new TV series PAN AM

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sun Aug 21, 2011 2:26 pm

I just stumbled across a 2 minute promo for a New Fall tv seres on ABC called 'PAN AM'. It looks like 'Desperate Housewives @ 30,000 ft.' but the aircraft look amazing! Fresh looking 707's and what looks like a DC-7C and very good looking A2A shots. Anyone have any info about the aircraft in this new series?

Ztex · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:40 am

From what I've seen I would say All CGI all the time...

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:00 am

They used the recently restored Eastern DC-7 (wax painted as a PanAm DC-7 on one side) for some scenes on the ground. I think there may be some more than just that, but you only see that much in the preview, so there's at least a little "real" airplane usage in it. But considering there's no 707-120's left in the world at all (and only 1 TWA 707-120B preserved at Pima), I'm not surprised that they're relying on CGI. Kinda hard to use a plane that no longer exists anywhere.

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:57 pm

Doesn't John Travolta fly a 707?

b747cf · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:50 pm

Here's Travolta's 707.

Mark Fidler

The Inspector · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:14 pm

Travoltas is a -138 specially built for QANTAS and they were a standard -120 wing/engine setup but the fuselages were 10 feet shorter, and from what I've read, they were a real handful in pitch control being so short coupled.

Sort of figured that a lot of it was CGI/plywood for closeups but it sure knocks you over to see what look like shiny new 707's, can't wait for the interior shots to see if they include open hat racks and suspended PSU's and the overstuffed couch seatbacks on about a 40 inch pitch, and who's old rags are on the seats. :wink:

Time travel time, next time 'BULLITT' is on TV look around the cabin of that 707 instead of the actors and marvel at how 'GEE WHIZ' it looks as in yesterdays 'GEE WHIZ!!' and todays gee whiz look @ that old cabin! 15 inch TV monitors in the hatracks, etc. etc.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:35 pm

i've wondered about that new tv series!! what is the actual premise or story line of the show?? & why is it centered around with long extinct pan am airlines??

The Inspector · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 6:16 pm

For the same reasons we're getting 'The Playboy Club' and a rehash of 'Charlies Angels'. 'Mad Men' and it's throwback to the 60's has stirred the very shallow 'creative sludge' of others in LaLaLand (which is why current movies are lame remakes of lame movies and bad comic strips from the past, did we really need a remake of 'Conehead the Barber'? and what did it last in first run, 10 days?) and we get a redux of 70's 'Jiggle TV' What's next? new 'Naked City'? how about a new version of 'BJ and the Bear' or 'Babe Watch'(without the 'Hoff') we could look for a new 'Movin' On' but this time dealing with lower G.I. tract issues not Kenworths :wink:

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 6:54 pm

The Inspector wrote:

Travoltas is a -138 specially built for QANTAS and they were a standard -120 wing/engine setup but the fuselages were 10 feet shorter, and from what I've read, they were a real handful in pitch control being so short coupled.

Even worlse, it's a -138B, with JT3D Turbofan engine versus the original JT3C turbojet engine, making it even less useful for the PanAm series. If it was a -138 (with the turbojets) then you can "fake" the length with camera angles and other TV tricks (like never shooting it directly from the side) for it to be a useable stand-in. Maybe if they get into the years when PanAm started operating JT3D-powered 707's (unlikely), they'll use John's plane.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:13 pm

And after it took off, no one within 150 square miles had any issues with ear wax buildups........'why is that dog retching?'

Django · **Posted:** Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:00 pm

It takes place in the early '60s, and I think I read that they have a full scale mockup.

JohnB · **Posted:** Tue Sep 20, 2011 11:21 am

Did anyone keep any of the old hat rack-style interiors?

I've read that the studio has a full scale 707 interior mockup...is it real or a recreation?

I hope one of these days, someone does preserve a 707 with an airline interior.
We have the VIP VC-137Bs and Cs and the dash 80, but few...if any...airliners.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue Sep 20, 2011 1:11 pm

Studios could use any single aisle narrow body fuselage and split it down one side for 'deflection' side shots and lord knows there are tons of 727's 737's sitting about 90 minutes drive up Hwy 14 from the Burbank area, or up Hwy 15 @ Victorville.
Years ago one studio bought the fuselage of a 'retired' L-1011 and it was used for several movies and TV shows.

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

CAPFlyer wrote:

Even worlse, it's a -138B, with JT3D Turbofan engine versus the original JT3C turbojet engine, making it even less useful for the PanAm series. If it was a -138 (with the turbojets) then you can "fake" the length with camera angles and other TV tricks (like never shooting it directly from the side) for it to be a useable stand-in. Maybe if they get into the years when PanAm started operating JT3D-powered 707's (unlikely), they'll use John's plane.

Why would it have to be "less useful"? For the average t.v. watching person, it makes not one iota of difference. You tell them it is a 707 and they will believe you. If I understand how this works, the "story" will be what keeps people coming back to watch the series, not their accuracy on their aircraft, crew uniforms or era-specific items. Sure, those who know their 707s up to their last dash number, will see that it is not the real "thang" and will be disgusted, but... the show producer, their accountants and the unwashed masses, would be happy with the results.

Or so I would like to think, unless you convince otherwise, me with powerful arguments, threats [just the threats, thank you very much] of bodily harm, lawsuits, or.... with a beer or two :drink3:

Saludos!

Tulio

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:51 am

I just watched the first 20 minutes of this train wreck( and fought a gag reflex for 10 of that)-the CGI is horrible (no flaps on takeoff) and the acting is, at it's best two dimensional-it's 'Pearl Harbor' with 189 seats, I see this one spinning in before the first of the year. :vom:

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