Video Press Reports

REVIEW
by Keith Bloodworth, New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times.
"By Sea and Forest Enchanted" on DVD

An up to the minute look at Lymington, from the Iron Age right up to Rotary's firework spectacular last month and the royal opening of the new hospital in January, has been recorded by New Forest filmmaker Patrick Kempe. His latest documentary, "By Sea and Forest Enchanted", after the Lymington motto, is all about the thriving ancient market town, so steeped in history.
Split into two parts on two discs, and featuring more than 2,000 separate screen shots, including some from the air, the DVD, which was three years in the making, lasts five minutes short of an absorbing two and a half hours.
Patrick's film, comprising old and new photography, explores the architectural wealth of the High Street and its surrounds, which make up just part of the past of this picturesque old smuggling Solent town, once renowned for its salt pans on the marshes, and in more recent years as home of piston ring maker Wellworthy.
Launched last week on the big screen in the Community Association’s newly opened Fuller-McLellan Hall, which is also featured, Patrick’s DVD, price £19.75 is available from local museums and shops or direct from Patrick at Bull Hill Farm, Pilley or online at www.patrickkempe.co.uk

Press Office

This is documentary style video of just under one hour in length that covers the history, lifestyle and importance to the Forest of the ponies. It is made by Patrick Kempe, a Fellow of the Institute of Videgraphy, and a local who has a knowledge of ponies that goes back almost to the pram.

Now with his son Andrew and his wife Suzanne, on their ponies, he can be seen riding out over the New Forest. Patrick is immediately recogniseable as he rides a Welsh x thoroughbred, often bareback with an Indian rope bridle. He started making the video over four years ago.

The New Forest pony is not an easy subject to put over and it took me some time to ensure that I had covered all the important aspects,’
he told me.
This video is a great gift for anyone you know who is interested in the Forest and its ponies.

A Video Tribute to the history of the New Forest's Wartime Airfields.
'THE CONCRETE SCARS OF WAR'

FILM-MAKER Patrick Kempe is producing a unique full-length video saluting the history of the New Forest's World War II airfields. He has spent three years tracking down the remains of the many airfields which brought the wartime Forest alive with men and machines. Books have been written on the subject but this is believed to be the first time that the action-packed days of the Forest's air war have been turned into a video.

"Out of the moss and grass and behind the nettles and brambles that now overgrow a lot of the old airfields have come some very interesting stories," said Patrick, of Chatsworth Park, New Milton. "Apart from the challenge, the main purpose of my project is to encourage people to go in search and remembrance, and help preserve this part of the country that played such a major role in our history," he commented.

He is also hoping the video will also be of interest to schools. Patrick hit on the idea of a video after producing two others, one on the last Sunderland flying boat, which was restored at Calshot and will now be flying to America, and the other on Dorset's spectacular coastline. This video was shot from land, sea and air.

and a Report from The New Milton & Lymington Times. 1993

FOR aircraft enthusiasts and historians alike, a veritable "flypast" of aviation publications has arrived revealing fascinating insights into wartime airfields which sprang up around the New Forest area.

First comes a 90 minute video by Patrick Kempe from New Milton, whose enthusiasm spills over on the informative film. He recalls the first flight over the Forest, way back in 1734, when Pierre Blanchard took off in a balloon from Chelsea passing over Beaulieu before landing at Romsey. Then came the New Forest Aviation School's runway on heath land around East Boldre in 1910, before the Royal Flying Corps took over that site as a World War base with nine hangars, workshops and dormitories.

The Y.M.C.A. is now the East Boldre village hall. There were many castastrophic take-offs and landings with pilots buried in the nearby churchyard. That aerodrome closed in 1919 and was superseded by the Second World War Airfield on the opposite side of the B3054. A busy base for Liiberator and Halifax bombers and Thunderbolt fighters. Properties were requisitioned in such surrounding areas as Brockenhurst, Exbury and Bucklers Hard.

Calshot first opened in 1913 as a flying-boat staging post and base for the exciting Schneider Trophy air races and continued to be occupied by the R.A.F. until 1961. Seaplane tender boats built at Hythe were developed into record breaking high speed air-sea rescue launches

The video takes in other emergency airfields and advanced landing grounds in the New Forest, including Sopley, Bisterne, Ibsley, Winkton and also the busy Holmsley South and Stoney Cross aerodromes, long since converted into Forestry camp sites. Then there’s Christchurch airfield, where Surrey Flying Services ran 5/- flights in 1926. The Needs Ore Point runway where there were 900 aircraft movements in one day. The Pylewell airfield with its steel mesh runways and the Sway Emergency Landing Ground established in 1940.

This film takes in the bombing raids on New Milton and Lymington. Mentioned, too, is the Pipeline under the Ocean (PLUTO), which ran from Lepe across the Channel to France.

