Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: A visit to the Museum Of Flight And Aeriel Firefighting

This is topic A visit to the Museum Of Flight And Aeriel Firefighting in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-16-2005, 08:05 PM:

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.

Plane used in last years version of the film.

Cockpit of same plane

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.

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

Recently upgraded cockpit of the "97".

Spent Pratt & Whitney cylinders from the big planes
Mark

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-17-2005, 07:18 AM:

Thanks Mark. As a pilot,(& restorer of old technology projection equipment) these kind of places are of much interest.

Louis

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 07-18-2005, 07:07 AM:

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]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 07-19-2005, 05:20 AM:

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]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-19-2005, 05:36 PM:

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!]

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 07-21-2005, 05:52 AM:

That would explain why most airliners I travel look like they were built in the 1970s...

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-24-2005, 02:57 AM:

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