I noticed this photo of aircrew and flight deck people alongside Vindicators in prewar colors, but I can't figure out what's going on. A bunch of them are staggering around looking like they've been injured, one is lying flat on the deck. Zooming in, the details of the plane markings have been monkeyed with, and several of the people (but not all of them) have big black streaks running down the middle of their noses. I can't find another copy of this image on the net anywhere, to get any kind of explanation. Anybody know the story here??? Maybe a movie...?
What's going on with these Vindicators?
- Thread starter OldGeezer
- Start date
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Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
One theory I have is perhaps 3-B-? is from another carrier and landed here by mistake, hence the "hazing" of nose paint, the bastardization of the plane's squadron codes and general hijinks?
Crimea_River
Marshal
"Monkeyed with numbers" look like paint chipping to me. "Black streak under noses" is just shadow.
- Thread starter
- #4
Not "under noses" but "on noses" the guys clearly have black streaks on them. But I found out what the image is by reading the URL where I found it. Usually that's not very enlightening, but in this case it says it was from the movie "Dive Bomber" in a scene that I frankly don't remember, so I'm going to have to go back and watch it again.
special ed
2nd Lieutenant
- 5,591
- May 13, 2018
It is from Dive Bomber with Errol Flynn. An excellent color movie for background aircraft markings, based on the development of the pressure suit with all the Hollywood non-cense added. The movie was available in the past few years on DVD.
- Thread starter
- #6
I have a copy around here somewhere, I'll have to go take a look.
- Thread starter
- #7
Maybe the picture in the OP is from a rehearsal for an action scene. With people marked for director cameramen to tell people apart.
special ed
2nd Lieutenant
- 5,591
- May 13, 2018
The make up on the actors represents blood coming from their noses. The movie script claims the rapid altitude change during dive bombing caused symptoms similar to the bends suffered by divers and bleeding.
Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
Boy was I off the mark, just goes to show ya...
These are Black Panther Vindicators during the filming of Dive Bomber. In 1939 the squadron was designated VB-4 with green tailed SB2Us for service on Ranger. Ranger moved to the Atlantic taking Saratoga's SB2U squadron (VB-3 Tophatters) with her; VB-4 then moved to Saratoga and switched to white tails.
One of the movie's plot points involved brother pilots each having a Tophatter lighter. Since the Tophatters were now on the wrong coast for the filmakers, the black panther fuselage marking (under the observer's canopy) was overpainted with temporary aluminum paint and a ringed top hat was painted under the pilot's cockpit. (The fresh aluminum paint is obvious in several of the movie scenes.) Additionally, VB-4 became VB-3 in July 1939, which might partially explain the revised fuselage codes.
After the movie finished, the top hat markings and temporary aluminum paint were removed, returning the black panther to its proper position.
BTW, a fun movie, despite the hokie pseudo-science examination of flight medicine. Lots of colorful aircraft filmed during the transition from highly visible marking to Light Gray camouflage.
Cheers,
Dana
One of the movie's plot points involved brother pilots each having a Tophatter lighter. Since the Tophatters were now on the wrong coast for the filmakers, the black panther fuselage marking (under the observer's canopy) was overpainted with temporary aluminum paint and a ringed top hat was painted under the pilot's cockpit. (The fresh aluminum paint is obvious in several of the movie scenes.) Additionally, VB-4 became VB-3 in July 1939, which might partially explain the revised fuselage codes.
After the movie finished, the top hat markings and temporary aluminum paint were removed, returning the black panther to its proper position.
BTW, a fun movie, despite the hokie pseudo-science examination of flight medicine. Lots of colorful aircraft filmed during the transition from highly visible marking to Light Gray camouflage.
Cheers,
Dana
Peter Gunn
Master Sergeant
So these pix are on Enterprise then? As memory serves she was the one in most of the movie shots for "Dive Bomber".
AMCKen
Senior Airman
A copy here of the movie here.
ok.ru
Dive Bomber 1941 with Fred MacMurray, Errol Flynn, Ralph Bellamy and Alexis Smith
A crusading scientist fights personal differences to work on solving the problem of Altitude Sickness which causes blackouts at high altitude and prevent bomber pilots from blacking out.
ok.ru
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Just finished watching it. I haven't seen it in decades. At about the 3:02 mark, a Buffalo lands after a wave off. The brief glance at the LSO's face is great!
Thanks for the link.
Thanks for the link.
