The RAF Benevolent Fund joined RAF veterans, including World War Two veteran Jan Black, and serving personnel for the premiere of the new film, Hurricane in London’s Leicester Square…
The film, which was released in cinemas on 7th September and also on video-on-demand, retells the story of the Polish RAF pilots as they fought against the might of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, all seen through the eyes of fighter ace Jan Zumbach, played by actor Iwan Rheon.
During the war, the Polish pilots came with a fearsome reputation, not only for their superb flying skills but also for their commitment in action.
The two Polish Fighter Squadrons were 302 and 303. During the Battle, 303 Squadron became the most successful Squadron, shooting down 126 German aircraft in just 42 days, something that director David Blair was keen for the film to emphasise.
Before the screening, RAF Ambassador Mike Goody shared his story with the audience and talked about how the RAF Benevolent Fund has been able to support him. The evening was rounded off with a Q&A where David Blair spoke about his reasons for bringing the story of the Polish pilots to the big screen.
On the night the Fund had personnel from RAF Brize Norton and RAF Halton carrying out bucket collections and a few got the chance to take a photo with the stars of the film.
Hurricane is courtesy of Kaleidoscope Entertainment, in partnership with Rakuten Cinema. The film also stars Milo Gibson, Stefanie Martini, Krystof Hadek and Marcin Dorocinski.
Since 2011, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund has supported more than 400 Polish veterans around the world, spending more than a quarter of a million pounds.
