For the last three years, film director Daniel Arbon has been making a new, independent, short film about Lanoe Hawker, who was Britain’s first flying ace.

Hawker tells the story of the action of 25^th July 1915 when Capt Hawker became the first British pilot to successfully shoot down an enemy aircraft by mounting a Lewis Gun to the side of his Bristol Scout. His victories on that day, on top of his sustained bravery since the outset of the war, resulted in the awarding of the Victoria Cross. It was only the third VC given to an Airman and the first for air-to-air combat with another aeroplane.

As major supporters of the project, we have secured an exclusive opportunity to see the film and listen to Daniel’s story about making the film. This event is only available to current members of GWAS.

Daniel Arbon has always been interested in aviation and initially trained in aerospace manufacturing, serving a Modern Apprenticeship with Rolls Royce (In a factory built to manufacture “Merlin” engines during WW2). He went on to RMA Sandhurst as an Officer Cadet in the British Army in 2005 before being medically discharged. He began his career in the arts as an actor, graduating from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2011.  He made his first film, “Ironheart”, in 2016 and formed  Middle Realm Productions, producing short dramas and corporate films.