Anyone remember these aircraft documentaries
Discussion
I'd like to see these programs again but can't find any trace of them on the web.
The first was from the mid eighties and I think it was a channel 4 program. An American aircraft restorer found and restored a Japanese Zero fighter. He also had plans to build a cheap, robust fighter but the US government wouldn't take his idea seriously.
The second was more recent and was actually two programs split by about 3-4 years. A group of aircraft restorers were trying to fly an abandoned B52 off a remote frozen lake. They had swapped all four engines and were trying to fly it out.
I'd love to watch them again, anyone remember them?
The first was from the mid eighties and I think it was a channel 4 program. An American aircraft restorer found and restored a Japanese Zero fighter. He also had plans to build a cheap, robust fighter but the US government wouldn't take his idea seriously.
The second was more recent and was actually two programs split by about 3-4 years. A group of aircraft restorers were trying to fly an abandoned B52 off a remote frozen lake. They had swapped all four engines and were trying to fly it out.
I'd love to watch them again, anyone remember them?
The second was more recent and was actually two programs split by about 3-4 years. A group of aircraft restorers were trying to fly an abandoned B52 off a remote frozen lake. They had swapped all four engines and were trying to fly it out.
Think you may be on about B-29 "kee bird" they were trying to fly it out of greenland and something caught fire on taxi/take off
wrote the aircraft off completely
Think you may be on about B-29 "kee bird" they were trying to fly it out of greenland and something caught fire on taxi/take off
wrote the aircraft off completely
Yep, I remember the first... in fact I have it on videotape somewhere.
He was working on the not unreasonable premise that when them Damn Ruskies invaded over the Alaskan tundra, you'd be better off with several hundred thousand cheap, expendible ground attack aircraft rather than a few hundred highly sophisticated jets to stem the tide.
You can't really blame the US government for not supporting him, though, when he couldn't even get the thing to leave the ground!
My recollection is that when the CAA finally gave him a permit to test fly the thing (on the condition that he kept it pointed in the opposite direction from any human habitation he might crash on top of), he trundled off down the airfield with his odd friend the overbite and the milk-bottle-bottom glasses in hot pursuit in his home-built 3-wheeler, gradually picking up speed until a wheel fell off the plane and wrecked it...
He was working on the not unreasonable premise that when them Damn Ruskies invaded over the Alaskan tundra, you'd be better off with several hundred thousand cheap, expendible ground attack aircraft rather than a few hundred highly sophisticated jets to stem the tide.
You can't really blame the US government for not supporting him, though, when he couldn't even get the thing to leave the ground!
My recollection is that when the CAA finally gave him a permit to test fly the thing (on the condition that he kept it pointed in the opposite direction from any human habitation he might crash on top of), he trundled off down the airfield with his odd friend the overbite and the milk-bottle-bottom glasses in hot pursuit in his home-built 3-wheeler, gradually picking up speed until a wheel fell off the plane and wrecked it...
Sam_68 said:
Yep, I remember the first... in fact I have it on videotape somewhere.
He was working on the not unreasonable premise that when them Damn Ruskies invaded over the Alaskan tundra, you'd be better off with several hundred thousand cheap, expendible ground attack aircraft rather than a few hundred highly sophisticated jets to stem the tide.
You can't really blame the US government for not supporting him, though, when he couldn't even get the thing to leave the ground!
My recollection is that when the CAA finally gave him a permit to test fly the thing (on the condition that he kept it pointed in the opposite direction from any human habitation he might crash on top of), he trundled off down the airfield with his odd friend the overbite and the milk-bottle-bottom glasses in hot pursuit in his home-built 3-wheeler, gradually picking up speed until a wheel fell off the plane and wrecked it...
Yes, that's the one. Strange guy, on the one hand seemed quite nuts with his cheap fighter plane idea but on the other hand and absolute engineering god when seen restoring the Zero. He was working on the not unreasonable premise that when them Damn Ruskies invaded over the Alaskan tundra, you'd be better off with several hundred thousand cheap, expendible ground attack aircraft rather than a few hundred highly sophisticated jets to stem the tide.
You can't really blame the US government for not supporting him, though, when he couldn't even get the thing to leave the ground!
My recollection is that when the CAA finally gave him a permit to test fly the thing (on the condition that he kept it pointed in the opposite direction from any human habitation he might crash on top of), he trundled off down the airfield with his odd friend the overbite and the milk-bottle-bottom glasses in hot pursuit in his home-built 3-wheeler, gradually picking up speed until a wheel fell off the plane and wrecked it...
Flipatron said:
I'd like to see these programs again but can't find any trace of them on the web.
The first was from the mid eighties and I think it was a channel 4 program. An American aircraft restorer found and restored a Japanese Zero fighter. He also had plans to build a cheap, robust fighter but the US government wouldn't take his idea seriously.
The second was more recent and was actually two programs split by about 3-4 years. A group of aircraft restorers were trying to fly an abandoned B52 off a remote frozen lake. They had swapped all four engines and were trying to fly it out.
I'd love to watch them again, anyone remember them?
The first one is/was a guy called Bod Demart (Robert Diemer?) (or something like that with the surname). The Japanese aircraft was indeed a Zero (still flying today, although with an American engine) and the second was the "Defender" The first was from the mid eighties and I think it was a channel 4 program. An American aircraft restorer found and restored a Japanese Zero fighter. He also had plans to build a cheap, robust fighter but the US government wouldn't take his idea seriously.
The second was more recent and was actually two programs split by about 3-4 years. A group of aircraft restorers were trying to fly an abandoned B52 off a remote frozen lake. They had swapped all four engines and were trying to fly it out.
I'd love to watch them again, anyone remember them?
Edited by Jimbo. on Saturday 8th November 21:53
Edited by Jimbo. on Saturday 8th November 21:58
Jimbo. said:
The first one is/was a guy called Bod Bemart (or something like that). The Japanese aircraft was indeed a Zero (still flying today, although with an American engine) and the second was the "Defender"
Bob Diemert... that was his name.And the Defender/Zero were both the first progamme... it had two 'threads', one about the restoration of the Zero (basically a complete build of a new plane form original drawings, 'cos the wreck of the Zero they recovered from the jungle had very few salvageable parts), the other about the design and construction of the 'Defender' low cost ground attack aircraft.
I remember seeing the first one with Bob Diemart. He restored and flew one of the Hurricane's in the film The Battle of Britain. Also showed him bringing back a Zero from some jungle airstrip. The main focus of the show was his attempt to build an aircraft for the Canandian government to purchase over the F-18. It was almost a spoof show and people didn't know if it was a clever send-up, or he really did think they were going to purchase an aircraft made from wood in a shed over the then new F-18.
http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/medias.p...
http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/medias.p...
Edited by Mr_B on Saturday 8th November 22:22
Hi guys, the documentary is called THE DEFENDER and it's about Bob Diemert.
It can be viewed online here: http://onf-nfb.gc.ca/en/our-collection/?idfilm=176...
The main website is here: http://onf-nfb.gc.ca
Have fun!
It can be viewed online here: http://onf-nfb.gc.ca/en/our-collection/?idfilm=176...
The main website is here: http://onf-nfb.gc.ca
Have fun!
the b-29 was the "kee bird" and there js a documentary available on dvd which tells the sad story of the attempt to rescue it.
i seem to remember the fire was caused by some sort of portable generator being used to power some of the auxilliary systems during the attempted take-off. really sad as would have been great to have another airworthy b-29
i seem to remember the fire was caused by some sort of portable generator being used to power some of the auxilliary systems during the attempted take-off. really sad as would have been great to have another airworthy b-29
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