Favourite flying film?
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can anyone remember the name of the movie, and its been along time ago, that featured outrageous flying scenes with a gazelle as the get away helicopter, almost the entire movie was one helicopter stunt after another.
chopperdr:
Are you thinking about 'Deadly Encounter' with Larry 'JR Ewing' Hagman?
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Dead...38/preview.php
Are you thinking about 'Deadly Encounter' with Larry 'JR Ewing' Hagman?
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Dead...38/preview.php
Free Man, Not a Number
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Srifting off topic (moi, as if?) Yes Yes the Aeronauts, "Do or die, as the Aeronauts fly".
Also one dismal rainy holiday in Ireland in the mid 70's - "Blacksheep" about a squadron of American F4U Corsairs - I only saw one episode but it looked pretty good. How about the old B&W Dambusters TV show? I recall when the BBC sold off the models I was really upset that my Dad did not go and buy any for me.
Films.
633 Sqaudron
Battle of Britian
Sorry to be predictable.
Mediocore film:
Dark Blue World
It left me thinking it was'nt complete. Good flying scences though.
Also one dismal rainy holiday in Ireland in the mid 70's - "Blacksheep" about a squadron of American F4U Corsairs - I only saw one episode but it looked pretty good. How about the old B&W Dambusters TV show? I recall when the BBC sold off the models I was really upset that my Dad did not go and buy any for me.
Films.
633 Sqaudron
Battle of Britian
Sorry to be predictable.
Mediocore film:
Dark Blue World
It left me thinking it was'nt complete. Good flying scences though.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Larry Hagman film used a Hughes 500 didn't it? Seem to remember he was a Traffic Spotter or something, though can't recall the plot. Think I enjoyed it though!
Battle of Britain - the out takes they didn't use were superb.
Dark Blue World, flying sequences, obviously,.... the location didn't however reflect rural England.!!Too many mountains in the background :
The P-51's in Empire of The Sun -fantastic
Not a cinema film, however, TV's Piece of Cake had some great flying.
Oh, forgot Cloud Dancer if you like lots of aeros in Pitts but no story line, bit like a wild west rodeo with aeroplanes.
Good aerial sequences with the guy from Kung Fu., what's his name, Carradine.
Dark Blue World, flying sequences, obviously,.... the location didn't however reflect rural England.!!Too many mountains in the background :
The P-51's in Empire of The Sun -fantastic
Not a cinema film, however, TV's Piece of Cake had some great flying.
Oh, forgot Cloud Dancer if you like lots of aeros in Pitts but no story line, bit like a wild west rodeo with aeroplanes.
Good aerial sequences with the guy from Kung Fu., what's his name, Carradine.
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Battle of Britain (if only for the 109 low pass at the beginning and the Sep 15th battle), Dark Blue World (but check the airspeed gauges in the cockpit whenever there is flying going on - oops!), Flight of the Intruder (seems so 'real' to me - none of the usual yee-ha crap you normally get in US films like Top Gun, Iron Eagle etc.), By Dawn's Early Light (B-52 WW3 nonsense but very watchable - the book, Trinity's Child, is much better), Dambusters (oh to see that one remade in colour with surround sound and updated sfx but NO OTHER CHANGES PLEASE!).
633 Squadron is ruined for me by the crap models and the burning of a real Mossie
Tora Tora Tora may be more historically accurate than Pearl Harbour but it can drag a bit. Pearl Harbour is worth watching for the attack sequence alone and some gorgeous air to air photography in among the CGI.
The Sound Barrier is awesome for all those early jets, just ignore the storyline and drool.
The Final Countdown is stonking fun, F-14 versus Zeros, what more needs to be said.
A brief aviation sequences worth buying the entire film for can be found in Empire of the Sun (that P-51 flyby).
Veering away a bit there's The Brylcreem Boys - very little flying (but it is Wellingtons - name another film with them in it!) but a rollicking good story of airmen POWs and based on real events.
A Matter of Life and Death is worth a look - again very little flying as such (Lancs this time) but great story.
And of course, Airplane! and its sequels!!!
633 Squadron is ruined for me by the crap models and the burning of a real Mossie
Tora Tora Tora may be more historically accurate than Pearl Harbour but it can drag a bit. Pearl Harbour is worth watching for the attack sequence alone and some gorgeous air to air photography in among the CGI.
The Sound Barrier is awesome for all those early jets, just ignore the storyline and drool.
The Final Countdown is stonking fun, F-14 versus Zeros, what more needs to be said.
A brief aviation sequences worth buying the entire film for can be found in Empire of the Sun (that P-51 flyby).
Veering away a bit there's The Brylcreem Boys - very little flying (but it is Wellingtons - name another film with them in it!) but a rollicking good story of airmen POWs and based on real events.
A Matter of Life and Death is worth a look - again very little flying as such (Lancs this time) but great story.
And of course, Airplane! and its sequels!!!
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"The Whirleybirds" if I remember it right was at least 1 Bell 47 and a couple guys that did all kinds of stuff with it, but it was mostly rescuing xyz or catching the bad guys?
