Wings of Death (A Scotland Yard supporting feature)
Date: 1961
Director: Allan Davis
Production Company: Merton Park Sudios
Stars: Harry H. Corbett, Simon Lack, Shelagh Fraser, Clinton Greyn, John Cazabon, Richard Caldicot, Tony Wagner, Stephen Jack, Pauline Winter, Peter Collingwood, James Cairncross, David Lander, Yvonne Andre, Ivor Dean, Arthur Gomez, Eileen Draycott, Annette Carell
Location(s): London Middlesex
Region(s): London T-Z, South East R-Z
Storyline:
Scotland Yard detectives investigate the murder of a pilot found in the wreckage of his own plane. Their investigations focus on a passenger who apparently survived the crash, but was injured when the plane came down.
Additional Information:
Screen Captures uploaded by Richard Lovejoy
Number 36 in the series introduced by the crime writer Edgar Lustgarten
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- Capture 1
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“London..greatest City in the World”. An aerial view of London with Westminster Abbey dominating the capture, looking as though the shot was taken from Elizabeth Tower.
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….”reputation for honesty and integrity”. A further shot perhaps from Elizabeth Tower of the South Bank showing the site of The Festival of Britain, The Royal Festival Hall with County Hall bottom right.
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….”safeguarded by their police force”. The view looking north not perhaps by chance looking over Scotland Yard towards the white building of the Ministry of Defence
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…..”their headquarters is as well known as London itself”. Scotland Yard, Victoria Embankment, SW1.
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........“few passengers arrive at their destination with even the slightest knowledge of the complex organisation and system of flight control…” The Central control tower at London Airport on Bath Road in Harlington, Middlesex.
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A rogue plane crashes in Kent, requiring some special detective work, that of the accident division of the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, Hampshire
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A vital discovery in the laboratory demanded the attention of Scotland Yard. Victoria Embankment, London SW1
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As the investigation progressed it became apparent that the pilot didn’t die as a result of the plane exploding but by a bang on the head before the plane crashed, consequently someone else must have been on board. Supt. Hammond (Harry H. Corbett) flies to France to talk to the French police to fill in with the last two days of Wilton’s life. This collection of buildings at Merton Park Studios are also seen in ‘The Case of the River Morgue’ and ‘Destination Death’.
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“Where did he spend the night”. A similar shot also seen in ‘Destination Death’
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Supt. Hammond learns that the pilot had had an argument with a Gaston Dumont (Ivor Dean) at his hotel.
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Supt. Hammond and the French police go to visit Gaston Dumont at his farm. Unknown location.
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M. Dumont sees them approaching and fires at them with his shotgun. Unknown location.
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- 08 Jan 2024

On their return to the police station Supt. Hammond receives a telephone call from Det. Sgt. Philips (Simon Lack) prompting him to return to London "straight away”. Piccadilly Circus, London W1 looking towards Regent Street.

Not so easy for traffic now. SJ
- Capture 14
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A parachute stained with blood found by a farmer in Kent prompts enquiries to hospitals and doctors in the area. Nelson Hospital on Kingston Road, London SW19. This part of the original hospital, now demolished, also appears in 'Inside Information', 'The Silent Weapon', 'The Partner' and 'The Dark Man'.
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All negative until a district nurse on her rounds was stopped by the local ‘Bobby’.
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Subsequent information pointed towards the need to speak with a Mrs Wilton aka Diana Parker (Shelagh Fraser), wife of the man who died in the air crash. Unknown location, if it is not the same mews as appears in ‘Hostile Witness’ that wrought iron planter looks as though it has appeared before.
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Supt. Hammond rings the doorbell of Diana Wilton
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“Why Mr Hammond!”. As the newspaper of the day reported “An arrest is imminent”.

