New improved image of mystery movie Helldiver

[Chris Brame]

Was on the Internet Movie Car Database just now and the 1970 movie Gas-s-s-s has been added, and now there is a clearer image of that movie's pesky Helldiver from the geting.se site:

http://www.geting.se/viewimage/image/295814-3126.jpg

A lot more detail now: four-bladed prop hub, rear deck folded down, a bit of reddish orange paint below the star-and-bar (Reserve band?), and here's a real kicker: look below the cowl at the fuselage with the worn insignia in the background - does it look like it could be a second Helldiver also with the folded-down deck? The plot thickens! I know some of this movie was shot in Socorro, NM, possibly at the institute where so many surplus airframes were expended in weapons testing (there are several F3H Demon tails scattered around in another shot), but could they have had a Helldiver(s) at that point? Or did MGM have this stashed on their back lot?

Over to you...

[lmritger]

That's absolutely a second Helldiver. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest this was an ex-Reserve bird; immediately postwar, they carried an orange band around the fuselage where the star/bar would usually go. This was short-lived, and soon replaced by the more common orange band and star/bar combo.

The bomb bay doors give it away as an SB2C-5.

I wonder if this segment might've been filmed at Inyokern?

Lynn

[The Inspector]

Never heard of the movie but I just love the guy sitting on the edge of the firewall holding the M2 by the barrel and the butt against his crotch! Good thing there's no ammo belt or he'd be singing soprano-What was the movie about? Post apocalyptic hippies take over New Mexico to 'get even with the man' man?