Post
war changes at the RAF made Wing Commander Wallis make a decision
to leave: “By
1963-64 many interesting projects such as the TSR-2 and the
Fairey Rotodyne were being cancelled and there did not seem to be
much future with armaments in the RAF. I retired at my own request
in 1964 and concentrated on my Autogyro project.”
And
concentrate on his autogyro project is exactly what Wing Commander
Wallis did: “I
had already experimented with Autogyros, making a powered version
of an American Gyro-Glider design always knowing that if it
worked it would be but a stepping stone onto something more
practical.
And
that is what happened. The American Gyro-Glider was
actually based on a World War Two designed craft made in the UK,
examples of which were sent to the U.S. The Rotachute was
designed by Raoul Hafner as a parachute that could be guided to a
landing site rather than where the wind decided to take it - like
the parachutes of the day.
I
returned from the U.S. with the plans of the Gyro-Glider - many
features of which I had questioned in 1959. Luckily I had been
flying for long enough to recognise some potentially dangerous
features and I soon started design of a working autogyro - with a
clean sheet of paper for a start!"
“The
very successful prototype of my design, designated the type
WA-116, first flew in 1961 and has been followed by many variants
of that design, all very successful in a range of working roles, military, naval and civil.”
It
was in October 1964 that Ken first became involved with movie
making: “My
first involvement with film making, with the sound effects for the
engine ‘coughs
and splutters’
was in “Those
Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines”.
“Then
in 1966 I flew in Brazil in a Spaghetti James Bond film made by
Film Studio Roma. It was called “Dick
Smart Agent 2.007”!
I finished making that film in Italy on my way back from being 007
in Japan. It truly was an awful film, not like the good Spaghetti
Westerns.”
Although
“Dick
Smart Agent 2.007”
was an awful film it did serve a better purpose as it brought Wing Commander Wallis and his Autogyros to the attention of
another film company. Their name? EON Productions. Their
character? Bond. James Bond, Agent 007.
Explains
Ken: “The
late Tony Scase, a BBC Radio interviewer, had learned that I was
going to Brazil to do the Spaghetti 007 film. He came and
interviewed me and ended up saying: “Would
you like to fight with a helicopter in your Autogyro?”
I replied: “Give
me a chance!”
“That
programme was transmitted on national radio the next morning. I
gather that Ken Adam, the Art Director for EON Productions was
(listening to the radio and) shaving that morning. The late Group
Captain Hamish Mahaddie of RAF Pathfinder Force fame, then
aviation consultant for EON Productions, was quickly on the phone
asking me to bring an Autogyro down to Pinewood Studios in
connection with a James Bond movie.
“My
favourite aircraft, the WA-116 prototype G-ARRT, was then on its
way to Brazil. But we had one of the 1962 Military trial versions
which I had updated, but still needed a few adjustments. I
demonstrated it in a small space at Pinewood Studios and Cubby
Broccoli then said it would need to be in Japan in 6 weeks time,
with the cosmetics on - meaning the paint scheme and weapons
systems."
“He
also looked at me saying: 'Same
build - OK'
referring to myself and Sean Connery. I had thought I might have
to wear one of those face masks or something but with the helmet
on and the distance of the flying sequences, it takes a close look
to see if it is Sean Connery on a similarly prepared Autogyro G-AVDH
in the studio with an electric fan to ruffle his shirt, or myself
flying for real.”
However,
the eagle-eyed cinema viewer might have noticed one clear
difference between the men: “Connery’s
arms were more hairy than mine and this can be noticed.”
explains Wing Commander Wallis.
Wing
Commander Wallis discussed the armaments for his aircraft with
Oscar Winning Special Effects man John Stears, before having to
keep his appointment with Dick Smart in Brazil. From there he flew
straight to Japan to join the Bond production crew. There he
realised that his aircraft had received a change of name: “The
film crew kept referring to 'Little
Nellie'
and when was I going to have her ready to fly. It took me a while
to work out why she was 'Little Nellie', then I recalled that early
in World War Two if your surname was Wallace or Wallis your
nickname was Nellie from Nellie Wallace - the famous music hall
star of the 20’s
and 30’s.
Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie, who was of that era, had christened
her 'Little
Nellie'."
