"Rodge"
An excerpt by Andy Evans
In the next scene we see Max and Silva in a field near the airport watching planes take off and land. They are wearing kagouls and Dad has a pair of binoculars. They also have a flask and a brolly and all three are seated in deck chairs.
Dad: What do you think eh? Pretty spectacular here isn't it, watching them fly over your head! Better than being up on the platform with all the others getting the same view as everyone else.
Max: I think its going to rain.
Dad: No, don't worry about that. Its not going to rain.
Max: Dad, if its not going to rain, why are we wearing kagouls and carrying an umbrella?
Dad: To make your mother feel better son. You'll understand why when you get older son!
Silva: Mr. Webber, when will we see a Spitfire?
Dad: Uhh, I don't think we'll see any today.
Silva: But Max said we could see a Spitfire!
Max: No I didn't, I said it would be like watching Spitfires.
Silva: But this is boring, its just jets flying back and fore. I want to see Spitfires and Hurricanes and Lancasters and Mosquitoes and everything.
Dad: I don't think that you'll be in luck I'm afraid, there are very few remaining aircraft of that type in the country. Most were destroyed during or after the war.
Max: Have you ever seen them Dad?
Dad: I have actually, there's a special group called the Battle of Britain flight that still tour the country and appear at certain air shows. They've got a Lancaster and a Spitfire, and a Hurricane I think...
Silva: I don't think the Hurricane is as good as the Spitfire.
Max: Me too.
Dad: Why?
Max: Oh Dad! Which one won the Battle of Britain?
Dad: Both I thought!
Silva: But the Spitfire was the best and did the most I saw the film on telly.
Dad: I'm not sure of the historical accuracy of that, but I'll take your word for it. Hey, just a minute, there's another plane coming in over the horizon. What is it?
Max: Give me the binoculars Dad!
Silva: What is it can you see properly?
Max: Its a jet... I can't see it properly cause of the sun. Hang on I think its... yeah I reckon its a Virgin plane.
Dad: Coming back from America then.
Silva: Can I see too Max?
Max: Sure, here you go.
Silva: I can see the colours, its a Virgin plane.
(The plane screams overhead and the three duck and cover their ears)
Dad: Perhaps we'll be able to afford to go on a plane one day eh Max? What about you Martin, have you ever been on a plane?
Silva: Yes, with my Mum and Dad. We went to Spain. It was good but it wasn't like flying in a Spitfire, it was more like being on a train... but just in the sky.
Max: I want to fly. I'm going to be a pilot when I grow up and I want to join the RAF and fly fighter planes.
Silva: Spitfires?
Max: I don't think they fly them any more. They use jets and stuff, you know like Harriers and Stealth Bombers.
Silva: They're not as good as Spitfires.
Max: But I don't care what planes they fly. I just want to fly. Haven't you ever wanted to fly Dad?
Dad: I wanted to fly when I was younger, I wanted to be like your grandad. He was a flier in the war. He wasn't very old but I thought it was really glamorous.
Max: I didn't know grandad was a pilot!
Dad: I didn't say he was a pilot, I said he was a flier. I think he was a member of a crew on a Wellington. Gran doesn't talk about it. In fact it was her who kept talking me out of it. Telling me it was a bad thing over and over.
Silva: I can't believe it! How jammy can you get! My grandad was a bus conductor!