FILMING is taking place at North Weald airfield this week for the Steven Spielberg mini-series, Band of Brothers

American sit-com actor David Schwimmer, who stars in Friends is expected at the airfield during the week to shoot his part in the first episodes, based on the true experiences of a World War Two US army unit.

Spokeswoman Mara Mikialian said: 'David Schwimmer and Damian Lewis (who starred in the BBC drama Warriors about soliders in Bosnia) are two of our cast members. There is a corps of about 30 key actors and many, many more in minor roles.'

Originally a book by Stephen Ambrose, the 11-hour series is being produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

It tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, US Army, starting with their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942.

It recounts the achievements of the crack rifle company, which parachuted into France on D-Day and captured HitlerÍs EagleÍs Nest at Berchtesgaden.

Drawn from hours of interviews with survivors, as well as soldiersÍ journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles a unit that took 150 percent casualties and became American heroes.

Mr Spielberg said: 'I'm so pleased to be working again in the UK, which has been the spawning ground for so many of my productions, from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Saving Private Ryan.

'Now, for Band of Brothers, it will be a combined operation, a true jumping-off point just as it was in 1944 for the 101st and the thousands of Allied forces.'

Tom Hanks added: 'England is a wonderful place to make films, and as the experience of making Saving Private Ryan made clear to us all, it is an ideal place to make this ambitious ministries about World War 2.

'I'm very glad that HBO and the British Government have found the ways for us to capitalize on the UKÍs tremendous film making talent and resources so that Band of Brothers can recreate the world as it was more than 50 years ago.'

Although some scenes are being filmed at North Weald, a majority of the production facilities for Band of Brothers will be based at the former Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire.