Tora, Tora, Tora SBD Wind Machines & P-40 Mock-up photos

[Fearless Tower]

Note the canopy framing without plexiglass on the P-40 mockup; it's probably the one used for the process shots in the dogfight sequence. (The airliner behind it is the DC-6 "jetliner" from Fate Is the Hunter; also used in the "Crime Wave" episode of The Green Hornet.)

That is an awesome photo! Any idea whatever became of the Fate is the Hunter DC-6?

[Jerry O'Neill]

I believe the Empire State Air Museum in NY has the Akagi model and the Nevada was on display for many years on the USS Intrepid. It's not on display now.
I think the SBD flying at POF might have been one of those wind machines, but I'm not sure.
Jerry

[RMAllnutt]

Warbirds Directory 5 (2008) lists three MGM Douglas SBD/A-24 Wind Machines

RA-24B 42-54593 - now with Kevin Smith (the directory is mistaken when it lists this as having been at MAPS ... it was never there during the time period listed, as I know for a fact it was in Fredericksburg, VA when I used to work on it between 1997 and 2005)

A-24B 42-54643 - Kermit Weeks (one of the complete fuselages)

A-24B 42-54654 - Midway Museum (on loan from Tallichet estate I believe) fully restored

Cheers,
Richard

The directory doesn't list any other MGM SBD/A-24 wind machines, but that doesn't mean there weren't any.

[b747cf]

Here is Kermits ex wind machine.


Mark Fidler

[Dan Jones]

That's an interesting looking propeller on the SBD. Does anybody know what it normally would have been on?

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

That's an interesting looking propeller on the SBD. Does anybody know what it normally would have been on?

Looks like a AD-4 prop !

[Fearless Tower]

That's an interesting looking propeller on the SBD. Does anybody know what it normally would have been on?

Looks like a AD-4 prop !

Looks kind of small in diamete for an AD-4.

Notice there is no hub - probably a makeshift fixed pitch prop put on for the wind machine, not a constant speed prop.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Prop is a Curtiss SC-1 propeller. I believe most of the SBD/A-24 wind machines had them as fans.

Also, I notice the red "4" on the side of Kermit's airframe. Since the one in the photo I posted has a "3", it's a good chance it's not the same airframe.
Jerry

Last edited by Jerry O'Neill on Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Steve Nelson]

I'm sure I've probably posted this before, but this seems like an appropriate thread. This is an article in an old AAHS Journal I stumbled across a few years ago. Some great info on the conversions.

SN

[JohnB]

That is an awesome photo! Any idea whatever became of the Fate is the Hunter DC-6?

Great question. I was surprised to see the intact plane in the Green Hornet episode when one of the cable networks replayed them a couple of years back.
I'd always assumed it was cut up for the crash scene.

If you seach for Fate is the Hunter DC-6 film notes in the various "Airplane movie" books, all you can find is a comment that the crash site was so realistic, an inbound jetliner reported it to LAX.
I have a press kit for the film and it says after a few days, they painted an orange cross on the set to stop reports. Appearently the night crash response scene took four days of shooting.

The press kit also mentions that the CBI scenes wwere filmed at Pacoima airport and the C-54 used was MacArthur's personal plane (not sure if I believe that).
The Fairchild was owned by "old airplane enthusiast Gil Maxwell" and the WWII technical advisor was retired Major Ernie Dryer.

[cooper9411]

I'm sure I've probably posted this before, but this seems like an appropriate thread. This is an article in an old AAHS Journal I stumbled across a few years ago. Some great info on the conversions.

SN










Thanks Steve. I never get tired of reading this story

[Chris Brame]

The press kit also mentions that the CBI scenes wwere filmed at Pacoima airport and the C-54 used was MacArthur's personal plane (not sure if I believe that).

Actually, it looks like the story may be true. MacArthur's VC-54E, Bataan II, was s/n 44-9027. The plane in the movie, besides its OD paint scheme, had "25V" on the nose gear door. I figured this might be the last 3 of the N-number, and with a check of the Douglas Production List site, I found this:

27253 C-54E-1-DO DO199 44-9027 N5525V OB-R-847 [WFU]

Baugher's listing adds that it ended up with Faucett in Peru. As to the DC-6 at Fox, who knows? I bet it didn't leave the studio backlot in one piece... more like a jillion pieces...

[cwmc]

The ex-ARCO DC-3 on a plinth at Santa Monica was a Hap Arnold airplane. (It's rotting in place because of corporate legal attitudes forbid sale as a flying airplane. Much like the South Mountain HS ex-Garret On-Mark Marksman.)
Chris...