Fighter Pilots

A 1974 South African feature film directed by Franz Marx.

Alternative titles

Released on video as Wing Commander. Translated/dubbed as: Seuns van die Wolke (Afrikaans), Afrikastaffel ME110 (German) Ta skylia tou polemou (Greek) and Kampflyverne (Norwegian).

Subject

World War II. A young South African fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force asks to be transferred from England to North Africa. His personal mission is to go and hunt for the German ace pilot who shot down his brother’s Spitfire and killed him. Based on the true story of Hendrik Reynecke and Werner von Steinhaus.

Cast

Will Roberts (Oberleutnant Werner von Steinhaus), Johann van Heerden as John Hardy (Captain Hendrik Reynecke), Werner Doll, Ian Strauss, Rosemary Gibson, Philip Jones, Jannie Wienand, Annette Engelbrecht and Schalk Jacobsz.

Production credits

Produced by Brigadiers Films. Executive producers: Albie Venter and Madel Venter. Directed by Franz Marx. Script by James Ambrose Brown. Cinematography by Vincent G. Cox. Art direction by Raymond Wilson. Music by Art Heatlie. Stunts by Jannie Wienand. Costumes by Anna Richter-Visser. Production management by Colin Ward.

Released versions

Distributed in USA and Canada as Fighter Pilots. South Africa: Dubbed into Afrikaans as Seuns van die Wolke. Greece: Dubbed into Greek as Ta skylia tou polemou. Norway: Dubbed into Norwegian as Kampflyverne. Video: Released on video as Wing Commander [1]

Release dates

South Africa – 23 January 1975. USA and Canada – 25 November 1977. Finland – 27 November 1977.

Sources

IMDB [2]

IMDB [3]