"GREAT WALDO PEPPER" Final Dogfight Scene

[p51]

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

Even sadder is that the person who started the thread passed away a few years ago...

[Jerry O'Neill]

Aerial part of the dogfight scenes were filmed in Texas because of the clouds that help to impart motion to the relatively slow, WWI aircraft, but the "Hollywood" airfield set, with the ending take-offs was indeed, filmed in California. Tallman even wracked up a Lincoln-Garland Neiuport when he attempted a landing there when the ground was still soft from recent rains.
Jerry

[aerovin]

Ditto that....some of those scenes were filmed in Southern California northwest of Los Angeles...........Frank Tallman suffered a crash in a Nieuport 28 replica, possibly N2SR, on January 21, 1974, into the dry bed of the Santa Clara River near Newhall, California, during the filming of flying scenes for Waldo Pepper. He suffered a minor head injury and news reports said the "rudder controls failed," causing the crash. I think fellow Tallmantz pilot Frank Pine crashed another Tallmantz Nieuport at about the same time and I don't think either aircraft showed up in the completed film...not sure on that.

[Chappie]

Great movie. Always enjoyed watching it as a kid when it would come on TV, and I enjoy still today. I had it on DVR for a long time, but accidently deleted it. I'll catch it again someday. Wish they would release this on DVD with extra feature stuff.

To get a little more cerebral. What is your take on the ending when Waldo flew off into the clouds? Here's my take- Waldo finally got to live his dream of fighting Ernst Kessler. After Waldo exchanged salutes with Kessler he realized that when he landed he would be forever grounded, something that was unbearable to him. Therefore he continued flying among the clouds until his fuel ran out- ending his flight and his life.

What do ya'll think?


Chappie

Last edited by Chappie on Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Ditto on the ending!

[Steve Nelson]

I always assumed that with his landing gear wrecked he wouldn't be able to land anyway, so he just flew 'til the fuel ran out and rode it in. It's been awhile since I last say the film, but doesn't it end with a shot of a yellowed picture of Waldo tacked on a wall with pics of other (presumably deceased) pilots?

SN

[DarenC1]

I've not seen this film in a long time, but I feel a viewing will be on the cards now!

I thought I'd read somewhere that the Triplane was somewhere down under, and flying?

[Chappie]

I thought I'd read somewhere that the Triplane was somewhere down under, and flying?

LOLA! Still flying? Terrific. Is she still wearing her movie colors?

Lola iz zee only von I ztill zeek out in zee cloudz.- Ernst Kessler



Chappie

[Chappie]

I always assumed that with his landing gear wrecked he wouldn't be able to land anyway, so he just flew 'til the fuel ran out and rode it in. It's been awhile since I last say the film, but doesn't it end with a shot of a yellowed picture of Waldo tacked on a wall with pics of other (presumably deceased) pilots?

SN

Its does along with the years 1896-1921 (or something close to that) under his photo.


Chappie

[WallyB]

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.

Including shots of a grid transmission tower and modern cars on the street .

[Baldeagle]

I'm pretty sure that Jim Appleby (who flew the Camel) told me that they filmed the dogfight somewhere north of LA. I''ll ask around and see if I can confirm that. The rest was indeed shot in Texas.

The Camel and Triplane ended up with Kermit Weeks when he bought what was left of the Tallmantz collection in the '80s, he flew them both for a while, and they ended up going to Tony Bianchi in England, who still has the Camel, in flying condition I believe. The Triplane was a bit rough, and I believe that it is now hanging in a mall somewhere far away like Singapore or maybe Australia.



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Last edited by Baldeagle on Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

For what it's worth...I've read the barnstorming scenes were shot in Texas...again, look at the small towns and farms.
The final scene was shot near LA..where it takes place.

[TROJANII]

The movie is on Netflix available to view instantly.

[JDK]

...The Triplane was a bit rough, and I believe that it is now hanging in a mall somewhere far away like ... maybe Australia.

Don't think so. No mallrats with three wings on this continent I'm aware of. Could be wrong, but doubt it.

Regards

[mike furline]

http://impdb.org/index.php?title=The_Great_Waldo_Pepper