While going off topic to television did they ever show "Ripcord" in the UK? Two guys with a skydiving school. Did all kinds of stuff dropping out of airplanes, usually their good old C-172. Started each show with a "everything you see here is real, no camera tricks, no illusions. Don't try this at home boys and girls."
The post re "Baa Baa Blacksheep" or "Blacksheep Squadron" a F4U squadron in WW2 doing ground attack and dogfighting with SNJs "disguised" as Zeros (just put a red meatball on it and it is a Japanese A/C right?) was produced for american broadcast television and later syndicated I think. Not sure how many episodes are in the can, at it's best it is quite decent at it's worst a real groaner. Looks like the flying is done in southern California somewhere (background mountains, etc) . See it periodically on "The 'Hitler' (History) Channel" here.
"Dawn Patrol" is a great movie and should be on anyones top list. Recommend also "Wings" by Howard Hughes who used real Foker D-7s and some other late WWI /postwar aircraft to do it. No CGI in this one, all real airplanes, flown by real pilots sometimes really running into each other etc.
"Twelve O'Clock High" great movie, also turned into a television series that works as well as you can a television series. The same actual footage was overused, however.
For "real" movies BoB must be the best. And the best waay to see it was I don't know how manay years ago the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum got a pretty clean print and presented it in their IMAX theatre. The best seat in the house was about ten rows up center and I was sitting in it and you would swear that you were in a jump seat in the He111 as they were coming to bomb England and wanted to crawl under the seat when the fighters attacked. On a one to ten scale about a 12.5
While going off topic to television did they ever show "Ripcord" in the UK? Two guys with a skydiving school. Did all kinds of stuff dropping out of airplanes, usually their good old C-172. Started each show with a "everything you see here is real, no camera tricks, no illusions. Don't try this at home boys and girls."
The post re "Baa Baa Blacksheep" or "Blacksheep Squadron" a F4U squadron in WW2 doing ground attack and dogfighting with SNJs "disguised" as Zeros (just put a red meatball on it and it is a Japanese A/C right?) was produced for american broadcast television and later syndicated I think. Not sure how many episodes are in the can, at it's best it is quite decent at it's worst a real groaner. Looks like the flying is done in southern California somewhere (background mountains, etc) . See it periodically on "The 'Hitler' (History) Channel" here.
"Dawn Patrol" is a great movie and should be on anyones top list. Recommend also "Wings" by Howard Hughes who used real Foker D-7s and some other late WWI /postwar aircraft to do it. No CGI in this one, all real airplanes, flown by real pilots sometimes really running into each other etc.
"Twelve O'Clock High" great movie, also turned into a television series that works as well as you can a television series. The same actual footage was overused, however.
For "real" movies BoB must be the best. And the best waay to see it was I don't know how manay years ago the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum got a pretty clean print and presented it in their IMAX theatre. The best seat in the house was about ten rows up center and I was sitting in it and you would swear that you were in a jump seat in the He111 as they were coming to bomb England and wanted to crawl under the seat when the fighters attacked. On a one to ten scale about a 12.5
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Favourite Flying Film
Very surprised that "The Way to the Stars" with John Mills and Michael Redgrave, has not been mentioned thus far. Superb film for both script and aircraft ( Blenheims, Bostons, Lancasters, B-17s), as well as John Pudney's classic poem, "For Johnny".
"
Target for To-night" with Wellingtons (1c)s of 149 Sqnd. and starred S/L. Charles Pickard of Operation Jericho fame. May I add the following to the, generally, illustrious list of flying films?
1. "Journey Together". Richard Attenborough. Edward G. Robinson
and David Tomlinson. PT-17s, Ansons and Lancasters.
2." Dive Bomber". Errol Flynn. U.S Naval Aviation prior to Pearl Harbor. (7th,December,1941, not the film).Splendid colour shots of San Diego Naval Air Station ( North Island)
Shows one's age, somewhat!
"
Target for To-night" with Wellingtons (1c)s of 149 Sqnd. and starred S/L. Charles Pickard of Operation Jericho fame. May I add the following to the, generally, illustrious list of flying films?
1. "Journey Together". Richard Attenborough. Edward G. Robinson
and David Tomlinson. PT-17s, Ansons and Lancasters.
2." Dive Bomber". Errol Flynn. U.S Naval Aviation prior to Pearl Harbor. (7th,December,1941, not the film).Splendid colour shots of San Diego Naval Air Station ( North Island)
Shows one's age, somewhat!
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Got to be Dawn Patrol with Errol Flynn and David Niven
followed closely by Battle of Britain and Dark Blue world.
I never thought that I would one day sit in the same cockpit as that German Gunner who was shot in the face!!
followed closely by Battle of Britain and Dark Blue world.
I never thought that I would one day sit in the same cockpit as that German Gunner who was shot in the face!!
Ripcord was certainly shown on UK TV sometime early sixties (about the same time as Whirlybirds).
The book about the Norwegian fighter squadron was I believe, one of a series about a Norwegian Air Force flyer, which included "Otter Two-Three calling".
