seen at work preparing a Vulcan for flight.
11th December 1981
Wing Commander John Herbertson (Officer in Charge 617 Squadron) briefs the crew for their final sortie. However there is heavy fog and the flight is in doubt. The Scampton kitchen staff are seen presenting a cake to the crew to mark their final flight. This is followed by scenes of high-jinks as the crew are 'kidnapped' by the ground crew and locked in a hangar.
Archive material from the Dambusters feature film is then seen which cuts into the final Vulcan take-off (in fog). The Vulcan is seen flying low over a dam in the Derwent valley in Derbyshire (location used by the Dambusters for training flights) with audio from the Dambusters film.
Following the final flight the crew celebrate with drinks in the mess and discuss their future.
A final caption says that 617 Squadron disbanded and left Scampton on 31st December 1981.
Central Independent Television wishes to thank the Royal Air Force for its co-operation in the making of this film.
Excerpts from The Dambusters by courtesy of EMI Studios
Cameraman - Gary Pinches
Sound Recordist - Bill Dodkin
Dubbing Mixer - Richard King
Production Assistant - Sheila Ford
Film Editor - John McCarthy
Produced and Directed by David Wright
Production number 1082/82.
617 Squadron was formed in March 1943 at RAF Scampton under Wing Commander Guy Gibson. The squadron was nicknamed the Dambusters following a raid in May 1943 during which 19 Lancaster bombers from Scampton attacked dams in Germany. The Mohne and Eder dams were breached but eight aircraft did not return. Gibson who was awarded the VC was killed in a raid over Germany whilst flying a Mosquito aircraft for 627 Squadron in 1944.
617 Squadron was disbanded in 1955 but reformed at Scampton in 1958 to fly Avro Vulcan aircraft equiped as Britain's nuclear deterrent.
The squadron left Scampton at the end of 1981, they moved first to RAF Marham equipped with Tornado bombers and then to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. The last RAF Vulcan squadron disbanded in 1984.
The working title for this film was 'The Planes That Never Went To War' referring to the fact that at the time of filming the Vulcan had not been used in conflict, however Vulcans did see service in the Falklands conflict at around the time of the film's transmission.