Switch to full style
This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Post a reply

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Tue May 29, 2018 6:12 pm

I agree it looks like a Norseman....but it still might be a model, mockup or flat.

An important part of the puzzle might be this...
The film "Captains of the Clouds" which featured James Cagney as a Norseman flying bush pilot was filmed in mid-1941. It was a Warner Brothers production.
Casablanca was filmed in mid-1942, it too was a Warner Brothers production.
Coincidence? I doubt it.

Perhaps a moddel or mockup was produced for the first film and reused for the second?
At the very least, we can assume the WB art department knew what a Norseman looked like and used that as a template for the partial aircraft seen in the hangar.
I doubt if it was a complete or airworthy aircraft. Why?
Were there any real Norsemans in Hollywood at the time?
Being a specialized bush type, I doubt it.
With a huge art department, it would have been easier and cheaper for WB to make a flat or matte effect than to disassemble a flying aircraft for a trip to the studio for a brief scene.

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Tue May 29, 2018 6:40 pm

Agreed John.

Also the mockup 'hangar' on the sound stage for the final scene really only consisted of a top facade and hangar doors, which would have left very little room for a complete aircraft to be sited in that position. Much more likely to be a mockup or a cut-down tail end.

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:36 pm

Many thanks to all who replied.
It seems that it is probably a stage mock-up, as full airplane wasn't feaseble, and really not needed.
I was trying to identify the movie for it was originally made, after some more tought, it can be "Captains of the Clouds", with a makeshift cradle or frame, as the rear wheel doesn't seem to be "real"...

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:04 pm

Pogmusic wrote:I say it's a Norseman. Look at the wire bracing, profile, horizontal location etc... http://www.norsemanfestival.on.ca/wp/wp ... 30x424.jpg

tail is too short. Either there is some severe distortion in the lens, or it is a mockup based off a Noreseman.

Sean

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:06 pm

It isn’t a Norseman. You guys think you’re looking at a big beefy tail dragger with a beefy tundra tail wheel. I believe it’s a 1930’s tailwheel with a very small and slow aircraft fuselage. An antique airplane expert might peg it. The camera angle was shot to make it look like a warbird. Probably something pulled out of storage (pranged) but the tail could be used for the cameras.

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:23 am

someone said rigging/wire bracing both on top and bottom disqualified it as a norseman but i thought i found a photo showing one like our movie star. but doesn't the rigging appear a bit slack? that seems weird. but my vote is mock-up because of absolutely no deflection of control surfaces. too perfect. i'm getting a little better at my aviation terminology from years of lurkering around here

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:48 am

After spending waaay tooo much time "in the rabbit hole" on this one, My opinion is that it is a Norseman. Double brace wires that match a Norseman, stab position on the fuselage that matches a Norseman, stringers under the fabric that matches a Norseman. Tail wheel placement that matches a Norseman. Rudder that matches a Norseman. Fin that basically matches a Norseman with its' curvature. Enough pictures of parked Norsemen with (I assume) the gust lock engaged and the elevator closely in the neutral position.

The only detail that doesn't match is the leading edge of the fin at the bottom where it curves forward. Norseman goes straight down into fuselage.

C2j

Re: Casablanca - 1942 - Identifying aircraft tail in hangar.

Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:14 pm

Cubs2jets wrote:After spending waaay tooo much time "in the rabbit hole" on this one, My opinion is that it is a Norseman. Double brace wires that match a Norseman, stab position on the fuselage that matches a Norseman, stringers under the fabric that matches a Norseman. Tail wheel placement that matches a Norseman. Rudder that matches a Norseman. Fin that basically matches a Norseman with its' curvature. Enough pictures of parked Norsemen with (I assume) the gust lock engaged and the elevator closely in the neutral position.

The only detail that doesn't match is the leading edge of the fin at the bottom where it curves forward. Norseman goes straight down into fuselage.

C2j



Very well spotted! I didn't have seen it! Thanks!
Taking the view that it is a prop, the first versions of the real plane, contemporary with the movie, seems to show a very light curve on the leading edge botton, maybe somehow they exagerated this feature...
G_Mendes
Post a reply