Thanks very much
FP for the interesting link with details of the genesis and production of 'The War Lover' . This has saved me a fair bit of typing. When I came across the footage of John Crewdson and his helicopter trailer it put me in mind of a 'Queen Mary' aircraft recovery trailer. The last time I saw one of these in use was at Bovingdon one day in late 1961 or early 1962 when with great sadness I watched the fuselage of a B-17, having done its bit in the movie, being slowly transported along the Chesham Road and away to the scrap yard. It was very likely N5232V a Boeing PB-1W. Two PB-1W aircraft were used for the film the other being N5229V which I believe was scrapped at Manston following a tailwheel collapse. The third B-17 used was a
VB-17G N9563Z. Whilst the two PB-1W aircraft are in appearance pretty much indistinguishable from each other the
VB-17G can be told apart by having only two cheek windows on each side of the nose. One should take absolutely no notice of the tail numbers when trying to decide which B-17 is which as they were swapped around along with various other 'modifications' and nose art to give the impression of a greater number of aircraft than there actually were.
N9563Z on arrival at Gatwick 8th October 1961. Markings on tail read: 'Supplied by Aero America, Tucson, Arizona' (Emblem below of John Crewdson's Company Film Aviation Services Ltd).
Many thanks to Tim Spearman for the image.
N5232V on arrival at Gatwick with N5229V just visible beyond. Image as captioned with thanks.
Arriving at much the same time from Israel and pictured here at Croydon is the fuselage section used at Shepperton for some interior footage. Many thanks to Bill Fisher.
A PB-1W probably Bovingdon - note nicely laid hedge - no nasty mechanical flails which are so common today.
A PB-1W at Bovingdon. Image Duxman Collection via Anthony Clarke.
VB-17G N9563Z at Bovingdon. Image Duxman Collection via Anthony Clarke.
N9563Z heading for the cliffs. Image Columbia Pictures.
However all was not Lost !
On 16th May 1962 N9563Z departed Gatwick for the USA and a publicity tour.......
At La Guardia Airport. Image as captioned with thanks.
A Musical Interlude at Meigs Field Chicago.
Fire Bomber at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. May 1974. Image Peter Foster with thanks.
Open storage at Falcon Field - Nineteen-eighties. Duxman collection via Anthony Clarke with thanks.
N9563Z at Oshkosh 2005. Image Matthew Donica, Jet Photos with thanks.
And Finally: