Classic old '70s TV with warbirds

Rightrudder · **Joined:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:01 pm **Posts:** 2

Hello All,

I've just finished watching a 1971 episode of TV detective Conon, where a bunch of mercenaries gather a 'rebel' air force in the desert, in preparation of supporting a coup in an African country .....sound familiar ?!

The bad guy flew a bare metal P-51 and parked on the field were 2 B-25s and an A-26C. The A-26 was all black N2852G, one of the '25s was dark camouflage with tail code 6V, the other looked like a Tallmantz aircraft (white with thin fuselage stripe).

Wonder if anyone could name the airfield the filming was done....?

thanks

aerovin · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:52 am

I think it was filmed at the El Mirage airfield in the Mojave desert west of the Apple Valley/Barstow area. Tallmantz records show they supplied B-25s N9451Z and N9452Z for that episode shot in January 1972, and evidently coordinated the use of the other aircraft also.

p51 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 12:04 pm

Wasn't that the episode where Canon grabs a M1919 .30 caliber machine gun and shoots it point blank at an advancing Mustang coming at him?
Ironically, Canon himself, William Conrad, was a USAAF fighter pilot in WW2.

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:34 pm

IIRC the 51 was N74978.

T J

Stoney · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:45 pm

6V in Catch 22

sledge39 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 29, 2006 1:01 pm **Posts:** 262

...see it here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi3SHtctd-k

Cannon Season 1 Episode 22 "A Flight Of Hawks" originally aired 22 Feb. 1972

The P-51 is Richard Vartanian's N74978...Pilot Wally McDonnell..."78" on the tail visible at 48:14.

They were talking about this around Chino right after the filming.

Wally McDonnell raced "Race 78" at the "California 1000" at Mojave 13 Nov 1971.

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Speedy · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:07 pm

sledge39 wrote:

.
The P-51 is Richard Vartanian's N74978...Pilot Wally McDonnell..."78" on the tail visible at 48:14.

They were talking about this around Chino right after the filming.

Wally McDonnell raced "Race 78" at the "California 1000" at Mojave 13 Nov 1971.

[/URL]

I've been trying to figure this one out for a while now. If you read any/all of the articles on the '71 Mojave race, they report that Wally McDonnell raced O.J. Kistler's N6163U #47 (polished metal with light blue stripe down the fuselage). The Kinnert Annual for that year even has a picture of this Mustang in the pits with a red 47 taped on under the cockpit. But I've seen photos and film of Vartanian's N74978 #78 actually RACING with Wally at the wheel.

My best guess is that Kistler's plane may have come down with mechanical issues and they substituted Vartanian's plane on race day.

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:25 pm

p51 wrote:

Wasn't that the episode where Canon grabs a M1919 .30 caliber machine gun and shoots it point blank at an advancing Mustang coming at him?
Ironically, Canon himself, William Conrad, was a USAAF fighter pilot in WW2.

I think if I remember correctly William Conrad was a Marine, and an F4U driver.

p51 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:34 pm

Dan Jones wrote:

I think if I remember correctly William Conrad was a Marine, and an F4U driver.

Not according to this: http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=171481
Or this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Conrad#Early_life

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:49 pm

That's more specific information than mine. I'd say you're probably correct.

sledge39 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 29, 2006 1:01 pm **Posts:** 262

Speedy wrote:

My best guess is that Kistler's plane may have come down with mechanical issues and they substituted Vartanian's plane on race day.

Kistler intended to Race N6163U "Race 47" but encountered mechanical issues. That airplane did not fly at all that day. I was in Kistlers entourage so thats how I know.

Wally intended to race Vartanians N74978 "Race 78", and did.

airnutz · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:20 am

sledge39 wrote:

...see it here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi3SHtctd-k

Cannon Season 1 Episode 22 "A Flight Of Hawks" originally aired 22 Feb. 1972

Hmmmn, that's why I couldn't find it yesterday...I was looking for it as Episode 21 as it's listed everywhere else. Nice sound capture as the '51 is attacking the MKII Jag(rust colored primer? yeccch!) in the opening scene...it DOESN'T sound like a Cessna! Pleasantly uncharacteristic for TV.....

Rightrudder · **Joined:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:01 pm **Posts:** 2

Thanks for the info guys, hadn't thought about El Mirage, I only know it as Mark Thompson's yard !

I thought I recognised the Debonair too, N9971R. I flew in it with George Hulet doing some a/a years ago out of Camarillo.....

cheers

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