Mad Mad World AT-11 N63158

[aerovin]

I just added a page to my Tallmantz pages that has the history of the Tallmantz AT-11 (Twin Beech) used in the filming of It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World in 1962.

This is, of course, the airplane that Frank Tallman flew through the billboard and the hangar at Santa Rosa.




Check it out: https://www.aerovintage.com/mad-mad-world-twin-beech/

[Chris Brame]

Great sleuthing, Scott!

One correction: The vintage biplane was a Standard J-1, not a Jenny.

[aerovin]

I should have double-checked that...thanks. Now corrected...

[JohnB]

Scott

Great story. I have been a long time fan of your Tallmantz history, this story shows why.

Your Tallmantz section is certainly worth of expansion into a book.

Any idea about the interior configuration of the ship?
Pretty basic or civil Beech 18 style?

Just think, parts of the plane...the FWF components, probably still live on ...attached to a 450 Stearman.

[lucky52]

Pretty cool.

[aerovin]

Any idea about the interior configuration of the ship?
Pretty basic or civil Beech 18 style?

Based on what can be seen of the interior from the ground shots at the end of the scenes, it seems like a nice executive interior, curtains and all. And, based on the history of the airplane before Tallmantz got it, that would also suggest an executive-style interior.

It would be interesting to find out what was used to film the aircraft interior shots in whatever studio was used.

[JohnB]

It would be interesting to find out what was used to film the aircraft interior shots in whatever studio was used.

Looking at the YouTube still on your wrbsite, the studio mock up seems a bit narrow.
But then again, back then it would have been easy to get a junked fuselage for the studio shots.
Whatever it is, it has real Breach 18 control wheels.

I wouldn't be surprised if the mock up doesn't survive somewhere in a studio or prophouse.

Also, neat photo of it with a metal covered blunt AT-11 nose, never have seen that before. An economical way to "civilianize" the airframe.
Thanks for posting it.

[Ken]

I believe the studio cockpit is on display in the movie section of the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.

[Taigh Ramey]

I saw a photo of the Beech on top of a container or something in a southern CA backyard/junkyard that said it was the AT-11 from the movie. Ill try and find the reference for it.

[Fearless Tower]

It would be interesting to find out what was used to film the aircraft interior shots in whatever studio was used.

Looking at the YouTube still on your wrbsite, the studio mock up seems a bit narrow.
But then again, back then it would have been easy to get a junked fuselage for the studio shots.
Whatever it is, it has real Breach 18 control wheels.

I wouldn't be surprised if the mock up doesn't survive somewhere in a studio or prophouse.

Also, neat photo of it with a metal covered blunt AT-11 nose, never have seen that before. An economical way to "civilianize" the airframe.
Thanks for posting it.

It looks like they used a Beech G18S for the interior shots. The windscreen and side windows, as well as the cabin bulkhead are all from a G model (H models are the same but hadn't come out yet).

[Fearless Tower]

I believe the studio cockpit is on display in the movie section of the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.

Was just looking at their website. Definitely a G model.

[JohnB]

I think the Tennessee cabin have been owned by Art Scholl after its possible time at Tallmantz.
The Tennessee museum says it received its ex-Tallmantz B-25 cockpit section from Scholl, and that led me to remember an old magazine story that mentioned he had a collection of sectioned fuselages for film work.
The museum doesn't give a history for its piece, but a photo seems to show a utility interior. If course it could have been modified long after its Mad World days.

The timeframe makes sense, as Scholl was an up and coming film pilot when the Tallmantz assets were sold off in the late70s-early 80s.

[Ken]

The Museum also believes the cockpit was used in episodes of the "A Team" tv series, among others. With two flying P-47's, Skyraider, many statics, and an extremely well done exhibit area, I think the TMoA is worth the trip for any WIXer.

Ken

[Airlift48]

There was some Tallmantz memorabilia on display at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport terminal (Its like a museum) a number of years ago. It belonged to the manager, Tom Tominack. He has long since retired, but I don't know if any of that is still there since. Tom is a great guy and was always a great friend to BAHF.