Movies with Models

[soslipstream]

So maybe we lobby the poweres-to-be to create a new section- "Model Aircraft in the Media"?
BTW, my first entry was "Models in the Media" but I could see the folly in that one. Besides, staring at skinny 2-legged ones might get boring...

Tom

[MichaelB]

I think we're doing fine here already...
I've run lists of "real" aircraft making appearances in these old '50s B movies, but have never compiled the models seen. As I noted, they looked good and I always wanted them in my hands!

[soslipstream]

Well, we can add the movie Test Pilot with Gable, Tracy and Myrna Loy from 1938. A full scale Seversky P-35 stars in this with plenty of static and action airplane models throughout.

Tom

[Tone]

So, Test Pilot was made in 1938.

Frederic Marchand, in his second book, 1945-1970, shows a French-made tin toy model of a plane with four props and two tails. The movie Test Pilot is actually advertised on the box top for this toy. The 1938 release date for the movie suggests that this plane was "Pre-War."

[Mr.1/72]

For more than forty years I picked up pocket money building "quick and dirty" models from kits for the movie and television industry. Not as simple as it sounds.

First of all, it was always "we want it yesterday". Second, rarely could I do my beloved 1/72 scale. The models (mostly aircraft, but sometimes armor or even cars), especially for TV, had to be larger scale, which made it more difficult (there are currently over 15,000 1/72 scale kits and models of aircraft in the database). Third, and more positive, the sooner they needed it the more they paid.

The last major project I worked on was a dismal "Radio Flyer". First off was converting a paint store in Novato, CA to a 1960s hobby shop. That was good for several thousand dollars in a little more than two weeks. Every model in the shot, every display, magazine rack, paint rack, etc. were true to the year depicted. I only had to do the windows and about seven feet into the store, backdrop for the rest. The entire effort was for a single shot where the kid looks in the window and says "That's the new Revell 747! I gotta' get it". There was the anachronism as the first Revell 747 kit didn't come out until three years after the year depicted. When that filtered up to the director he asked me what to do and when I told him to change "Revell" to "Aurora" and that Aurora was long gone (read "no royalties") he jumped at that.

What followed was the fastest mail delivery ever as a hobby shop in Colorado got the model to me in 24 hours. Then an overnight build with no "United" decal (royalties) and it was in the window, wet paint and all! Then the letdown. Frantic call from the set designer. "It's too small!!!". Enter a damaged travel agency model with a wingspan of more than two and a half feet. "Tomorrow". "Impossible". "$500 worth of impossible?". It was in the window before the day's shoot.

Bottom line: $5500 and I got to keep the Aurora 747 and all of my stuff from the "hobby shop".

Oh, and the scene ended up being cut!!!!!!!

Hope that this hasn't been too boring.

Tom Young

[grwebster]

Interesting,
Back in the TPN days we had a member from California, Greg Chien, who was a special effects designer for movies and films. He worked on th lots of stuff, collected movie props and models, and had a huge ID model collection
If any one is in contact with him, get him to join up here.

[MichaelB]

Tom, great story about modeling madness! Of course, for most of us this is all a matter of love rather than income - and that makes a big difference!
Congratulations on your success!

[Mr.1/72]

I didn't mention the three other jobs that resulted from modeling but were not related.

Aircraft procurement. My favorite by far, especially when they needed vintage and veteran airccraft, even wrecks for set pieces.

Continuity. The only job I ever had where I watched movies, usually daileys and parts, and laughing my ass off most of the day. Of course I didn't have to pay for the retakes in the event they were authorized

Set dressing procurement. Got to know every thrift shop, antique store, flea market and the like within two hundred miles. The problem with this was all the stuff that I found for myself, including dozens of kits and models.

I loved it the day that they needed three models that looked like a kid, 7-10, had built them. I talked them into paying Noel, my youngest son, then seven, to do the models. His first job.

Thanks for tolerating my ramblings. I'll stop now and get back to models.

Tom Young

[MichaelB]

Fascinating! ...sounds like great fun, especially picking up old kits and toys!