"Island in the Sky", the movie

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:22 am

Anyone else agree with me when I say there are some great flying scenes in this movie? I wonder if any of the DC-3's used in the film are still around.

Nathan · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:41 am

That was a great movie! I watch it everytime its on.

valdez25 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:11 am

Look closely at the bottom of the wings of the 3's/47's used in the movie and you can see TWA painted out.

b29flteng · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:29 pm

Great movie, I have it on DVD whenever I need a fix.....

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:19 pm

Dads favorite book, yep I watch it!!

skybolt2003 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:35 pm

I especially love the scenes with Andy Devine and his 'labor saving' devices. The mechanical fingers to tune the radios. clothes pins for the cigarette holders-he had some others I think. Good stuff

B25PBYGUY · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:36 am

Each of the films Ernie Gann was directly involved with turned out well.
Particularly, those events depicted that he was involved in personally. His characters were always the real people.

There's still something about his printed word and the transparency with which he is able to compose that makes the printed page come more to life than the films based on his books. At least for me.

My favorite writings are by him is Fate is the Hunter, Ernest K. Gann's Flying Circus, and A Hostage to Fortune.
Ernie was kind enough to inscribe a copy of "Fate" to me during my DC-3 freight hauling days. Flying 3's and 4's made those books come to life for me and provided direct insight to the nuances contained in his printed words.
Over the years, at QB meetings and what not, I met guys from that era that flew with Ernie. They related some interesting tales about him, but most importantly, to me, confirmed he was indeed an "airman".

Those who may have read "Old Number One" from Flying Circus, will realize the difference.

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 746

I just finished "Fate is the Hunter", and I totally loved it. Being experienced with the C-54, I felt like I could see everything going on in the cockpits as Gann told his story.

I didn't understand the "Unporting" issue with the C-54 in the last chapter. It seemed to me that Gann was saying if the elevator hinge pin breaks, the balance end of the elevator could rise into the slipstream thus resulting in the force of the air overpowering any control inputs, rendering the elevators useless and points them down, therefore resulting in a crash...

Did I read that right?

Also, after being involved with the C-54 for 14 years and dealing with people, I can totally understand how a guy like "Capt." Dudley got as far as he did on his stories. The part of that I dont get is the man bailed on the airline after the FAA gave him a checkride. How did he ever get to Captain if he hadnt had a checkride before? Is "Dudley" his real name? What ever happened to him?

Anyway, I loved the book, and plan to read more Gann stuff when I can.

Kevin

gilt · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:53 pm

Kevin-

Gann is a GREAT writer but not an engineer, I think what he called unporting was actually flutter, the DC-6 had an additional elevator hinge added to eliminate flutter.

The "Howard" that he refers to is Benny Howard who at that time was a Douglas Test Pilot/Engineer.

Tom-

B25PBYGUY · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:51 pm

The "unporting" referred to by the engineer in the book is flutter.
The early 4's had ill designed elevator hinges that would be re-designed due to tendency to flutter. As I recall in the book, Gann's airplanes suffered a loss of a hinge bolt, exacerbating the tendency.

I believe the early 6's saw this re-appear and an additional hinge was added near the tip to dampen the vibration that became flutter upwards of Vne.

While the 4's, 6's, and 7's, shared the same wing (save tip washout and material from 24st on the 4 /75st on the 6/7), the empennages were seperate designs. Maybe someone else here can elaborate more.

Ernie said that all the names in Fate (in the book he mentions only he will know which names are real) were actual except one. I dont know whom the "one" would be.

Gann left American for Matson (following Chief pilot Sloniger) and thats where this issue with the 4 occurred.

As for Dudley, back in those days I would wager it was much easier to be an imposter.
I recall Eastern had a Capt. who had been found operating all along with a just Private certificate.

Most of us with experience could have a short conversation, if not about a specific airplane, maybe about a powerplant, and spot these folks instantly.

Gann believed the DC-4 to be Douglas's masterpiece. Thats probably true, but the only Doug's I'm typed in are the 3 and 4.

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 746

OK. That makes sense now..

I was looking at AD's to see what issues were with the hinge pin couldn't find it. Anyone know the AD # pertaining to this?

Kevin

gilt · **Posted:** Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:34 am

FYI-

Elevator Hinge AD
http://www8.landings.com/cgi-bin/get_fi ... 33-01.html

Trim Tab AD
http://www8.landings.com/cgi-bin/get_fi ... 06-05.html

Bainbridge Acicdent
http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 19470530-0

http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 19470530-0

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 746

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

Kevin

Ken · **Posted:** Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:25 pm

In either FITH or IITS Gann mentions an Army pilot named Catchings who looked more like a banker than a pilot - and after whom they named Mount Catchings - a bald peak found during the search for O'Connor. His son was a career pilot, incuding F-4's in Vietnam. I went to college with Catchings' grandson and now have the pleasure of flying in the same AF Reserve unit with him as well. He loaned me IITS for the first time in 1990. And from his looks, I'm guessing he carries on the family resemblance quite well. :roll:

I think Gann captures the essence of worldwide flying better than anyone. In fact, his obseravtions on people and machinery are nearly timeless. His work is so well crafted that there is not a single wasted sentence. If you're enjoying it and unintentionally start to speed ahead it's a great disservice.

Ken

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:57 pm

I could read 'A Hostage To Fortune' three or four times a year. I've always loved how Gann put pen to paper.

Scott

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"Island in the Sky", the movie

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