Film - "Sound Barrier"

Film 'Sound Barrier'. (left-hand panel)

Mike Gee

In 1951, Chilbolton Airfield was the location for a film called “Sound Barrier,” starring Ann Todd, Ralph Richardson and Nigel Patrick. The film’s plot was based on attempts to fly faster than the speed of sound. The fictional name for the aircraft used in the making of the film was “Proteus” – in reality it was the Supermarine Swift – a single-seater jet aircraft. Chilbolton airfield was renamed “Ridgefield”, and local schoolchildren were employed as extras.