Were you a teenager in the 1980s? (beware – eggbeater content!)

nothing survives of blue thunder. Last I heard the mockup at Disney was scrapped due to advanced corrosion. Flew like a pig anyway. Airwolf actually flew better with the mods!

Yes, so I’ve heard. But to be fair, the Blue Thunder flying helicopters (there were two..plus a studio mock up, which might be the photo as linked above) were permanent modifications, whereas the Airwolf was a cosmetic package that allowed the Bell 222 (a very expensive helicopter) to return to a stock configuration. That’s the difference between a movie and TV budgets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LfGvVQnlG8

The ‘wolf wins…..

Bit of a sad end to Blue Thunder – however from what I can recall reading the modified gazelle was ridiculously nose heavy and flew like a bungalow…

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBlue_Thunder_(TV_series)&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=D8VwZ0BlD50xWM&tbnh=194&tbnw=259&zoom=1&docid=V1JEAIPnIESx8M&ei=EK3GUumEGIXQhAfHpYCADQ&ved=0CAQQsCUoAQ

I prefer Blue Thunder 🙂

Airwolf was real?

As real as Dr. Who.

Airwolf was real? Blimey – surprised it wasn’t used more widely by the US Military.

It was but was classified – being a Mach-2 capabable attack helicopter with the most powerful arsenal in the air…. 🙂 I think fair play to this lot – its a bit of fun and why shouldnt they have a bash at making a few quid – I think it looks cool!

I saw the real Airwolf in May or June 1984 at Van Nuys Airport.

Airwolf was real? Blimey – surprised it wasn’t used more widely by the US Military.

indeed the only thing that ever got me slightly perturbed was in a US Army Chinook when he forced the helicopter down through the tree tops until just the rotors were skimming the tops.

Those Wokka-jockeys certainly enjoy getting close to terra firma. On the way back from my grandmother’s funeral, we were all startled by one that rose out of nowhere and flew alongside the road in front of us. If I tell you that the funeral was at Cambridge Crem, those who know Cambridgeshire will appreciate just how low he must have been!

Adrian

There’s an Airwolf replica in a US museum. The modified parts were made from molds taken from the original parts. Very accurate replica 🙂

Yep, she is displayed at the The air Museum of Tennessee in Sevierville. (at least she was in 2010).

(photo will follow soon..)

No different to the Spitfire air to air from a helicopter and the possibility of getting some good air to air shots too, plus in a Helicopter you can do low level….. Nap of the earth is fun, indeed the only thing that ever got me slightly perturbed was in a US Army Chinook when he forced the helicopter down through the tree tops until just the rotors were skimming the tops.

I saw the real Airwolf in May or June 1984 at Van Nuys Airport. I just stopped in at the Bell Service Center and asked to see it. They only let me out on the ramp, with escort, after I showed them my military ID card.
Impressive machine, the added on bits were well done. It’s color was not black, but a metallic green-black.

All my photos are in 35mm slides, I did have one turned into a large format negative. They came out only okay, it was about noon and the light was all wrong. I have a huge 3′ by 2′ framed print of it in my garage workshop.

No thanks, flingwings are not my cup of tea!

According to another Pilot that flew helicopters for many TV SHOWS & MOVIES, inc AIRWOLF…. Charles “Chuck” Tambruro , there was a fatal crash on the set ….Im afraid I cant recall what the name of the pilot involved was……

From Google…..

“On Friday the 18th of January 1985 during filming of the Airwolf-episode ‘Natural Born’, one of the Bell 205 Huey helicopters seen in that episode crashed – killing famed stuntman Reid Rondell. Reid came from a long line of stuntmen – he was third generation.”

“THIS HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN WHILE CIRCLING AT A LOW ALTITUDE. IT WAS FOLLOWING ANOTHER HELICOPTER IN A CLOCKWISE CIRCULAR PATTERN AT THE TIME, AND BEING FILMED FOR THE T.V. SERIES “AIRWOLF”. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER DECENDING IN THE FINAL TURN, INSTEAD OF LEVELING OFF, UNTIL IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE GROUND. AS IT APPROACHED A SMALL KNOLL GROUND CONTACT OCCURRED. THE ENGINE WAS HEARD RUNNING FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER IMPACT. POST IMPACT FIRE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE DEATH OF THE PASSENGER.”

It’s just a fancy bit of advertising with a 222 in a two tone paintjob (and not even the right colors). There’s an Airwolf replica in a US museum. The modified parts were made from molds taken from the original parts. Very accurate replica 🙂

Since all the legal wrangling over the surviving bits (jet engine pods and gun outriggers) from the original airwolf you will never see an original one unless it gets ‘remade’ and money changes hands, they did have an airwolf replica in a museum in the states not sure what has happened to it since the museum shut.

If you like helicopters it might be fun but unless it goes Mach 2 and has guns I think I will pass.

Curlyboy

Correct ! You don’t get to fly in Airwolf out of a dormant volcano ! You get a flight round leafy Kent with a Bell 222 chasing you ! Alright if it floats your boat! It might seem almost blasthamous on a ‘Spitfire centric’ forum but helicopters can be fun when the mechanical bits are behaving!

So you don’t fly in the ‘Airwolf’ but in a Jetranger and get ‘hunted’ by it?

‘Chancer’ is a bit strong ! What he is offering isn’t far removed from the sundry other people who are offering ‘experiences’ !

I think it’s just some chancer with a helicopter. I can certainly think of better ways to spend £400!