The video is a wonderful kaleidoscope of colour showing much of the Forest throughout the four seasons.
A must for the video library.

Aircraft Illustrated

Report from 'Aircraft Illustrated'
November 1993

Video by Patrick Kempe

This video has been produced as an appreciation of this remarkable aircraft which recently left our shores for the sunnier climes of Florida in the hands of new owner, Kermit Weeks. The film can be considered a count-down to its 'emigration' as it concentrates primarily on the test flights carried out prior to its departure.

We begin in 1991 at Calshot with the ground crew firing up the large Pratt & Witney engines. Simultaneously we hear from Sunderland 'salts' about .

their flying experiences proceedings and their association with this flying boat. The viewer is also treated to detailed shots of the cockpit and interior of the aircraft.

The next section of video footage involves the aircraft, now named 'Fantasy of Flight' being launched at the beginning of July 1993. It is filmed in the style of a 'fly-on-the-wall' documentary and the viewer feels privileged to be part of the action.

As we move on to the test flights, we hear from the new owner, Kermit Weeks and also from Capt Ken Emmott, who describes the difficulties of operating this aircraft.

This video is a nice keepsake depicting the Sunderland's final 'circuits and splashes' in British waters. The anecdotes and comments from all those who were closely involved with the aircraft combine to make this a fitting tribute to the last airworthy Sunderland.

Report from 'Wingspan' November 1993 The Last Sunderland Flying Boat An appreciation of ML814 Islander
This is a video about Sunderland G-BJHS, formerly Islander but now Fantasy of Flight As is now well-known, this lovely flying boat has a new home in Florida under the ownership of Kermit Weeks The viewer is not simply treated to a potted history of the 'boat, interesting though this might be, but the video takes a more interesting look at her much of it during the final days of preparation before her flight to the USA and, perhaps, the personal aspect of this video should be emphasised, because it results in a degree of rapport with the people	featuring and, of course, the main star ~ Fantasy of Flight. So what does the viewer get? A pleasant and informative kaleidoscope of events and facts, capped by the sad departure of the aircraft from Southampton Water on 20 July. We can see ground engine runs, of great interest to engine lovers who will get enormous pleasure from seeing and hearing the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasps doing their bit, and we can hear people talking as work on the machine proceeds. Peter Smith, the engineer who so tirelessly	looked after the machine for so long, Ken Emmott, who has probably flown her more times than he cares to remember and Kermit Weeks, the new owner not to mention numerous others some of whom reminisced about their times on flying boats in days gone by. We can also see people working on the machine (no job for those suffering from vertigo the Sunderland is a tall machine) Perhaps best of all are the flying sequences, as well as the take~off and landing shots, with that mixture of spray sound and grace so typical of this machine A fond farewell, which this video captures admirably
	Report from 'Flypast' Magazine December 1993
Last of the line. The Last Sunderland Flying-Boat is an appreciation of ML814 (G-BJHS), the world's last airworthy Sunderland. The video was filmed between the winter of 1991 and the aircraft's departure for its new home in Florida on July 20th. 1993.	Lovely film of the aircraft taking-off and landing is complemented by anecdotes from former Sunderland personnel. Take-offs and landings undertaken by her new owner, Kermit	Weeks, are talked through by Ken Emmot, captain of ML814 on the majority of her flights in the UK. This production serves as a reminder of a lovely aircraft which will probably never grace the skies of Britain again.
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Previously known as 'The Dorset Coastline'		Report from 'Dorset Magazine' Video by Patrick Kempe
A Patrick Kempe video certainly makes an original and interesting gift. Patrick has made several local interest videos such as The Last Sunderland Flying Boat, Wartime Airfields of the New Forest, The Dorset Coastline and	is currently working on a new film about the History of Milton. All videos are made on broadcast quality equipment and are of exceptional quality and content.	To find out more about these and other titles please contact Patrick Kempe on 01590 - 675854
	Report from Bournemouth Echo
New Milton: A 45 minute video of the Dorset Coast has been produced by video maker Patrick Kempe. He has already made a video about the last air worthy Sunderland flying boat which was reconditioned at Calshot on the Solent, and is presently working on a third, on the wartime airfields in the New Forest. More information can by had by telephoning Patrick Kempe on 01590 - 675854.

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PRESS REPORTS

'Wartime Airfields of the New Forest'
Extra Length Video	A report from DD Video Europe's Largest Aviation, Military & Nostalgia Video Catalogue.
An exhaustively researched history of the many wartime airfields in the New Forest, taking the viewer to the locations as they are today and bringing their past alive with rare film and photography. Beaulieu, Calshot & Hythe, Lymington ALG, Sway, Christchurch, Holmsley South, Winkton ALG, Ibsley and Stoney Cross are just some of the locations featured on this unique video.

"2000 Years in the Life of the New Forest Pony"
		Report in the Hampshire Magazine. Summer 2000 Video by Patrick Kempe