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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » A visit to the Museum Of Flight And Aeriel Firefighting

   
Author Topic: A visit to the Museum Of Flight And Aeriel Firefighting
Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-16-2005 08:05 PM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I've passed this place many times while on my way to Cody, WY. and decided to check it out as I had a couple of spare hours to kill. MAN! What a place.... It turns out that this airport is the base for a company called Hawkins And Powers Aviation. They lease, maintaian and convert older planes to aerial fire fighting capability and also restore planes for the government and also for use in films. Low and behold these are the guys that supplied the Farchild flying box cars for both versions of "Flight Of The Phoenix". Many of the planes for the film "Always" were also supplied by H&P. Both "Phoenix" films used the same type of Fairchild plane but they were totally different versions. The latter films plane had much larger engines. This plane was restored in less than 4 months and then flown over 22,000 miles to the site for filming. Hawkins And Powers has no less than 140 FAA certified mechanics employed there. The other Fairchild plane used in the Jimmy Stewart version of the film is kept in like new condition and occasionally visits air shows around the world. Below are a few pictures of both planes and also a shot of the last Boeing KC-97 built. This place is VERY worthwhile for airplane enthusiests to visit.

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Plane used in last years version of the film.

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Cockpit of same plane

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The actual planee used in the Jimmy Stewaart version of the film. This entire plane was rebuilt about 5 years ago and is kept in brand new condition. Both planes use JATO to cope with the heavy load of fire retardents they can handle.

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Last KC-97 Stratofreighter ever built was purchased by H&P brand new.

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Recently upgraded cockpit of the "97".

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Spent Pratt & Whitney cylinders from the big planes
Mark

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005


 - posted 07-17-2005 07:18 AM      Profile for Louis Bornwasser   Author's Homepage   Email Louis Bornwasser   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Mark. As a pilot,(& restorer of old technology projection equipment) these kind of places are of much interest.

Louis

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Jeff Stricker
Master Film Handler

Posts: 481
From: Calumet, Mi USA
Registered: Nov 1999


 - posted 07-18-2005 07:07 AM      Profile for Jeff Stricker   Email Jeff Stricker   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks for posting the pics, Mark. There's one of those planes at the Grissom Air Reserve Base Museum just north of where I live. Man, I saw the Jimmy Stewart version of FotF when it was released in 1965. (The year I graduated HS --- that's dating me!) Excellent film with a great cast! I've avioided the latest version of the film since I couldn't see how the original could have been improved upon. [Wink]

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Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000


 - posted 07-19-2005 05:20 AM      Profile for Phil Hill   Email Phil Hill       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark...great informative post! Thanks!

While most all my non-commercial flying has been in Bell Jet/Long Rangers and Lear Jets for movie shoots, I hope to make it up there and see those kewl planes in person! [thumbsup]

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 07-19-2005 05:36 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I was at the Boeing factory in Everett, WA yesterday, but they don't allow cameras, so I can't post any pictures. But it was interesting. You can see where they put the big planes together and where they paint them and all that. Did you know a new Boeing 747 starts at $189 million? [Eek!]

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000


 - posted 07-21-2005 05:52 AM      Profile for Leo Enticknap   Author's Homepage   Email Leo Enticknap   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That would explain why most airliners I travel look like they were built in the 1970s...

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 07-24-2005 02:57 AM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yea, the first plane in the '65 Jimmy Stewart "Phoenix" film was the Fairchild C-82 "Packet" - the first and smaller version of the later Fairchild C-119 "Flying Boxcar" - which was used in the remake.

Have some fun with this site about military aircraft

www.photovault.com

-Monte

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