Tora! Tora! Tora! List in the Downloads Section

[mrhenniger]

Scott has added the latest version of the Tora Tora Tora list to the downloads section. For those with an interest in the aircraft used in the filming of the movie feel free to download and review.

Now for the disclaimer... I tried hard to find and include every bit of information to make the list as accurate as possible. I am also cautious of the lists I come up with, and in this case I am a little suspicious of the Val replica section. There were only 9 Val replicas constructed for the movie, and they were built using Vultee Valiants. My list indicates 12. I think that because of photographic evidence I can conclude that one of the extra 3 was converted after the movie, possibly sometime in the 80's or 1990s. That leaves two others which I suspect are duplicates of the other, but since historical FAA civil registration information is hard to some by, I may never be able to conclude which is which. SO ANY CLUES/INFO YOU CAN PROVIDE TO MAKE THE LIST MORE COMPLETE/ACCURATE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

TIA

Mike

[mrhenniger]

I might be able to help on the Vals. there were two fatal Accidents involving the Vals. one prior to the filming and another during the filming.

This might explain at least one and there was more the 9, I think your right there was 12 for the movie. There were two build in the early 80s put both of these didn't have the pants.

I thank you in advance for any info you can provide. Photos with dates are a good start... Notes of markings and pants/no pants are just a good along with dates.

There were two Tora aircraft destroyed during filming. One was a Val, and I would have to check the list to be sure, but I think the other was a Zero. Is it possible those were the two aircraft accidents. They were not necessarily fatal (see the list).

Like I said any info you have please share. Thanks!

Mike

[mrhenniger]

The First one was a BT-13 being Ferried by Jack Canary Head of Air Operations it crash and Killed Jack on the way to Long Beach for mods.

The Second one was a BT-13 Val that broke up over Pearl while it was simulating a dive-bomb run killing the pilot

Ahhh yes... I did include the second one in the list. I also remember reading about the first. I will include an entry about that one as well for the sake of completeness.

Regards,

Mike