View Full Version : "The Blue Max"
snakehunter
09-10-2013, 01:07
I was watching it the other day and noted that the British fighters looked exactly like SE 5s except the props were mounted at the top of the cowling instead of at the bottom. Was there an SE 5 model made in that configuration? If not, what did they use to simulate the SE 5
Great, now you got me thinking, I hate that! I'll have to look, in my head I remember the SE5 having it at the top. Most of the planes they used were very late post war trainers I believe. The Brits had many biplanes up into the first couple of years of WW2.
The SE 5 has the prop just a bit above or right at center from what I can see. The Australian one on wiki looks to be below center though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5
another discussion
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?34806-The-aircraft-in-the-quot-Blue-Max-quot
A Currie Wot based replica as used in the film.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3053/3252975955_b767852b5b_z.jpg?zz=1
Griff Murphey
09-10-2013, 08:29
Guam,
The ones with the high props are replicas. The real ones have the prop pretty well centered or just a bit low. I suspect there was a little variation on the real ones, but they definitely were not as high as that Aussie replica. A lot of the real ones used 4 bladed props.
Blue Max had the Irish Army using No. 4 Enfields playing both the WW-1 German Army and the British Army. The "secret" german monoplane George Peppard is killed in test flying at the last is a 1930's French fighter.
Some repro SE-5s are seen in the DiCaprio film THE AVIATOR in the part about Hughes' WW-1 movie HELL'S ANGEL. Another tip off is that most of the repros are built at reduced scale. I think the one shown above is about 3/4 scale.
snakehunter
09-11-2013, 08:19
I was watching it the other day and noted that the British fighters looked exactly like SE 5s except the props were mounted at the top of the cowling instead of at the bottom. Was there an SE 5 model made in that configuration? If not, what did they use to simulate the SE 5
Thanks for your responses guys. I found a couple of original pictures from WWI and the props are mounted about half way down between the center and bottom of the cowling.
John Sukey
09-11-2013, 04:53
Not only did the movie use the Irish army for both sides, but the only thing they changed for the german side was the helmets! Oh, and the "german" helmets were also Irish free state from between the wars!;)
Mike Josephic
09-11-2013, 11:20
None the less (even with all of the historical "liberties"), It's still a favorite movie of mine and a great story.
Mike
Griff Murphey
09-12-2013, 04:54
Agree, quite entertaining and as a long time viewer of them I am well used to Hollywood's shortcuts, everything fromTrapdoors playing Civil War muzzle loaders in RED BADGE OF COURAGE to OS2U Kingfishers used as float Zeroes in THEY WERE EXPENDABLE and how many mg belts of blanks and bandoleers full of GI 30'06 dummies have we seen in closeups!??
One of my favorites is the USMC 2Lt in LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA who takes the 1911 off of General Kobayashi's body, shown clearly hammer back, safety off, and sticks it inside his waistband. And I love the way actors "clean" guns. They just rub them and rub them.
One of my favorites is the USMC 2Lt in LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA who takes the 1911 off of General Kobayashi's body, shown clearly hammer back, safety off, and sticks it inside his waistband. And I love the way actors "clean" guns. They just rub them and rub them.
Well, I can't comment on the mental capacity of every grunt but I do know more than a few guys have done that....some had better luck than others. I carry my 1911 hammer back safety off.....not in my pants and with a holster blocking the trigger.
As to cleaning guns.... I wonder how many prop guns look like chrome now from all the rag wiping sessions. I did note the other day while watching America The Story of US, that they showed some continental militiamen wipng down their muskets. One of the extras must have been a gun guy because he stopped a guy, took the rag away and started wiping out the flash pan and said "Keep all this in here clean and it will save your life". It was kind of weak, but atleast it was more than polishing.
Oh, and atleast Blue Max didn't due like so many tank based movies and use the exact same vehicles for both sides.