Aeronauts was about the only aeroplane stuff on kids TV in the 70s. Wasn't it an F80/T33 that got shot down each week - same sort of role as the Jaguars (cars that is) in the Swenny?!
I agree about 'Bomber' - as well as a great flying story possibly one of the best anti-war books of all time. Made me stop thinking about war in schoolboy terms and start thinking about the real human cost. BBC Radio 4 did a 'real-time' Radio drama that ran over a couple of days a few years ago. I missed it but I believe it won an award.
Can't get excited about Battle of Britain though - yes some good flying sequences but the story and the acting was somewhat wooden. Though Susanna York in sussies , well she has alot to answer for!
The book about the Norwegian fighter squadron was I believe, one of a series about a Norwegian Air Force flyer, which included "Otter Two-Three calling".
Aeronauts was about the only aeroplane stuff on kids TV in the 70s. Wasn't it an F80/T33 that got shot down each week - same sort of role as the Jaguars (cars that is) in the Swenny?!
I agree about 'Bomber' - as well as a great flying story possibly one of the best anti-war books of all time. Made me stop thinking about war in schoolboy terms and start thinking about the real human cost. BBC Radio 4 did a 'real-time' Radio drama that ran over a couple of days a few years ago. I missed it but I believe it won an award.
Can't get excited about Battle of Britain though - yes some good flying sequences but the story and the acting was somewhat wooden. Though Susanna York in sussies , well she has alot to answer for!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Oncemorealoft, what a memory you have (or an extensive collection of books!) 
Quick search on Amazon reveal the Norwegain books were by Leif Hamre and are:
Contact Lost
Otter Three Two Calling
Blue Two-Bale Out!
Ready for Take-off
Operation Arctic
All available second hand for a few quid!
Think I read most of them, all the titles seem familiar!
Treadders
Quick search on Amazon reveal the Norwegain books were by Leif Hamre and are:
Contact Lost
Otter Three Two Calling
Blue Two-Bale Out!
Ready for Take-off
Operation Arctic
All available second hand for a few quid!
Think I read most of them, all the titles seem familiar!
Treadders
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Perhaps not quite on thread but nevertheless, excellent flying scenes in "The Purple Plain". I think that was the title.
Gregory Peck plays the lead. Set in Burma. Excellent flying sequence where Peck flying a Mosquito with a VIP passenger suffers engine fire and has to crash-land. Remainder of film is Peck trying to rescue his passenger who is doing his best to bring all efforts undone.
Gregory Peck plays the lead. Set in Burma. Excellent flying sequence where Peck flying a Mosquito with a VIP passenger suffers engine fire and has to crash-land. Remainder of film is Peck trying to rescue his passenger who is doing his best to bring all efforts undone.
There is a film with Richard Dreyfuss about a fire bomber pilot who is killed but comes back as a ghost. I seem to remember the opening sequence was of two guys fishing from a rowing boat on a lake, when a Martin Mars appears behind them in long telephoto shot, scooping up water and heading straight for them. Anyone remember the title?
Another one that sticks in my mind was an advert which featured a Swedish AF C-130 bouncing on top of a car (SAAB?) on a frozen lake does this ring any bells, or have I lost the plot all together
Another one that sticks in my mind was an advert which featured a Swedish AF C-130 bouncing on top of a car (SAAB?) on a frozen lake does this ring any bells, or have I lost the plot all together
Free Man, Not a Number
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Thanks for reminding me WUB - the film is called "Always", starring Holly Hunter as the love interest, a strange choice I always thought (couldn't cope with her accent) but it works well.
It's got some good B25 Mitchell flying scenes, and plenty of other fire fighting types and trainers. How one earth could I forget it - I must put it on my watch list for this weekend
It's got some good B25 Mitchell flying scenes, and plenty of other fire fighting types and trainers. How one earth could I forget it - I must put it on my watch list for this weekend
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they filmed saving private ryan and band of brothers in and around hatfield where i live, spot the aircraft in those films..... however the late mark hannah and another OFMC pilot spent two days beating up the set on the old hatfield aerodrome site in two P51's. Amazing! sat at the end of the old defunct runway with the howl of the air over the gun barrels overhead followed by all the pyro's blowing up the town. If you've seen SPR the seen where tom hanks gets shot on the bridge at the end and then the two mustangs fly overhead.... that was it, but two days of flying for a 5 sec shot!!! ??? I enjoyed myself!!
Had a couple of C47's/DC3's fly over for band of brothers nought too exciting though.
C
Had a couple of C47's/DC3's fly over for band of brothers nought too exciting though.
C
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Didn't count "Always " as an aviation film...thought of it more as a "chick flick". Believethe "other guy" in it is John Goodman?
ChrisF...I am assured that jumping out of C-47s is more exciting, but couldn't state from personal experience as the most I've done is fast roped from a UH-1.
ChrisF...I am assured that jumping out of C-47s is more exciting, but couldn't state from personal experience as the most I've done is fast roped from a UH-1.
