A bridge to far

And the same aircraft as FW-190a’s,from a Bridge to far.

Love the “Zerovard”, AA. 

Have tried searching for info on the Blanik but, other than the fact it was flown by John Cardiff, I’ve found nothing more.

 According to Wikipedia the Blanik was loaned by a member of the London Gliding Club which must narrow it down a bit.  

‘Zerovard’ F-AZZM, Cholet, 19 September 2019.

From A Soldier of Orange. Somebody got a lot of mileage out of those Harvard conversations.

Came across this nice shot of one as a P-47.

By: Mothminor – 10th July 2023 at 14:09

I think it’s Empire of The Sun, AA. F-AZDK?

The one I saw, MM, was F-AZZM, at Cholet in 2019. I’ll dig out and post a photograph of it.

I’m not sure that I am as the one I saw is/was on the French historic aircraft register. But I suppose that it may have started life on the other side of the pond before coming to Europe.

I think it’s Empire of The Sun, AA. F-AZDK?

Some years ago I came across the actual ‘bombs’ used in the movie shots. They were emptied fire bottles with fins welded on and painted camo. One was kept by the Harvard crews as a souvenir… Incidently, most of the Daks and the Auster used in A Bridge Too Far are also still about. Does anybody know which Blanik was used for glider shots in the UK?

By: Aerotony – 9th July 2023 at 17:28

You’re probably thinking of Tora, Tora, Tora.

I’m not sure that I am as the one I saw is/was on the French historic aircraft register. But I suppose that it may have started life on the other side of the pond before coming to Europe.

I did build a model of the Harvard as a Typhoon.  Will find a photo of it later.

As for a Harvard playing a Zero – they did so in the film God Is My Co-pilot, where they simply had the rear portion of the canopy painted grey and the traditional Japanese “meatballs” added.

I found 3 more photo’s. They kind of have a demented Hellcat look about them.

Which also had T-6/SNJs converted to “Kates” 

You’re probably thinking of Tora, Tora, Tora.

….. and then there’s the Harvard that pretends to be a Zero. Presumably it had a film rôle, but I don’t know in which film.

With those proportions (short and rather fat), I think they look a bit like Wiildcats.  🙂

Still they are a bit more fun than stock examples.

All I could find on the interweb. It would make an interesting model project if colour photos could be found.

The Harvards stood in for USAAF P-47s in early scenes in the movie, Duggy. The latest info I can find would suggest that 3 of them (PH-KLU; PH-LSK and PH-IIB) are still in the Netherlands and at least two are, or were till recently, in flying condition. They are all back to normal having lost the movie modifications somewhere along the way.

Sadly one of the four (PH-BKT) was involved in a fatal crash some years ago.

Thanks I thought it was a bit strange calling them P-47’s, as they only served in Asia and the Med with the RAF.

They played Thunderbolts, Typhoons and Fw190s (although I think those scenes were cut, but were later recycled for the film Soldier of Orange).