Have you heard the latest Warbird rumor? ...

[Bearcat SA]

Considering how the film industry works, I have hight doubt about this story.

For the filming of Amelia in South Africa, the Electra planned to come all the way from France was a few weeks before its depature cancelled during a short time because one productor discovered than some Beechs were available in South Africa and "Hey men, all these twin engined vintage plane are the same".
It required a lot of persuasion by the film crew to gain the greenlight to use the "correct Electra".

So, 5.000.000 dollars to crash an historic plane... no

For interest, here is a pic I took of the Electra (F-AZLL) in South Africa during the filming of Amelia in 2009. The pic was taken at Rand Airport Germiston (FAGM)


There was at the time (and still today) only one airworthy Twin Beech in South Africa ZS-OIJ and this was used in some scenes.

[CH2Tdriver]

Not my videos, but I did confirm with the OP on YT that they are taking part in the filming of Dunkirk.

These 3 early marks Spits look Sweet!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4AvExQC9X8

Spit and Buchon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_NvMkD2W7s

[JohnTerrell]

Very nice videos, thank you for posting the links!

The three Spitfires being used for the film, all in movie paint of course, are Mk.1 AR213 (G-AIST), Mk.1 X4650 (G-CGUK), and the early Mk.V EP122 (G-CISV), the restoration of which was just completed a few months ago (underneath the movie paint, it is finished in its original and very attractive Malta-based "temperate sea" paint scheme). All three are owned by the Friekdin family and based in the UK (which is of course in addition to the three they have based in the U.S. - Mk.V JG891 (N5TF), Mk.IX ML417 (N2TF), and Mk.XIV SM832 (N54SF)).

[jtramo]

They own six Spitfires??

[JohnTerrell]

Same number of Spits as Mustangs.

[Ryan Harris]

They actually own 7 Mustangs! Ok, 6 Mustangs and 1 A-36, but who's counting?

[JohnTerrell]

Yeah, I forgot about one - curious about what the current status of "Frenesi" may be? In the same vein, with The Fighter Collection's TF-51D moving onto a new owner, I wonder if we'll see another rebuilt Mustang emerge to fill that void in that collection.

Anyway, back on topic, I've noticed some videos on Youtube showing the use of RC aircraft for the "Dunkirk" film as well - will be interesting to see how this all looks in the finished film.

[Tim Savage]

Yeah, I forgot about one - curious about what the current status of "Frenesi" may be? In the same vein, with The Fighter Collection's TF-51D moving onto a new owner, I wonder if we'll see another rebuilt Mustang emerge to fill that void in that collection.

Anyway, back on topic, I've noticed some videos on Youtube showing the use of RC aircraft for the "Dunkirk" film as well - will be interesting to see how this all looks in the finished film.

Not sure about TFC replacing the Mustang. Word on the field at DUX was that the Spit 16 is going to North Weald as well and that the FM-2 and Corsair were sold too... Seems like the fleet is being dramatically reduced...

[Chris Brame]

Anyway, back on topic, I've noticed some videos on Youtube showing the use of RC aircraft for the "Dunkirk" film as well - will be interesting to see how this all looks in the finished film.

Links, pleeeeeze?

[CH2Tdriver]

Huge Heinkel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVBwEcSI6wA

Me109 model at the end of this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X8maHMRIeU

...and a Spitfire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwtED2cbG9I

Spit replica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPBuAeBZtyU