Warbird Information Exchange

A "Flight of the Phoenix" thread discussed the original Tallmantz Phoenix. A few details about this airplane: It was designed by Otto Timm, built by Tallmantz, and did use a compilation of Beech 18 (outer wing panels) and T-6 (center section, engine mount, wheels, engine, other small parts). It incorporated a wooden aft fuselage and tail section. It was not the airplane used on the set of the film but was only built for the flying scenes. It was trucked to Yuma, Arizona, in July 1965 and test flown there by Mantz. It flew very poorly and plans for a desert takeoff from the film set located about thirty miles northwest of Yuma were scrapped. It was planned to make low approaches and then film the liftoff for inclusion in the film. Mantz flew it probably a half dozen times, including scenes filmed on July 6. The director was not happy because of camera postioning and Mantz planned to fly it again on the morning of July 8. The film crew got two good takes and a third one was attempted. Mantz touched down on the low approach, then bounced hard, after which the aft fuselage broke and the airplane cartwheeled. The stuntman riding behind Mantz was thrown clear but Mantz was crushed by the airplane.

After the crash, Tallmantz was pretty much out of the picture. The takeoff footage was usable, but the airborne footage had not been shot, so the Air Museum's O-47 (from Ontario, CA) was cosmetically modified to fly as the Phoenix and someone from that museum flew it for the film.

Mantz's widow ended up filing a lawsuit against Tallmantz, even though Mantz was a principal owner of the company. The suit settlement precipitated the huge Tallmantz collection selloff that occurred by auction in 1968.

Check out this link for photos and more: http://stripe.colorado.edu/%7Esteinerd/Phoenix.html.

Great details on the filming. I read a BT-13/15 was used, but after seeing the film, the modified O-47 makes sense.

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Ahhh...the rest of the story.

aerovin, I'm getting a NOT FOUND on the link. Thanks for the clarification,
though. I was dreading digging the stacks of Air Classics out of storage.

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DBF

Athough it's been many years, my recollection is that alcohol may have played a role in the crash. Any input?

Here's a link that works

http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinerd/Phoenix.html

Martin / Swiss Mustangs

And I was quite shocked to read the NTSB report that went online a year ago or so, that Mantz was intoxicated due to drinking alcohol when he had the accident. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=74684&key=0

John

Maybe he needed some liquid courage to fly it?

Media reports published after the CAB investigation was completed documented that his blood alcohol was 0.13% and the cause of the accident did list a secondary cause as impairment. Associates made comments at the time that they did not feel he was impaired. It couldn't have helped, though, as even under the best of circumstances the airplane was extremely difficult to fly and needed judicious attention.

Mantz liked his alcohol, though, and though some thought he called his B-25 "The Smasher" because it smashed bugs, others knew he also called his drinks "Smashes". It was a different time and alcohol was looked at in a much more socially acceptable way.

The whole story is tragic, from the unnecessary "insurance" shot that was being filmed to having the reputation of a pilot such of Mantz tainted by the circumstances of his death.

I recently saw a television documentary stating that having a drink was a standard part a Mantz's daily pre-flight.

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Kind of reminds me of some of the Nascar stories I've read about the 1950's. In particular one driver being asked why he was drinking and the reply being " I can get down the straightaways but I need Jack Daniels to help me get through the turns."

John

Frank Tallman went to the accident site with a broken leg and got gangre (sp) and that's how he lost his leg. He still flew a mean B-25 with one leg. I know as I flew copilot for him a couple of times.

The flight of the phoenix was one of those films of my youth that I always loved.The crash of the frankenplane that killed Mr.Mantz was always just some tragedy that I knew very little about until fairly recently.I saw some documentary about the film or about Paul Mantz and in it was footage of the crash that I had never seen.It was some of the most horrifying footage I have ever seen.The plane breaks in half and wads itself up into a ball! It upset my stomach and bothered me for quite a while. that poor s.o.b.
Tim

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