High flyers

Although it seems a little disrespectful to the ultimately tragic Second World War heroes whose story is told in Channel Four’s Bloody Foreigners series, the first thing to note about Fish in a Bottle’s online game to promote the show is that it’s bloody good fun.

The Channel Four programme, to be broadcast tonight, tells the story of the 303 Squadron – 34 Polish fighter pilots who shot down 40 Luftwaffe aircraft in the first week of the Battle of Britain, making them the highest-scoring RAF squadron.

By the time the Battle of Britain was won they had downed 126 enemy planes. However, many feel their war ended with an act of betrayal after their country was handed to Stalin.

To promote the series, Fish in a Bottle has created a gripping online Flash game, which puts the player in the cockpit of a Spitfire as part of 303 Squadron. After taking part in training rounds you can join missions taking on the Luftwaffe, as well as taking part in multi-player dogfights.

Justin Eames, managing director at Fish in a Bottle, says, ‘We have used a combination of stunning archive and documentary footage, photography, 3D rendering and animation to put the player in charge of their own plane during missions – it really feels as though the player is there, flying with the squadron.’

A cute piece of targeted PR, bound to be a success with those who list the Dambusters and A Bridge Too Far among their favourite films, saw journalists sent a missive from the ‘Department of War’ flagging up the game, and urging them to create a paper Spitfire using the supplied PDF kit, as part of ‘Operation Model Plane’, before logging on.

‘We are relying on you Angus, don’t let us down,’ writes the Department for War/Rewired PR.

Don’t worry, I won’t. Chocks away!

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  • Mauri November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Hi,
    Just came across your post and as a hardcore papercraft fan would like to ask you if you could be so kind to send me that paper model… I carry papercraft workshops with kids at hospitals here in Spain and that kind of simple models are perfect for them.
    Thanks anyways and good luck with the blog!

    Mauri (Barcelona, Spain)

  • Sarah Yates November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Hi,

    Would there be any chance I’d also be able to have a copy of the paper spitfire template as I’m starting a world war 2 project with my class over summer and this would be perfect to get my disengaged boys excited!

  • Martyn November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Hi, great paper model. The kids in my class have taken a real shine to the spitfire. Could i also have a copy of of the paper cut out please?

  • jon November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    i want it i loveeee the spit fire its the best thank you!

  • Shamsudeen March 1, 2021 at 4:44 am

    but where is the wings of this plane man

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