The Sound Barrier

The flying sequences under the direction of Anthony Squire, were based at the Vickers aerodrome at Chilbolton near Nether Wallop in Hampshire. Squire managed to secure one of the last airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers for the task. The cameramen were positioned in the front and rear turrets while Squire conducted proceedings from the central astrodome. The Lancaster was replaced by a Vickers Valetta after all the crew except Squire fell asleep due to an oxygen supply failure. Luckily as he recalled, "They all woke up on the way down, like people in a fairy wood, but I didn't bother with the Lancaster again."

In the observatory, John tells Tony that the Andromeda galaxy is 700,000 light-years away; The best estimate since 1940 (when the known Cepheid variables were separated in two types by Baade) is 2.54 million light-years, BUT: this corresponds to 778,000 parsecs! So, it seems that parsecs and light years were somehow switched here in the movie.

In the opening credits, immediately after the human actors, are listed four British aircraft: The de Havilland COMET The Vickers-Supermarine ATTACKER The de Havilland VAMPIRE 113 The Vickers-Supermarine SWIFT Rolls-Royce 'Avon' Engine

Featured in Jet! When Britain Ruled the Skies: Military Marvels (2012)