Pathfinders (TV series) explained

Runtime:60 minutes
Creator:Gerry Brown
Starring:Robert Urquhart
Jack Watling
Julian Orchard
Country:United Kingdom
Network:ITV
Num Episodes:13

Pathfinders (1972–1973, aka The Pathfinders) is an ITV drama set in the Second World War, telling the story of the fictitious Royal Air Force 192 Pathfinder squadron. The Pathfinders were specialised RAF squadrons that marked targets for the RAF's heavy bombers.

The series used radio controlled Avro Lancaster models for the flying scenes. The technical adviser for the series was Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie. The music was by Malcolm Lockyer.

Cast list

Episodes

No.Original broadcast
date (UK)
Episode titleGuest cast
127 September 1972Into the FireJeremy Bulloch, Jack May, Luan Peters, David Ashford
24 October 1972For Better, For WorsePeter Armitage, Peter Blythe, Jennifer Clulow, Tony Selby, David Simeon, David Warwick
311 October 1972FogChristopher Cazenove, Michael Craze, Richard Heffer, William Marlowe, Jack May, Kate O'Mara
418 October 1972Fly There, Walk BackMichael Coles, Arnold Diamond, Wolfe Morris, Jane Seymour, David Weston, Michael Wolf
51 November 1972Jonah Man (aka "Forced to Ditch" on NTSC vhs)Eric Flynn, Ray Lonnen, Mark McManus, Julian Orchard, Sheila Ruskin
68 November 1972One Man’s LancasterJeremy Bulloch, John D. Collins, Anthony Valentine
715 November 1972Sitting DucksJohn Arnatt, John Barron, Edd Byrnes, Brian Grellis, Rutger Hauer, Roy Holder, John Horsley, David Lodge, Basil Moss, Julian Orchard, Johnnie Wade, Kenneth Watson, Hans De Vries, Richard Shaw
86 December 1972 (aka "Assignment Top Secret" on NTSC vhs)Peter Egan, John Levene, David Lodge, Christopher Timothy, Neville Barber
913 December 1972Codename GomorrahDonald Douglas, Bernard Lee, Paul Massie, Mike Pratt
103 January 1973Sweets From a Stranger (aka "Unusual Ally" on NTSC vhs)Geoffrey Bayldon, Johnny Briggs, Christopher Cazenove, Linda Marlowe, Jack May, Morris Perry, Shirley Stelfox
1110 January 1973Operation PickpocketIan Collier, Mark Eden, Richard Franklin, Olaf Pooley, Michael Wolf
1217 January 1973Nightmare
1325 January 1973In the Face Of the Enemy
In 2006, Simply Media released the series on DVD in the UK.[1] Despite being sold as "The Complete Series", the release is actually missing Episode 8 "Our Daffodils Are Better Than Your Daffodils", without any explanation. The episode was also missing from the 2002 four-tape UK VHS release of Pathfinders from DD Video, although the episode was released in the US on VHS using the title "Assignment Top Secret".

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pathfinders The Complete Series 5-DVD Set . Renown Pictors Limited . UK . renownfilms.co.uk . 3 February 2023 .