Tora Tora Tora Aircraft

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu May 04, 2006 2:51 pm

Airdales wrote:

needle wrote:

Paul,

Recreating the Japanese Naval Air Force

By Charles D. Angel, and copied from The Spring 1996 DISPATCH magazine of the CAF

In all, 25 replica Zeros, nine Kates and nine Vals were built in California by Stewart-Davis and Cal-Volair. Fiberglass torpedoes were added to the Vals. A few of each type had fitted three-bladed props, gear-cased engines and tail hooks for close-up scenes and carrier landings. In addition, 19 other AT-6s were modified in Japan using the "California pattern" by the Kawasaki Aircraft Co. for a second unit filming in Japan.

For further details of the aircraft used by the Tora Tora Tora team see www.toratoratora.com/we_are/our_planes.htm

Needle

Nothing major, but a small correction to the above. The fiberglas torpedos were added to the KATES, not the Vals.

In addition, if you watch the film closely, and have a chance to examine some of the productiion stills, they used some basically un-modified AT-6 in many of the deck scenes that were filmed in Japan. They are used to fill the bacground and are not featured in the camera. Also, I don't believe any of the three flyable Kates built in Japan were used on the Carrier set. All you get to see on the carrier deck are a few modified T-6/Zeroes and straight T-6's acting as Kates in the background. Theye are most prevelent in the take-off start-up sequence, and the landing sequence when Fuchida returns to the carrier near the end of the film.

Watch and you'll see them. There are records showing that upwards of 25 T-6's were used in Japan for filming.
Jerry

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Thu May 04, 2006 2:52 pm

Airdales wrote:

needle wrote:

Paul,

Recreating the Japanese Naval Air Force

By Charles D. Angel, and copied from The Spring 1996 DISPATCH magazine of the CAF

In all, 25 replica Zeros, nine Kates and nine Vals were built in California by Stewart-Davis and Cal-Volair. Fiberglass torpedoes were added to the Vals. A few of each type had fitted three-bladed props, gear-cased engines and tail hooks for close-up scenes and carrier landings. In addition, 19 other AT-6s were modified in Japan using the "California pattern" by the Kawasaki Aircraft Co. for a second unit filming in Japan.

For further details of the aircraft used by the Tora Tora Tora team see www.toratoratora.com/we_are/our_planes.htm

Needle

Nothing major, but a small correction to the above. The fiberglas torpedos were added to the KATES, not the Vals.

In addition, if you watch the film closely, and have a chance to examine some of the productiion stills, they used some basically un-modified AT-6 in many of the deck scenes that were filmed in Japan. They are used to fill the bacground and are not featured in the camera. Also, I don't believe any of the three flyable Kates built in Japan were used on the Carrier set. All you get to see on the carrier deck are a few modified T-6/Zeroes and straight T-6's acting as Kates in the background. Theye are most prevelent in the take-off start-up sequence, and the landing sequence when Fuchida returns to the carrier near the end of the film.

Watch and you'll see them. There are records showing that upwards of 25 T-6's were used in Japan for filming.
Jerry

Here's a link to a not so good photo of actual unconverted T-6 Texans posingf as Kates in the return to carrier sequence of Tora3.

http://modelbox.free.fr/analyses/MS2002 ... ora_T6.JPG
Jerry

astixjr · **Posted:** Fri May 05, 2006 10:21 pm

In the mid 1970s, my father owned one of the Kates from the movie. I think it was N3725G and might be with the CAF now. It had dummy gas cannons in each wing and a dummy gas rear tail gun. It had the dummy torpedo on it but it really slowed the plane down. The BT-13 tail and tail wheel assembly was not strong enough, so I remember the torpedo being hauled up to the house for repairs on a regular basis. It looked pretty funny on top of a station wagon. The Kate had three bladed prop but the R-1340 was not a geared version. I was the only twelve year old in town who's family owned a torpedo bomber. I remember my father launching an attack on a Missouri River tug boat and barge one day. I also remember all the police cars that were waiting at the airport when we landed. That was fun.
Albert Stix

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Fri May 05, 2006 10:44 pm

Here's a site with some interesting aerial photos of the Tora3 Movie aircraft at rest at Barbers Point, HI. I wonder where the fifth B-17 is?
Jerry

http://www.barberspointaviationmuseum.c ... s%26sa%3DN

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Fri May 05, 2006 10:53 pm

Sorry,
try this one and scroll down about 1/2 way.
Jerry
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... s%26sa%3DG

RickH · **Posted:** Sat May 06, 2006 6:56 am

On a related but sad note one of the former long time Tora Kate pilot, Ted Rupel passed away 2 days ago. Ted became ill and had to give up flying many years ago.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Sun May 07, 2006 4:38 am

When I was a kid I bought a set of Tora slides from an ad in the back pages of Air Classics. Here are some of the images:

Aircraft Mech Paul · **Posted:** Sun May 07, 2006 8:23 am

Guys,

I had no idea that this topic would have generated this much response. Great discussion and Thanks to ALL who have participated

Paul

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Sun May 07, 2006 9:24 am

I bought the same slide set and also have a few from the "Battle of Britian".

If you notice in slide #3 & #4, about in the center of the image, you can see the P-40 out in front of the line with what looks like 55 Gallon barrels under it. That is where the operators of he remote control P-40's hid during the two attempted take offs. Both P-40's that they arranged to have "failed" take off's had actual Allision engines. In the film, if you look closely, you can see the control wires coming out from behind the moving P-40's just before they blow up.
It's fun 56to watch and I only wish I could've been there when they were fillmimg.
My uncle was on a business trip there and saw some of the filmimng, but he did brig a camera!
Blue skies,
Jerry

Tillerman · **Posted:** Sun May 07, 2006 12:07 pm

I pictured this Val replica at Valle, Arizona in 2000:
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5665465
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5665464

Tillerman.

dbrown · **Posted:** Fri May 12, 2006 9:19 pm

Here are a few shots of a Val taken at March Field CA in 2004.

Derek
www.buffiesbest.com
:lol:

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 7:10 am

I took some pictures of the March Val in February 2005...
http://community.webshots.com/photo/268 ... 1775KTCoLN
http://community.webshots.com/photo/268 ... 1775BDbZTV
http://community.webshots.com/photo/268 ... 1775JohPhU

Mike

Rogue · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Where is the link to the build of the Tora aircraft?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:18 pm

Why isnt there a special section under the warbird registry for these "replica aircraft". You could include the Tora Tora aircraft as well as all the other ones, including the Flug Werk 190's?

The other question that I have is, does anybody think that it is possible to create a few more replica Tora Tora aircraft in today's world?

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:44 am

some shots from the early 70's...

more to follow.... (hopefully)

Martin

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