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What happened to the pilot at the end of Dunkirk?
He was cremated and his ashes were scattered over the River Thames from a Spitfire.
Was the pilot in Dunkirk a real person?
In researching the Dunkirk true story, we discovered that while the character Farrier is not directly based on an actual person, his experience most closely resembles that of Alan Christopher “Al” Deere (pictured below), a New Zealand Spitfire pilot.
Is Dunkirk a real story?
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk is remarkably faithful to the real-life events that inspired it. The characters whom Nolan invents to serve his narrative purposes are realistic, and his scenes depict genuine events or hew close to firsthand accounts.
Why were Spitfires sent to Dunkirk in World War II?
The Spitfire units were sent to Dunkirk in order to protect the troops and the ships — Navy and volunteer yachts alike — that went to the beaches where the soldiers were stranded. On May 23, as Luftwaffe bombers prepared to attack, Spitfires of No. 92 Squadron were able to take down 17 German aircraft consisting of both Bf 109s and 110s.
Why is there a Spitfire at the Museum of London?
This particular plane has been with the Museum since 1949. Dunkirk was the Spitfire’s first big battle. The Spitfire units were sent to Dunkirk in order to protect the troops and the ships — Navy and volunteer yachts alike — that went to the beaches where the soldiers were stranded.
How does farrier land his plane on Dunkirk?
Rather than bring his Spitfire in for a rough landing on the sea, Farrier instead lowers the landing gear and lands his plane tenderly on the now deserted Dunkirk beach.
How many planes did the RAF really shoot down at Dunkirk?
Two ace RAF pilots, Alan Deere and Robert Stanford Tuck, claimed 6 enemy planes each at Dunkirk. You can catch Dunkirk and its RAF pilots in action at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater at the Museum in Washington, DC, and at the Airbus IMAX Theater at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia .