User:RJHaas

My name is Ray Haas. Since 1990, I have been researching the life and times of John Gillespie Magee, Jr., with the intent on creating a film based on Magee's life. I truly believe that the story of Magee needs to be put in front of as large an audience as possible.

I keep an eye on the wikipedia page about Magee, and have also contributed to the pages on Magee's father (also named John Gillespie Magee) and uncle (James McDevitt Magee). Just today I have undone an alteration to High Flight. This alteration concerned the "even" versus "ever" situation. I have put in a rather complete explanation on the Discussion page, so I hope that anybody who desires to alter the poem will read the appropriate part of the Discussion first.

I have a huge interest in the Battle of Britain as well. I intend to remake the 1969 movie, "The Battle of Britain." I want to do this not because the original is not a good film, but because I think the story could be better told. It's hard to overstate the importance of The Battle; life today would be very different if the Nazis had prevailed.

October, 2008. I continue to do research on Magee nearly every day. I have uncovered so much information that I may well have to write a book!

August, 2012: I have put the High Flight/John Magee feature film and documentary film on the back burner, and am concentrating on the biographical book. Hopefully it will be published within the next couple of months, but I am continually finding new information, so it's hard to wrap up!

March, 2015: My book, "Touching the Face of God: The Story of John Gillespie Magee, Jr. and his poem High Flight," was published in September of 2014, and is available on amazon in both print and Kindle formats (http://www.amazon.com/Touching-Face-God-Gillespie-Flight/dp/1941564003). It is the final result of 24 years worth of research, and is meant to be the "last word" on John Magee and High Flight.

Please feel free to contact me about anything regarding Magee, The Battle, Spitfires, BCATP, and so on! ray@highflightproductions.com