An amateur film produced by Betty Cook from the Cleveland Cine Club of the Royal Air Force Exhibition taking place on the Town Moor at Newcastle in 1969. As well as exhibitions showing all areas of service life and equipment, the highlight of the event was the visit by the new Harrier Jump Jet. Accompanying Betty is her husband Arthur who fought as a pilot during World War Two and who gets special access to view the aircraft along with their son Martin. Title: V.T.O.L. The film begins on a...

An amateur film produced by Betty Cook from the Cleveland Cine Club of the Royal Air Force Exhibition taking place on the Town Moor at Newcastle in 1969. As well as exhibitions showing all areas of service life and equipment, the highlight of the event was the visit by the new Harrier Jump Jet. Accompanying Betty is her husband Arthur who fought as a pilot during World War Two and who gets special access to view the aircraft along with their son Martin. Title: V.T.O.L. The film begins on a crowd walking past a colourful marquee. A banner across the top reads ‘Royal Air Force’. The Lord Mayor Newcastle is greeted by Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson(?)  followed by a gymnastics display-taking place on a show field watched by a large crowd. The display ends with the gymnasts carrying their trampoline off the field. General views of people looking over a number of RAF aircraft as well as a missile platform. The film cuts to a Harrier Jump Jet hovering before coming into land on the Town Moor. A small group of dignitaries including the Lord Mayor Newcastle are shown looking around the new Harrier Jump Jet. Arthur Cook points out certain aspects of the aircraft to his son Martin. A man in a white jump suit sits in the cockpit. General views follow of men and women, some of the men in military uniforms, looking around the aircraft. Betty looks over the undercarriage and talks with Arthur. On the show ground, a motorcycle display team performs for the crowd followed by an aerial display team performing aerobatics in the sky above. Back on the ground, Martin Cook gets to play with an army metal detector sweeping the ground in front of him. In the sky above him, a World War Two Lancaster bomber flies past escorted by Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft. On a table examples of various grenades and bombs. Martin takes control of a large machine gun. In the air a number of larger aircraft fly past, some in formation with Martin now at the controls of an anti-aircraft gun. A yellow RAF Rescue Sealink helicopter flies past and does a mock rescue from the Town Moor pulling someone on board using a winch. Arthur and Martin Cook stand with a number of men in military uniform before shaking hands with the Harrier pilot. Betty looks up into the sky as the Harrier takes off and proceeds to hover and perform aerial manoeuvres over the field. The film ends with Harrier flying away. End title: The End End Credit: Produced by Betty Cook