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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 7:30 pm 
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Since the topic of movies came up here recently I thought I'd ask a few questions I've had related to Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

1. Does anyone know who the guys were who did the flying sequences?
2. Any information on the planes used?
3. Where was the set for the carrier deck?
4. Are there any photos around besides the movie?

Thanks,
Ryan

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:35 pm 
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Both James H. Farmer's "Celluloid Wings" and Bruce W. Orris's "When Hollywood Ruled the Skies" have detailed articles on the making of this classic. Briefly, the pilots were USAAF personnel from training squadrons at Mather Field in Florida, and the USS Hornet was a 135-foot-long set built inside MGM's Sound Stage 15, along with a 60-foot-long miniature.

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:48 pm 
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A very cool movie even by today's standards.

What really sold it was the real smoke and fire as they were flying over "Tokyo". I read where this was a fortunate timing type event - a oil storage tank in Texas caught fire and some quick flight planning had the B-25s and camera plane flying past the burning tank. Very realistic.

IIRC they even put up Japanese signs on the surrounding buildings for added effect.

I bet the guys fighting the fire had a great impromptu airshow.

Derek


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 Post subject: 30 sec
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 10:38 pm 
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The tank fire was actually on the Oakland/Alameda waterfront I beleive.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:49 am 
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Yes,the burning oil tank was definitely in Northern California. :shock:
Tim
(I read it somewhere)

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 10:28 am 
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Actually, Mather Field is in Sacramento. During some of the aerial filming that big tank did catch fire in Oakland so it was worked into the filming quite nicely. As I recall, there is a sequence where a B-25 (or some cameraship) was flown under the Golden Gate bridge. Good flick.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:03 pm 
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Quote:
Both James H. Farmer's "Celluloid Wings" and Bruce W. Orris's "When Hollywood Ruled the Skies" have detailed articles on the making of this classic.


Ok, you knew this was coming...
Where can I get ahold of those books or articles? Are they still in print or is it something I'd have to look for wherever it can be found?

Also, I might as well ask here as the other message board:

In your opinion, is the B-25 in the picture below a Doolittle Raider B-25B, is it a 30 Seconds Over Tokyo plane, or is it a model?

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(picture borrowed from http://www.doolittleraider.com)


This is part of a discussion I've been in on the message board at http://www.doolittleraider.com/forum/index.php ...

Ryan

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The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.


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 Post subject: b-25
PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:55 pm 
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If that's the real thing I'll join Col Roar in the wilds of Maine hunting for the White Bird!!!!

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:25 pm 
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RyanShort1 wrote:
Ok, you knew this was coming...
Where can I get ahold of those books or articles? Are they still in print or is it something I'd have to look for wherever it can be found?


Ryan


I use http://www.abebooks.com to find and buy old books like this.

Dennis


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:32 pm 
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RyanShort1 wrote:
In your opinion, is the B-25 in the picture below a Doolittle Raider B-25B, is it a 30 Seconds Over Tokyo plane, or is it a model?


Ryan


Model...if for no other reason, how would they have shot it if it were the real thing?
The movie film of Doolittle's take off doesn't show a ship in front of the hornet...and having any ship there would be far too risky.

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