A few 'Tora! Tora! Tora! observations ...

[Mark Allen M]

This first scene in interesting as it shows the B-17's used in the film lined up with Mock-up P-40's being destroyed. I'm thinking this was some kind of rehearsal, albeit a bit risky.



This photo below I believe has been discussed here before. Interesting wing fold on the T-6. Looks the folded part of the wing has simply been sawn across and the lower wing fold shows more accurate wing detail.

[Warbird Kid]

That first shot does look a bit risky, but I'd bet you that was just some Hollywood magic. I would imagine that the flyable (gas filled) B-17s were actually much farther in the background then they appear. By stacking the aircraft like that, the field of depth (through the lens) shrinks and can appear to be smaller than it actually is.

I'm currently creating a 1/72nd diorama of the Haleiwa Scramble, involving a P-40, the 1940 Mercury (below), the ground crew, pilots, and film crew. It's taking longer than I'd like to admit but it's interesting to research more on the scene. The red 1940 Mercury Convertible was supplemented for the actual (original) 1940 Buick Convertible that Lt. Taylor owned and had painted orange not long before Dec 7th.


The location for the airstrip was different too for filming since the actual Haleiwa was overgrown and unavailable in 1969. I think they used one of the runways at Bellows for this scene. Anyone know for a fact?

[p51]

The one time we drive past there, I marveled how close the road would have been to this scene as it was taking place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS_da33g5ac
How could there not have been a massive traffic jam during the filming? Or did they just block the road off at that time?

[Jerry O'Neill]

The location for the airstrip was different too for filming since the actual Haleiwa was overgrown and unavailable in 1969. I think they used one of the runways at Bellows for this scene. Anyone know for a fact?

Chris, It was filmed on the SW side of Wheeler Field. An old dirt airstrip. Hard to miss on Google Earth.
Jerry

[Chris Brame]

This first scene in interesting as it shows the B-17's used in the film lined up with Mock-up P-40's being destroyed. I'm thinking this was some kind of rehearsal, albeit a bit risky.

That shot is in the movie, but from a lower angle; it's in the airfield attack scene right after Neville Brand says "Well, try the radio again!":

[Steve Nelson]

As I recall, the carrier deck scenes were filmed in Japan on a mockup deck (aside from the takeoffs filmed aboard USS Constellation.) I seem to recall that only a couple of Zero replicas were actually shipped to Japan, and the scenes shot there were "filled out" with standard AT-6s. The one with the "folded" wings was probably a non-flyable aircraft used as background dressing.

SN

[Steve Nelson]

Slight correction, it looks like at least one "Kate" replica was sent to Japan for the deck scenes. It's hard to tell, but it appears most of the aircraft in the background are standard AT-6s with three-blade props. These are just some screencaps I scrounged up online.



In this scene on the hangar deck, the aircraft also appear to be standard Texans with Japanese paint jobs.





And here, as Fuchida's squadron mates welcome him aboard, more stock AT-6s with Japanese markings. Note that Fuchida landed in one of the replica Zeros, painted overall silver.





SN

[CoastieJohn]

I noticed the plane in the background has a longer prop spinner than the one in the foreground.