Hells Angels Parachute Incidents

Stuart H Murphy was Stuart Herbert Murphy Born: April 27, 1906. Died: December 8, 1997 ex US Air Force Reserve O-288554. His last aviation job was a corporate pilot for Standard Oil of New Jersey.

No wing struts missing on that Travel Air, the camera angle is just lined up with the N struts, and the “extra” strut is the aileron actuating strut.
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I believe I got mine from Amazon a few years back. Very interesting book.

Aha, backs up the theory it’s a Lincoln Page.
Incidentally, where can I get a copy of that book? I’d rather like one.

The book The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood’s Classic Aviation Movies doesn’t make a mention of a collision with an SE5a – only a crash following an engine failure.

I am pretty sure the report is accurate That it is a Lincoln Page, based on the just visible tail plane strut, the design of the tailskid and the wheel designed. The only other planes that could have had covered wheels were the SE5s or a Curtiss Jenny but the SE5s have a different tailskid design and no solid tail struts (at least which I can recall from film stills and from watching the film). The Jennys used were not painted white or any light colour which rules them out so I’m pretty sure it’s a Lincoln Page.

Jenny:

http://www.impdb.org/images/1/12/HA_Jenny_TM-S4C.jpg

SE5s:

http://www.impdb.org/images/6/68/HA_RAF_SE5a.jpg

Lincoln Page:

http://www.aerofiles.com/lincpage-LP3.jpg

All

Thanks

I would like to add that the reference to “Wichita Fokker” clinches it for the Reed aircraft. I had not realised the significance, Reed was interviewed about the incident in the May 1931 issue of Aero Digest. He claimed he was flying a Fokker and the picture above was posted. The interviewer obviously knew his aircraft as he said “I almost forget what a Fokker D VII looks like, but this one seems to have lost its German accent. I guess it’s one of those Wichita Fokkers you often
encounter in the movies. ” – the answer was there all the time, had I known what a “Wichita Fokker” was (I do now!)

So Travel Air 2000 it is then, and yes Southern Air99 I am still looking for the ID for the lower wreckage – but based on the accident report which I now know to be at least 50% accurate it is probably a Lincoln Page

Kind Regards

Paul

On closer inspection, the fuselage struts are indeed N or reverse N shape as on the Travel Air.

As suggested the wing strut is missing half through damage.

apologies for the hasty highlighting.

The top one is a Travel Air …. which was why they converted some travel airs to play the German machines in background .

No, they used Travel Airs to play Fokkers because of the shape of their tails.
For years Travel Airs were called “Wichita Fokkers”.

While I agree the wing struts look correct for a Travel Air if you remove the back half of the wing strut, (because of damage?), the fuselage struts don’t look correct. They too should be an “N”.

Are you still looking for the ID for the lower wreckage?

SouthernAero

Thanks for confirming Reed on the Travel Air this playing the “German” it ties in with what he himself said 3 years later but contradicts a 1977 article by another pilot involved

Looks like Stuart H Murphy who I can’t 100% I’d at the moment but who I have idea who be might be was playing the British pilot

Paul

The top one is a Travel Air because the struts are too thin to be and SE5, more like a Fokkers, which was why they converted some travel airs to play the German machines in background shots I think and the cowling looks right to be a Travel Air. The prop also looks similar to the ones in pictures of the type used in the film.