the film be shoot at ibsley ( now no longer in existence either a a base or a beacon and though you can see the remnant ) which be in hampshire and and in 1942 an active fighter station . the group of airman listen to david niven recount the story of mitchell be real raf airman . the filming do not stop for the war . if the bell go to scramble and film would temporarily be halt while those airman would run to their spitfire and go off and fight the war and before return and carry on filming a though nothing have happen . at the end and niven be so impressed with those hero that he send them off to the savoy in london for the weekend and ring the manager with instruction to give them whatever they want represent woman and drink and food and making sure the bill be send direct to him . difficult to imagine our pampered star do likewise these day . how do i know so much . one of those unsung hero be my adored uncle peter howard williams and who have be in 19 squadron fly out of duxford during the battle of britain and but happen to be at ibsley when the station be choose for the film .