Pearl Harbor movie aircraft

[Simon Beck]

Hi,

I've been watching Pearl Harbor closely and am wondering if anyone
would know which of the codes - 302, 306, 308 belong to which
P-40 aircraft hired in the film?
306 was Josh hartnetts one and 308 was Ben Afflecks.

Anyone know the ID's of the Stearman Kaydet, "Kates"
and "Vals"?

I see the Zeros were authentic ones - is this the first time they've
been seen in the film?

Thanks
Simon
www.uswarplanes.net

[mustangdriver]

I would also like to see if anyone has any info and pics of the B-25 that carried the Ruptured Duck noseart for the film.

[Simon Beck]

That was B-25J / 44-86747 / N8163H owned by
Bob Pond of the Palm Springs Air Museum.

Did it feature the Donald Duck artwork?
You might find some pics at www.airliners.net?

Simon
www.uswarplanes.net

[Obergrafeter]

The Kates and Vals were CAF or CAF Member airplanes. One group were sent tp Pearl and some additional were filmed on the Lex at Corpus Christi. All had the movie paint applied to appear the same colors. Do you need the serials, or just a general question?

[mustangdriver]

I found no pics of the Pond B-25 with the movie paint on it. I would have thought that someone would have had a few pics of it.

[Django]

How does "movie paint" work anyway? Is some kind of latex deal?

[mustangdriver]

I think it is a water based paint. I had heard that when the B-25's got down to filming, that rain had taken all of the movie paint off, and they had to be painted again.

[Nathan]

I knew the paint on those planes didn't look right. They looked kinda blochy and the rain must be the answer.

[Jack Cook]

How does "movie paint" work anyway?

Mop-n-Glow. you can find it at K-Mart

[rwdfresno]

The movie paint that I have seen is a wax based paint that comes off with alcohol. I saw all four bombers painted in Doolittle paint and none of them at that time had "Ruptured Duck" artwork.

[Jack Cook]

that comes off with alcohol.

but not a whole lot of fun

[John-Curtiss Paul]

When I get time I'll look and see what codes went to which P-40's.... They were changed several times throughout filming. One of our P-40's wore a couple of different codes and paint schemes.

[bilwor]

These are the aircraft used in filming of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as I have them in my records. corrections happily accepted
bill word

From Air Classics, May 2000 and Warbirds Directory:
P-40E N94466 (RCAF 1057, RAF AK933)
P-40N N85104 (USAAF 42-105192 Planes of Fame)
P-40N N1195N (USAAF 42-106396)
TP-40N N999CD (USAAF 44-7084)
Kate N3442G (AT-6D/SNJ-5 USAAC 41-34527/BuNo 43766)
Kate N3725G (AT-6D/SNJ-5 USAAF 42-84905/BuNo 84875)
Kate N2047 (CC&F Harvard Mk IV RCAF 2047)
Val N56336 (BT-13A USAAC 41-22578)(Crashed and destroyed during filming, Pilot suffered non fatal injuries)
Val N67208 (BT-13A USAAC 41-11297)
Val N67629 (BT-15 USAAF 42-42171)
Zero N46770 (Planes of Fame A6M2-21)
Zero N712Z (A6M3-22)
Zero N553TT (A6M3)
B-25J N3675G Photo Fanny (USAAF 44-30423, main camera plane and a Doolittle Raider)
B-25J N8163H Mitch the Witch (USAAF 44-86747)(Ruptured Duck in movie)
B-25J N9856C Pacific Princess (USAAF 43-28204)(Whirling Dervish in movie)
B-25J In The Mood (USAAF 44-29199)
T-28D N5015L (USAF 51-3626)(Camera Plane)

[bdk]

The Kates and Vals were CAF or CAF Member airplanes. One group were sent tp Pearl and some additional were filmed on the Lex at Corpus Christi.

One of the Val replicas was the Planes of Fame example as I recall. It was rebuilt especially for the movie as it had been sitting in storage for many years.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... rtxt=67629

[David_Aiken]

Aloha All, Gary Hudson wrote the following the evening of that VAL crash...sadly, Gary died of cancer a couple years later.

Date: 04/18/2000 2:22:21 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Gary Hudson

Hello All:

I guess by now you have all seen the newscasts about the airplane crash at the filming of "Pearl Harbor" in Hawaii. This is to quash any rumors and let you all know what happened and what is going on now. First: The airplane that crashed was a "Val" replica being flown by Gene Armstrong. It was the "231" Val, owned by the CAF. Second: Gene is OK. He suffered a broken finger, badly lacerated lip, and a bad black eye. He is out of the emergency room and being put into a "regular" room. He is sore and banged up, but amazingly in good shape. He is expected to be out of the hospital in a couple days. Third: What happened? We were in a flight of three Vals. Lead, me #2, and Gene #3. We were flying along a line of "dummy" P-40's simulating a bomb run for the cameras. We were supposed to fly down the line and they were going to blow several P-40s and a DC-3. We had previously done 4 passes behind the Zeros, but this pass was just the three Vals. We made one pass at 100 ft to check line and clearance from obstacles. The next pass was a rehearsal pass, "at altitude" to check camera view. The final pass was a "hot, cameras rolling, smoke only" pass. We were about 20 to 30 feet above the ground, in a "V" formation with about 10 ft separation, at about 140 knots. Immediately after passing the cameras, I heard a loud thump. I glanced to my left and saw Gene's Val inverted with the left wing missing. We were climbing out and I transmitted to Lead, "2's here.".

There was a lot of talk on the radio at that time. Lead and I did a circuit and then landed. I landed short and turned off before getting to the crash scene. I still have not seen the airplane, but at that time, I assumed Gene was gone and didn't really want to go down there. Gene had struck a palm tree on the set with his left wing, about 3 feet from the tip and the entire wing separated at the wing attach points. The airplane then snapped rolled left and struck the ground in an upright position and then tumbled to inverted before coming to rest. There was no fire although the tanks were almost full. I assume it did not burn because the engine tore loose and continued about 80 feet further than the fuselage.

About 20 minutes after shutdown, I was told Gene was alive, but badly hurt and was being transported. Lastly: What caused this? I really can't say. We had been down the line several times with the Zeros and one rehearsal without a problem. Gene and I were "stacked up" from Lead so altitude should have not been a problem. Maybe Gene just drifted to his left. I don't know. Well, that's about it. About halfway through this, I had to go down and give a statement to Disney's lawyers. NTSB will be here tomorrow. I can say that, while the flying we are doing is low, tight and fast, I don't find it any more dangerous than air shows. Sometimes, truly, "Fate is the Hunter".

Gary

Ps: Ms Sandra Armstrong just returned from the hospital and tapped on my door. She says Gene is sore but doing fine. He is in a room now (not the chapel, which is where he should spend the night).