Harvard film roles

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At the risk of being completely wrong, I thought I would ask this question anyway...

Whilst watching A Bridge Too Far today, I spotted in the background of one of the ground scenes the well-known Thunderbolt-Harvards, as well as the Typhoon-Harvards in the ground-attack sequences.

Something tells me, however, that one or two Harvards were once modified to represent Fokker D.XIIs in a film - including the fitting of wheel-spats as well as the usual cockpit altering.

Did I imagine this? :confused:

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20 years 1 month

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Hi,

Yes, you are right. These Harvards (Royal Netherlands Air Force and Stichting Vliegsport Gilze-Rijen) were used as P-47C Thunderbolt, Fw.190 and Typhoon for "A Bridge too far" and as Fokker D.XXIs in "Soldier of Orange". I think I have posted details of FP-forum last year.

BTW, Stichting Vliegsport Gilze-Rijen is today's Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight at Gilze-Rijen AFB, and we still fly some of those Harvard IIB moviestars. See www.skhv.nl

Regards,

Benno
www.skhv.nl

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Thanks for that, Benno.

Had a search on the forums for mention of the Fokker-Harvards, but can't seem to find it :(

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Robert Mitchum in a film I think was called " RETURN to FAIRBOROUGH" they used Gary Numans Harvard G-AZSC.

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"Tora, Tora, Tora" a bunch of the attacking Japanese A/C were "refitted" T-6s.

"Empire of the Sun" another T-6 dressed in wolf's clothing!

Have not checked what they used in Baa, Baa Black Sheep.....Hmmm, more Googling!

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Have not checked what they used in Baa, Baa Black Sheep.....Hmmm, more Googling!

"Tora!" aircraft in that, very likely.

The WIX thread doesn't mention the Fokker-Harvard, though.

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How about the Luftwaffe fighters whose tails are smashed by the snowplow bus in Where Eagles Dare?

T-6s were used in nearly every film about the Pacific war standing in for Zeros....to many to mention.

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You are right; now with Fokker D.XXI details added

In the film "A bridge too far " there were four Harvards, an Auster Mk.III (PH-NGK) and a Spitfire Mk.IX (G-ASJV). The Harvards and Auster were operated by "Stichting Vliegsport Gilze-Rijen", today better known as "Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight". Two Harvards were former instructional airframes, and at that moment in the Air Force museum reserve collection. The Harvards were not only painted as Typhoons, but also as Thunderbolt and Fw.190s.
These Noorduyn AT-16-ND "Harvard IIB"s were :

PH-BKT : “HF-L” (Typhoon) and “- + 5” (Fw.190)
PH-KLU : “MX-W” (Thunderbolt), “HF-S” (Typhoon) and “- + 7” (FW.190)
B-64 : “HF-J” (Typhoon)
B-118 : “HF-N” (Typhoon)

Two years later, in 1978, again those Harvards were used in a film, as Fokker D.XXIs and as Fw.190s; now for "Soldier of Orange",. They were :

PH-BKT : “- + 5” (Fw.190)
PH-KLU : “- + 7” (Fw.190)
B-64 : “213” (Fokker D.XXI), “219” (Fokker D.XXI)
B-118 : “241” (Fokker D.XXI)

PH-KLU is still active from Lelystad; but for sale. B-64 is PH-LSK and B-118 is PH-IIB, both based at Gilze-Rijen with the RNLAFHF (www.skhv.nl) . PH-BKT crashed, killing pilot and passenger.

Regards,

Benno

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Thanks again for that, Benno. Don't suppose you have any photos of the Harvards in their various film guises, do you?

I seem to recall a couple of A Bridge Too Far shots lurking around somewhere, culled from magazines....

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USAAF, RAF, LW and LVA

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Don't forget the T6 Thunderbolt that strafes the guys in Kellys Heroes (truly the best war film ever) - don't remember seeing the T6 190's and Thunderbolts in A Bridge Too Far, what scenes were those?

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Don't forget the T6 Thunderbolt that strafes the guys in Kellys Heroes (truly the best war film ever) - don't remember seeing the T6 190's and Thunderbolts in A Bridge Too Far, what scenes were those?

Rob, not sure about 190 scences but the Thunberbolt scenes off the top of my head are when 30 Corps start heading down the road and waqlk straight into an ambush, pop purple smoke and bobs ya uncle the german anti tank gunners get a major league headache. Bex

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Ther where Havards on the airfield in the film 'The Great Escape', When James Garner and Donald Plesance stole the Bestman.

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I was brave enough to sit and watch 'Where Eagles Dare' the other day and noticed for the first time that the Harvards that were butchered by Mr Burton and his snowplough were AT-6Ds and not the usual Harvard Mk.IIBs.

As I believe that the film was shot in Switzerland and they had Mk.IIBs, where did these airframes come from?

If you sad enough to run the same section through again in slow motion (I am), you can see that the sequence must have been shot more than once as a number of the airframes in the line have already damaged elevators, before the snowplough reaches them.

Martin

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Where Eagles Dare was shot in Austria, but the "lufwaffe fighters" were former Swiss Air Force Harvard IIBs (sold to the film company on February 26, 1968) and were ex U-311, -315, -317 and -327

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Where Eagles Dare was shot in Austria, but the "lufwaffe fighters" were former Swiss Air Force Harvard IIBs (sold to the film company on February 26, 1968) and were ex U-311, -315, -317 and -327

Thanks Benno.....they say you learn something new every day.

Weird though as a few of them have roll back canopies. Will have to find enough courage to watch it again for another look!!

Best wishes,

Martin

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A T-6 finishes off Das Boot.......

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I haven't seen the movie, but if I recall correctly from WW's feature on Patton, Blood & guts there are T-6s in it. After neither P-51D N6356T nor the Buchons with scoops were used the film company enlisted the service of the Spanish AF and some of their T-6s.

T J

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And who can forget the wonderful 'Iron Eagle 4' with Mk.4s shooting down F-5s (sorry F-16s!) :)

Martin

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four photo's

Great stuff! Many thanks :)

Must say, the Fokker-Harvards are very convincing at first glance!

I suppose the "ABTF" fighters just about do the job if you don't look too carefully... ;)