At many of the air shows up and down the country this summer, a small autogyro, impeccably flown by a retired RAF Wing Commander, Ken Wallis , delighted the crowds. Air shows apart, a Wallis autogyro has been used as a fighter, ' flown ' by 007 himself, in the film You Only Live Twice. The fighting Wallis is known as Little Nellie and is one of a number of specialised autogyros designed and built at Reymerston Hall, Norfolk, where the Wing Commander lives and works.
The development of the Wallis machines from a wartime U-boat observation kite is a fascinating story, yet it forms only part of the unusual Wallis collection of flying machines.
Commentator DUNCAN CARSE
Film editor COLIN JONES
Written and produced by BRIAN JOHNSON