Pearl Harbor Movie P-40 Prop

Sean Curtiss · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:38 pm

On top of making the worst war movie, they even got the P-40 variant wrong. There where no 'Ns' in 1941. Couldn't they have researched more?
(Well, my girlfriend at the time loved it, because it was a romantic movie. And Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous!)

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TAdan · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:42 pm

That would look awsome in my front yard!

retroaviation · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:07 pm

Or my back yard. :wink:

Gary

blurrkup · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:10 pm

They most probably had to make the props the same variant as the flying versions they used in the film other wise it might have looked even worse.

CWBuff · **Joined:** Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:14 am **Posts:** 854

blurrkup wrote:

They most probably had to make the props the same variant as the flying versions they used in the film other wise it might have looked even worse.

Dead on, that's precisely why they did it.

My cousin was still working for Universal Studios when these things were being distributed to their parks around the world,
and knowing that I was into airplanes she asked me if I wanted one. I think she was half serious, too... LOL

They sure are ugly but I guess I could stand one in the back yard.

Fade to Black...

gtokid · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:57 pm

The Pearl Harbor movie was actually produced by Touchstone/Walt Disney Pictures, not Universal. Sean's picture appears to have been taken at Disney's MGM Studios when the P-40's were on display on the back lot tour attraction. The tour also featured Disney's Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I (N234MM, c/n 121), a Lockheed Lodestar (N1000G, c/n 18-2562), mock-ups of the Blue Thunder helicopter & gyo-copter from the Rocketeer, and a replica Gee-Bee from the Rocketeer. It's been a couple of years since I've been on the tour, so it's possible that it's changed some.

Todd

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:57 pm

Here is a picture of one that is in slightly better shape.

CWBuff · **Joined:** Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:14 am **Posts:** 854

gtokid wrote:

The Pearl Harbor movie was actually produced by Touchstone/Walt Disney Pictures, not Universal.

Yeah, that's my bad... my cousin worked for Disney and then Universal... I always mix 'em up...

Fade to Black...

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:08 pm

When I was working with the "Kingdom of The Crystal Skull" crew, one of them came into our hangar and saw the "Pearl Harbor" P-40 mock up backed into the corner and he said "holly crap, I built that." He thought that most of them had been destroyed. They are actually fairly well built compared to some of the mock-ups I have seen made for movies.

Ryan

Bluedharma · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:23 pm

I thought they used the P40-E in Nampa Idaho.
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N94466.html
or at least they took pictures of Ben Affleck in it.
Not a prop... but for the movie posters?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:37 pm

So how many were built for the filming? 15, 20? And where are they all now? I can think of 4! So theres more out there to be found! :wink:

What i would like to know is, are there any of the original P-40 mock ups from Tora Tora Tora still around? Those were built solid!

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:32 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

What i would like to know is, are there any of the original P-40 mock ups from Tora Tora Tora still around? Those were built solid!

Yes, there's one at Wheeler Field on Oahu

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:42 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

What i would like to know is, are there any of the original P-40 mock ups from Tora Tora Tora still around? Those were built solid!

Chris;
I think the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island had one for a few years. (they may still have it) and I know there was one used in "1941". It was rebuilt (twice!) for the scene where Belushi crashes onto Hollywood Blvd.
It seems the stunt screwed up the first time and the aircraft didn't get enough speed off the launch ramp and it pancaked flat and very short of the target marks for the cameras. I don't know if that one is still around.
Jerry

maxum96 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:36 am

Warbird Kid wrote:

So how many were built for the filming? 15, 20? And where are they all now? I can think of 4! So theres more out there to be found! :wink:

What i would like to know is, are there any of the original P-40 mock ups from Tora Tora Tora still around? Those were built solid!

Is the mockup P-40 on the pole at March Field a Tora bird? It's definitely not a Pearl Harbor mock up as it's been up on the pole long before that movie was made.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:44 am

...and, are these better or worse than the fabric covered, Chevrolet straight 6 powered ones in John Waynes epic 'Flying Tigers' when the Army had 67,000 P-40's all over Southern California, but wouldn't lend some to REPULSIVE...Er..REPUBLIC Studios for filming????

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Pearl Harbor Movie P-40 Prop

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