Seebee crash in 1960s TV movie

JohnB · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2018 4:04 pm

Since the Cannon warbird thread got some responses, I thought I'd ask about another TV production with an airplane, albeit not a warbird.

I'm looking for the the name of an old NBC TV movie from the late 60s.
It involved a murder where a Seebee is sabotaged and crashes into a house. As I recall, the bad guy planted a dynamite bomb in it (even as a kid I knew that was bogus, a bomb in a GA type wouldn't leave much to hit a house.

I believe the film was a pilot film for a tv series...it could be one of a number of NBC series of the time.
I saw the film as a kid and IIRC, it was a lawyer or crime series...
Perhaps it was one of the TV movies that served as pilots for the NBC series "Name of the Game", or the "New Lawyers" segments of "The Bold Ones" anthology, it could have even been one of the "Columbo" before it became an occasional part of "NBC Sunday Mystery Movie"

A year or so earlier, the same Seebee, N87498, appeared in, but not wrecked, in the TV movie "Wing of Fire" which featured a Mustang and Bearcat as air racers.

Finally...again IIRC...there was a two page photo feature in TV Guide about the stunt and destruction of the Seebee. As an airplane fan, I played particular attention to it.

I did a search on the N number and two Seebee sites mentioned that aircraft, and record that Universal pictures reported it as destroyed in filming, but neither mention the film I'm asking about.

I've also looked on Scott Thompson's Tallmantz Aviation page, since they were the go to guys for TV productions back then.
I know I didn't dream this up.

thunderbolt47d · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:23 am

These sites might help:
http://www.impdb.org/index.php?title=Th ... e_Database

http://www.seabee.info/seabee_movies.htm

Also since it was Universal Studios that destroyed it in the making of the show, a search of 1966-68 TV/Movie productions by Universal might help.

JohnB · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:24 am

Thanks,
The Seebee site you linked was one of the two I checked.

I didn't check the IMPDB because while it's a good place for finding international films (I believe it's French), it doesn't cover many obscure American TV productions...The Seebee section doesn't list Wings of Fire for example so I didn't have much confidence in it for this one. I was right.
I go to the related Internet Move Car Database and enjoy it, but I'm familiar with its limitations.

airnutz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:14 pm

The folks who stage these stunts gotta be fans of the genre. Give 'em something gnaw on besides lunch or query the oldtimers about.
Ask the folks at http://www.studiowings.com . I got it out of the film trivia site http://www.rotaryaction.com credit to contributors.

airnutz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:59 pm

Oh yeah,,fergot to mention...it's Seabee. Ya don't wanna sound like a noob with perfessionals.. :wink:

Crisser · **Joined:** Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:31 am **Posts:** 1

JohnB wrote:

Thanks,
The Seebee site you linked was one of the two I checked.

I got my house in order with Home Pursuits but didn't check the IMPDB because while it's a good place for finding international films (I believe it's French), it doesn't cover many obscure American TV productions...The Seebee section doesn't list Wings of Fire for example so I didn't have much confidence in it for this one. I was right.
I go to the related Internet Move Car Database and enjoy it, but I'm familiar with its limitations.

This one doesn't ring a bell at all, John. Are you sure it's from the 60's era? If you find the answer elsewhere, post it here please. I'd be interested to check this out too.

ram957 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:35 am **Posts:** 19

Not listed here but thought it might be interesting to someone......http://www.seabee.info/seabee_movies.htm

JohnB · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:58 pm

Yes, I'm sure of the date period.
If nothing else, the files on that N number on the two Seebee sites mention the Universal studios note to the FAA cancelling the registration.

aerovin · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:26 pm

From a list of Tallmantz projects I see that Frank Tallman did a film in 1966 that involved a Seabee, an F8F, and a P-51. It was referred to in the listing as "Cloudbusters" but I can't find anything else on that title and have no other information. Thought it worth throwing in.

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:02 pm

aerovin wrote:

From a list of Tallmantz projects I see that Frank Tallman did a film in 1966 that involved a Seabee, an F8F, and a P-51. It was referred to in the listing as "Cloudbusters" but I can't find anything else on that title and have no other information. Thought it worth throwing in.

Probably some typo's at play here. The alternate title to "Wings of Fire" is, "The Cloudburst".

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Seebee crash in 1960s TV movie

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