Sean P Gilday
09-13-2013, 02:04
Not only did the movie use the Irish army for both sides, but the only thing they changed for the german side was the helmets! Oh, and the "german" helmets were also Irish free state from between the wars!;)And those "German" Helmets were made in the UK by Vickers
Sean P Gilday
09-13-2013, 02:08
Most of the aircraft used were converted DeHavilland Tiger Moth trainers. there was a Replica Pfalz and triplane. A great movie from my child hood, but the one thing that really gets me annoyed is how the Maxims are fired. By the way the Observer Stachel shoots is using a Bren not a Lewis
Always enjoy building and posting DR1 model photos. These are old Monogram 1/4 scale kits
from years ago. I believe the DR1,s used in Blue Max were not full size ?
If I ever win the mega millions I really want a hand built blueprinted Spad or DR1. Ofcourse, with some modern improvements to the engine so it won't coat me in oil and stall out constantly.......and a parachute.... a really good parachute.
John Sukey
09-17-2013, 09:31
Interesting fact, parachutes were available and used by baloon observers But the "Brit War office" didn't issue them to pilots "because pilots might "Not tend to fight their aircraft but bail out instead if they got into trouble!"
Interesting fact, parachutes were available and used by baloon observers But the "Brit War office" didn't issue them to pilots "because pilots might "Not tend to fight their aircraft but bail out instead if they got into trouble!"
YEP, Pilots just weren't worth as much back then :)
snakehunter
09-20-2013, 12:46
If I ever win the mega millions I really want a hand built blueprinted Spad or DR1. Ofcourse, with some modern improvements to the engine so it won't coat me in oil and stall out constantly.......and a parachute.... a really good parachute.
The SPAD is my favorite WW1 fighter. I saw an ultra light one at an air show a couple of years ago. It was almost perfect, except for the size of course.
I took this pic for my wife while she was still in England. We have a running gag going where we compete for the most rediculous photo or idea based on her PillowPets. I am currently the winner as the Unicorn should be on the new season of Cajun Pawn Stars.
This was at the Ft Worth militaria show. The corsair was a really nice little plane, IT IS an actual flyable aircraft and the owners were super great people.
http://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/5224_273319169479289_1344884042_n.jpg
Griff Murphey
09-21-2013, 07:40
Ok it's only a replica but there are lots of good references.... Why screw it up this bad?
Japanese kill markings, postwar insgnia, and MARINES goes aft on the fuselage on postwar aircraft, postwar plane would be overall glossy sea blue, no gull gray undersurfaces. This thing is a mixture of paintwork, all wrong.
That said, some people who own the real ones worth close to a million bucks mark them up like toys, too.
Airplane goon, signing off.
PhillipM
09-22-2013, 02:40
Ok it's only a replica but there are lots of good references.... Why screw it up this bad?
Japanese kill markings, postwar insgnia, and MARINES goes aft on the fuselage on postwar aircraft, postwar plane would be overall glossy sea blue, no gull gray undersurfaces. This thing is a mixture of paintwork, all wrong.
That said, some people who own the real ones worth close to a million bucks mark them up like toys, too.
Airplane goon, signing off.
I agree that thing just doesn't look right. Even the font is wrong.
http://www.f4ucorsair.com/images/legends/97359-13.jpg
PhillipM
09-22-2013, 02:53
I was watching it the other day and noted that the British fighters looked exactly like SE 5s except the props were mounted at the top of the cowling instead of at the bottom. Was there an SE 5 model made in that configuration? If not, what did they use to simulate the SE 5
Could the three different engines used explain the prop location?
S.E.5
First production version. Single-seat fighter biplane, powered by a 150 hp (112 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8a piston engine.
S.E.5a
Improved production version, powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8b V-8 or 200 hp (149 kW) Wolseley Viper piston engine.
I think that would explain the minor variation in the museum displays and old photos.
Ok it's only a replica but there are lots of good references.... Why screw it up this bad?...........Airplane goon, signing off.
Because
A.) it's just a neat toy
B.) I think he was pretty limited with available graphics and budget.
C.) It's easier to just do what you want than try to please the airplane goons who worry about Fonts and left handed floopjacks being light interior green only on aircraft produced on the second Monday in May.
Here's what Hanson's aircraft supposedly looked like
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/attachments/start-finish-builds/189455d1326553826t-1-48-tamiya-f4u1-corsair-f4u1-robert-m.-hanson.jpg
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