Dive Bomber – 1941

Can’t say that the web site is absolute ‘gospel’ but it has always seemed pretty accurate to me.
Phil.

Thanks DaveM2. I guess it makes sense being a Ryan, but I’d never seen a single seat one before, especially in RAF camouflage.

I’ll keep an eye out for those films, thanks Dan.

Whalebone, wow, there’s more lsted there than I noticed. I’ll watch harder next time around.

Lifted from here, an informative site. http://www.coastcomp.com/av/fltline2/avmovie.htm

“Dive Bomber
1941 *v
USN- E. Flynn; Pilot solves altitude flying problems. Original Colour! Shot at NAS North Island in 1941, and on ENTERPRISE, including the entire Air Wing in one shot.

Types include VB-3, VB-6 on Vought SB2U Vindicators, NAF N3N-3’s from RNAS Long Beach. VS-6 Curtiss SBC-4’s Helldivers, Brewster F2A Buffalo of VT-3, Douglas TBD-1 Devastators, VB-5, VB-6 on Northrop BT-1.
Apparently the new Wildcats and Dauntlesses were kept out of the scenes.

Curtiss Seagull SOC’s, PBY Catalinas, PB2Y Coronado, Vought OS2U Kingfisher VF-6 Grumman F3F-2/3’s. Background NA SNJ-3’s, Douglas Dauntless, Grumman Duck Travel Air (“N3N”), Lockheed 10, Ryan STA (“RAF Fighter”). Seversky mock-up from “Test Pilot”. F3F-3 Mock-up from “Flight Command”. Models. Written by ex-Navy pilot Spig Wead.”

Check out “Test Pilot” with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. It’s Black and White but they do some filming around and in one of the early B17s. Some good inflight stuff of that plane.

Throw in “Air Force” with John Garfield and you get more then your share of early shark fin B17 film as that one is based around a B17C named “Mary Ann”

And of course “A Guy Named Joe” has some good early model P38 flying.

Dan

RAF ‘Fighter’ is a Ryan

Dave

The film would be awesome on DVD, great colour and sound on video though already.

Are there any Devastators still flying? They are not bad aircraft seeing them in the film.

Does anyone know of other dramatic films made in WWII in full colour like this? The colour really brings them to life and they are as good as documentary footage like The Memphis Belle. I doubt that the military co-operated as much after Pearl Harbor though (the attack, not the film!)

Hey Dave,
I agree, it is a great movie.
Does anyone know if it was released on DVD ?

Cheers
TNZ

Hi

afraid not

Martin

Hey Dave,
I agree, it is a great movie.
Does anyone know if it was released on DVD ?

Cheers
TNZ

Having watched more, this film is totally awesome. It’s about a Flight Surgeon, Errol Flynn, who is trying to solve the mysteries of G-force blackouts, and then altitude sickness.

As well as Devastators, Buffaloes and Grumman F3F’s, there is an absolute abundance of Stearmans, Harvards and a Beech 45 (or is it a 60) which they actually put into a spin!

And there is something that is meant to be an RAF fighter that is being ferried from a US factory to Canada for transporting to Britain. Does anyone know what the heck it is? Ut’s tiny, has a big radial, low won held on with cable struts, and a tiny open cockpit. It looks like a 1930’s racer in RAF colours.

I’m amazed I’d never heard of this movie before, especially in warbirds circles. It has a hige amount of aircraft, some awesome flyng and special effects as good as anything in films made 30 years later. It also has a great story, good acting, some pretty nice dames, a little swing music, some great comedy mixed in with the drama… the lot. And it looks like it could have been filmed yesterday for most of it as far as film stock quality and colour.

I highly recommend it.