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Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: [on being told that the radar stations are out of action due to German bombing] So we're blind, so now we've only got the Observer Corps!

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory: [protesting to Dowding] We were up, sir, trying to knock out the enemy air mass. It takes time to assemble forty or fifty aircraft at...
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: [interrupting] It takes far too long! By the time your "Big Wing" is up, the enemies have already hit their targets and are on their way home.
Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory: All that matters is to shoot them down in large numbers. I'd rather destroy fifty after they've hit their targets than ten before.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: Don't forget, the targets are my airfields, Leigh-Mallory. And you're not getting fifty. You're not even getting ten!

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

Senior civil servant: Churchill puts great faith in radar.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: It's vital, but it won't shot down aircraft.
Senior civil servant: Ha... well I must say you don't, exactly exude a spirit of optimism.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: God willing we will hold out minister.
Senior civil servant: I see. So I tell the cabinet, that you're trusting in radar and praying to God, is that right?
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: [chuckles] more accurately the other way round. Trusting in god and praying for radar. But the essential arithmetic is that our young men will have to shoot down their young men at the rate of four to one, if we're to keep pace at all.

Kenneth More

Kenneth More

Group Capt. Baker: Section Officer Harvey!
[yells]
Section Officer Maggie Harvey: Sir
[walks up to him and gives a salute, which he returns]
Group Capt. Baker: Section Officer Harvey, I've noticed that some of your girls are now using the men's trenches during air raid practice. It's got to stop.
Section Officer Maggie Harvey: Sir
Group Capt. Baker: And another thing... Gas mask cases
[tapping Maggie's case]
Group Capt. Baker: They're for gas masks, They're not handbags. I do realize, of course, that female requirement differ somewhat from the male. Nevertheless that's no excuse...
[stops in mid sentence as he hears German bombs exploding behind him. He and Harvey turn around and see bombers approaching]
Group Capt. Baker: God's teeth!
[at full volume]
Group Capt. Baker: Take cover!
[Baker and Harvey run into the same nearby trench]

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

Sgt. Pilot Chris: [the British Spitfire pilots are having an easy time shooting down the feared German Stuka Dive Bombers] It's like shooting rats in a barrel.
Squadron Leader Canfield: *You'll* be "in a barrel", if you don't watch out for the *fighters*!


Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

[Park has just landed, to be met by Group Captain Hope]
Group Capt. Hope: Bad as we thought, Sir?
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: [upset] Worse! Kenley and Biggin are a *shambles* and the rest not much better. God Knows how many aircraft we'll have in the morning! All because 12 Group couldn't do their stuff. Leigh-Mallory and his big wings! Might as well stay on the *ground* for all the *use* they are!

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

[Squadron Leader Skipper and Simon are doing training in Spitfires. Skipper has just ordered Simon to engage him in a dogfight, but Simon has lost sight of him and is blinded by the sun. Suddenly Skipper bursts towards him from the sun]
Squadron Leader Skipper: [imitating a machine gun] DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA-DAKA!
[flies past Simon]
Simon: Hello Rabbit Leader - thought you might come in from the sun!
Squadron Leader Skipper: DON'T THINK! Don't just glance! LOOK! Search for the bastards! OK, let's try it again.

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

[the Germans are about to overrun the airfield]
Squadron Leader Skipper: Right! Let's get the hell out of here!
Pilot Officer Archie: Where are we going, sir?
Squadron Leader Skipper: [Walking rapidly toward his plane] Why don't you follow me and find out?

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

[to his flight of non-English-speaking Polish pilots]
Squadron Leader Edwards: Shut up! Silence - in Polish!

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

[With the aid of an interpreter, Edwards has berated the Polish pilots for attacking German bombers against orders, before pulling a telegram out of his pocket]
Squadron Leader Edwards: Finally, and God alone knows why, I've received the following signal:
[looks down]
Squadron Leader Edwards: "Congratulations! As of today, this Squadron is operational." Signed, Air Vice Marshall Keith Park, AOC 11 Group
[the men start cheering, and Squadron Leader Edwards smirks, before the scene changes to Dowding's office]
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: I was wrong about the Poles.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: We also have the second Polish Squadron.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: [Donning his cap] I *thought* you'd mention them. Allright, make them operational.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park: And the Canadians?
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: And the Czechs. We need them *all!*
[They exit]

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