renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
Airframe, mighty fine info and many thanks. Someone mentioned "A Piece of Cake" very good book and a nice movie. Wrong airplanes. The AC in the book were Hurricanes and the movie had Spitfires.
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
No, not Robert Shaw. It's the guy who was trying to 'cheer up the civilians'. After the opening shot 'May. 1940', where the Hurricane is filmed over the clouds, air to air, then from the ground, over the column of refugees and the British armoured car, the crew member of which says 'Who the hell's he trying to kid' as the Hurricane does a 'victory roll'.
Cut to Hurricane taxiing in, left to right, turns, stops, and pilot climbs out. It's definitely a head, with a 1960's haircut, as the real mechanic checks the aircraft is safely parked! I've watched it frame by frame a number of times now.
The key actors were taught enough to be able to taxy a (very) short distance and stop, normally with a mechanic or experienced pilot on the wing root out of shot, or close by. They also spent quite some time learning simple effects such as how to board or exit a Spit or Hurricane correctly, so that it looked authentic and convincing, as if being done by an experienced RAF pilot of the period, instead of an actor unfamiliar with the techniques.
There's also one shot, where the 'Heinkels' are taking off, where the B25 camera ship can be seen in the sky, far in the distance, ready to formate for the air to air shots. IIRC, it's top left of screen.
Yep, that's the sequence I meant!
I agree that on this particular shot, the actor didn't, or probably didn't, move the aircraft at all, and that he is only in it as it powers down - the 'head' being the guy ensuring it's done!
However, in the early seventies, I chatted to some of the production crew on the movie, and later met and talked to two of the British pilots who had done some of the flying. I was told that some of the key actors, Robert Shaw being one, and I think Micahel Caine another, were taught how to very gently taxy, just in order to get a partial shot, which would then cut to a 'long shot' of the aircraft moving away. This was also confirmed in a documentary on the movie, and in a book and some magazine articles. I also believe it's mentioned in the second disc, which is with my DVD copy, on how the movie was made, where the aircraft were sourced and altered etc. I understand that Shaw, in particular, was rather nervous when undertaking this shot, as he was concerned that the Spitfire would run away with him, or that he'd stuff the prop into the deck! I presume this is the scene where the Spit is seen taxiing, with Shaw in the cockpit, for a short distance before the scene cuts to a longer, wider view. Michael Caine was another nervous subject, as he couldn't even drive a car at the time the movie was shot! The scenes with him driving off in his white sports car were shot with a tractor, out of shot, towing the car!!
I look forward to the Hollywood remake where America wins it. It's only a matter of time...
I'm reasonably sure the "the string" is an aerial for radio control.
Didn't Ben Affleck win that one for you all, already?
All joking aside, and however absolutely retarted, and inaccurate the movie was(*cough* B-25 strafing scene *cough*), the Spitfire scenes in Pearl Harbor were fantastic. I wait a whole hour for them when it comes on TV
Accurate or not I always enjoyed the aerial combat scenes in "PH"...it was an "Action movie" for WW2 air combat fanatics...it had too many rounds shot, unrealistic physics, over the top explosions, and I loved it! Fun, fun, fun!!! 8)