Tora! Tora! Tora!

[Streetrod]

I have just watched this film for the first since I was lucky enough to attend the premier in London as a child, what a great movie.

I have a question for all you film buffs, most of the ships being distroyed very models but the attacks on the airfields appeared to use real planes. Can anyone please confirm if they really blew up that many Kittyhawks and Catalina flying boats?

This movie was made long before the joys of CGI and some of those stunt men appeared to get away with their lives by the skin of their teeth.

Also the footage of the B 17 landing on one wheel looked too real to be a model, was it?

Edited by Streetrod on Monday 28th September 19:32

[Big Al.]

Agree great film always watch it when it rolls around on the box.

Looking forward to the next time it's shown I can see it on my 50" plasma.

[ninja-lewis]

The B-17 crash landing was unintentional I think and they just included the footage in the final cut.

They probably used wood or fibreglass full scale models for the aircraft blown up on the ground. Perhaps with a small engine and prop to give the appearance of being real.

[nick heppinstall]

Talking of mockups ..... Have a google for Dambusters and have a look at the full size Lanc that Weta have made for Jacksons forthcoming remake ....

[FourWheelDrift]

Streetrod said:

I have a question for all you film buffs, most of the ships being distroyed very models but the attacks on the airfields appeared to use real planes. Can anyone please confirm if they really blew up that many Kittyhawks and Catalina flying boats?

Japanese Val, Kate and Zeros were modified T6 Texan and Vultee BT-13 Valiants.

US Aircraft, 2 original P-40s for flying with 5 B-17s and some Catalinas.
All aircraft blown up on the ground were fibreglass replicas.

Original B-17s used where:-
B-17F 42-29782 (N17W)
B-17G 44-83563 (N9563Z)
B-17G 44-85574 (N621L)
B-17G 44-85828 (N3193G)
B-17G 44-85840 (N620L)

As above the B-17 (B-17G 44-85574) crash was unintentional but kept in the film. This aircraft returned to the air as a tanker but was later destroyed in a fatal crash in July 1975.

[Streetrod]

FourWheelDrift said:

Streetrod said:

I have a question for all you film buffs, most of the ships being distroyed very models but the attacks on the airfields appeared to use real planes. Can anyone please confirm if they really blew up that many Kittyhawks and Catalina flying boats?

Japanese Val, Kate and Zeros were modified T6 Texan and Vultee BT-13 Valiants.

US Aircraft, 2 original P-40s for flying with 5 B-17s and some Catalinas.
All aircraft blown up on the ground were fibreglass replicas.

Original B-17s used where:-
B-17F 42-29782 (N17W)
B-17G 44-83563 (N9563Z)
B-17G 44-85574 (N621L)
B-17G 44-85828 (N3193G)
B-17G 44-85840 (N620L)

As above the B-17 (B-17G 44-85574) crash was unintentional but kept in the film. This aircraft returned to the air as a tanker but was later destroyed in a fatal crash in July 1975.

This is why I love PH, where else could you get this kind of info, thanks a lot

Hats off to the special effects guys as those aircraft looked very real as did the pilots before they wer blown up whilst taxiing down the runway