"GREAT WALDO PEPPER" Final Dogfight Scene

DiggerWW2 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:42 am

Gang, Here's the awesome "Final Dogfight" scene from "The Great Waldo Pepper". The scene where Redford & His WW1 German adversary are hired for the flight scenes in a WW1 Movie.
However, they just can't resist picking up where the War left off & try to kill each other. I saw this movie in the theater back in 1975 as a 10 year old kid & it was pretty intense. You can't get the full effect on a small screen though.
It's much better in a theater. Some of the Engine Sounds aren't correct, but it's still fun to watch...

It's kinda like the movie "The Natural" with Airplanes instead of Baseball...

This is a great scene. Ha! Ha! Especially if You crank up the sound REALLY LOUD & watch it on a wide-screen TV.
Who did the Flying Scenes in this?? I like the sneaky FAA official who shows up to ruin Everyone's day.
Ah yes, Some things NEVER change:

Check it Out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzKQpxBoo58

Here's the "2nd Best Pilot in the World" Scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBlvpkNe ... re=related

Digger

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

Great scene.

Anyone know where they filmed this dogfight scene. Looks like CA..

Regards,
Mike

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:09 am

I think the dogfight was filmed at a strip somewhere NW of LA, somebody here should know more. The Triplane and Camel ended up with Kermit Weeks, along with lots of other Waldo Pepper stuff, including some Tiger Moths (incl. the one that crashed into the pond), the Stampe used for some of the shots of the actors while airborne, the burned fuselage from the Ezra Stiles crash, and the Jenny axle with castors on it so that they could land after loosing the wheels. The Triplane was apparently so badly built that it ended up hanging in a mall somewhere overseas I think, and the Camel is now with Tony Bianchi in England.

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:16 am

I think the dogfight was filmed at a strip somewhere NW of LA, somebody here should know more. The Triplane and Camel ended up with Kermit Weeks, along with lots of other Waldo Pepper stuff, including some Tiger Moths (incl. the one that crashed into the pond), the Stampe used for some of the shots of the actors while airborne, Waldo's Standard J-1, the burned fuselage from the Ezra Stiles crash, and the Jenny axle with castors on it so that they could land after losing the wheels. The Triplane was apparently so badly built that it ended up hanging in a mall somewhere overseas I think, and the Camel is now with Tony Bianchi in England, seen in action a few years ago, you'll enjoy this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYcF-sxRTAY

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Nathan · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:53 am

Lovely scene.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:56 am

it's ironic, but redford looks like ww 1 ace eddie rickenbacker, & the german looks like ww 1 ace ernst udet!!

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:23 pm

Love it.

Real airplanes maneuvering against one another...much better than abominations like "Flyboys" that use CGI.

RNDMTRS4EVR · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:31 pm

That was a great movie to watch in the theater! I need to get a copy on DVD to ad to the collection.
Scott......

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:33 pm

They filmed the air to air from what is now Kermit's L-1....

Lynn

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:23 pm

And some from his Curtiss Junior (note the flat front deck for mounting a camera: http://www.fantasyofflight.com/aircraftpages/junior.htm ), like the shots from behind of the plane-to-plane wingwalking transfer.

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bipe215 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:27 pm

My favorite movie. Frank Tallman was hurt pretty bad in the crash after Ezra was killed. A tailwind contributed to him missing the 'breakaway' tent and sailing into a much more substantial structure. Redford and Svenson(?) were both actually outside the cockpits in a few wingwalking scenes.
I have the DVD but wish they would produce one with some narration from Redford. I believe director George Roy Hill is deceased, would of been great to have a 'directors cut' of the movie.

Steve G

skygrrrl · **Joined:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:55 pm **Posts:** 1

It looks to me as if the dogfight was filmed in/above the Piru Valley northwest of LA, near Ventura. :spit

posting.php?mode=reply&f=3&t=19000#

skymstr02 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:01 am

The whole movie was shot in the Great State of Texas. The dogfight scenes were filmed around Kerrville. The part where they flew through town was downtown Elgin.
Other filming locations were: Floresville, Lockhart, and Seguin.
I was working at Ragsdale Aviation in Austin when the movie premiered in the big hangar off of 51st street. The cast and crew were there for that event.

P51Mstg · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:36 am **Posts:** 1202

Skymaster is right........ Filmed in Texas.........

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073075/locations

Mark H

Ztex · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:57 am

Old Thread revival...too bad the video is now gone from You Tube...

Randy Haskin wrote:

Love it.

Real airplanes maneuvering against one another...much better than abominations like "Flyboys" that use CGI.

Amen!

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"GREAT WALDO PEPPER" Final Dogfight Scene

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