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Fighting Air Command's Blue Max Aircraft
This is a list of The Blue Max movie aircraft that were purchased in the early 1980s by the Fighting Air Command. I compiled the list in 1986 and included a short description of each plane and the engines used. Any comments about their condition are as of 1986.
Stampe SV-4c, built by Stampe, serial number 1060, N901AC, former EI-AVU and F-BAUR. Currently certified and flying. Painted in green and brown camouflage with French markings. This aircraft is used for pilot familiarization and in support of the World War I replicas.
Fokker D.VII/65, built by Rousseau Aviation in France, serial number 1, N902AC, former EI-APV and F-BNDF, 342/788 hours. Currently certified and flying. As received, painted with red nose and blue fuselage and wings. Plans are to mark the plane as that flown by Oblt. Rudolph Berthold. Fokker D.VII/65, built by Rousseau Aviation in France, serial number 2, N903AC, former EI-APT and F-BNDG, 267/965 hours. Currently certified and flying. As received, painted with red nose and black fuselage and wings. Final paint scheme and markings not yet applied. Fokker D.VII/65, built by Rousseau Aviation in France, serial number 3, N904AC, former EI-APU and F-BNDH, 188/659 hours. Not currently certified or flying. As received, painted with red nose and light green fuselage and wings. Final paint scheme and markings not yet applied, but may be redone as a very early D.VII with streaked green fuselage and wings. Pfalz D.III, built by Hampshire Aeroplane Club, Ltd., serial number PT16, N905AC, former EI-ARD, G-ATIJ, 85/118 hours. Not currently certified or flying. As received, painted with a black fuselage and dark purple wings. Final paint scheme and markings not yet applied.
Pfalz D.III, built by Personal Plane Services Ltd., serial number PPS/PFLZ/1, N906AC, former EI-ARC, 319/181 hours. Being certified now and ready to fly. As received, painted with white nose, mustard orange fuselage and bright green wings. Repainted silver overall with red nose and two red fuselage bands as flown by Werner Voss. Caudron 277, built by Caudron, serial number 7546/135, N907AC, former EI-ARF, hours unknown. Not currently certified or flyable. This aircraft was modified to play both the British and German two-seaters in the movie. It was heavily damaged in a hangar collapse in Ireland and needs complete rebuilding. Slingsby Type 56, Currie Wot SE5, built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd., serial number 1591, N908AC, former EI-ARJ and G-AVOV, 264/? hours. Not currently certified or flying. Slingsby Type 56, Currie Wot SE5, built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd., serial number 1592, N909AC, former EI-ARI and G-AVOU, 255/? hours. Not currently certified or flying. Slingsby Type 56, Currie Wot SE5, built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd., serial number 1593, N910AC, former EI-ARL, 226/? hours. Not currently certified or flying. Slingsby Type 56, Currie Wot SE5, built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd., serial number 1594, N912AC, former EI-ARK, 229/? hours. Not currently certified or flying. Notes on Engines and ConstructionThe three Fokker D.VII's have DeHavilland Gipsy Queen, six- cylinder, inverted, air-cooled engines rated at 200 or 210 horsepower. These replicas are very heavy and underpowered. They are equipped with non-steerable wooden tail skids. The Pfalz D.III built by Personal Plane Services appears to have been modified from a DeHavilland Gipsy Moth or similar Moth type airplane with a steel-tube fuselage and wooden wings. It is powered by an upright Gipsy Major, four-cylinder, air-cooled engine with a wet sump oil system. Horsepower is about 140. Two dummy cylinders and exhausts have been added to give the appearance of a six-cylinder engine. This aircraft is expected to fly reasonably well but with very heavy controls. It has a steerable metal tail skid. The Pfalz D.III built by the Hampshire Airplane Club is of all wood construction, with what seem to be very lightly built wings. This aircraft is said to have had the nickname "Rubber Wings" during the filming of the movie. It is powered by a Gipsy Major, four-cylinder, air-cooled engine with a dry sump oil system, which is apparently an inverted engine turned upright. It is rated at about 145 horsepower. It has a steerable metal tail skid. The Caudron 277 is of all wood construction and powered by a Renault 4PO1 four-cylinder, inverted, air-cooled engine of about 145 horsepower. The Slingsby SE5 replicas are about 85% scale and are of all wood construction which seems light but strong. The original engines were Lycoming O-235-C2A four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air- cooled, rated at 115 horsepower. Only one engine was received with the four aircraft and some of the engine mounts show signs of having been sawed partially or completely off, perhaps in an attempt to steal the engines. No propellers were received. Also, as received, all of the aircraft had been recovered but there is no rib stitching on any flight surfaces. They have fixed metal tail skids. |
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All material not specifically credited is Copyright © by Randy Wilson.
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