Grumman Duck

[Bill Larkins]

This is a thread for discussion of the Grumman JF-1 to J2F-6. This plane too has a connection to Reno and the Air Races. More later.

[W J Pearce]

Didn't someone do aerobatics in a Duck at Reno? I heard it was quite the site.

BP

[Bill Larkins]

Yes, it was Frank Tallman of Tallmantz who flew this Grumman J2F-6 at Reno in September 1970. This was especially dramatic as Frank had previously lost one leg in an accident. The plane, N67790, is actually built by Columbia. When production at Grumman was needed more for fighters and torpedo bombers the manufacture of the J2F-6 was subcontracted to Columbia. This plane, USN 33587, had a long life and it currently in the USAF Museum at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.

[Leo]

If anyone wants to see Frank Tallman put a Duck through it's paces, track Down "Murphy's War" starring Peter O'Toole.
In the uncut (for TV) version there is a lot of really awesome footage. In many scenes you can see Frank in the cockpit.

Leo

[W J Pearce]

Sorry for drifting off topic but... Leo, is that the one where the Duck is battleing the Battleship, I think set around an isalnd in the So. Pacific?

Bill PEArce

[Bill Larkins]

No, it was a British Duck attacking a German submarine in a river. The mechanic who had been on the British cruiser that was sunk salvaged the plane and taught himself to fly it. That's where all the wild and wonderful footage of the J2F is seen in the movie. It's great!

[W J Pearce]

Thanks... my fuzzy brain is getting clearer. Not clear just clearER.

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Bill Larkins
Yes, it was Frank Tallman of Tallmantz who flew this Grumman J2F-6 at Reno in September 1970. This was especially dramatic as Frank had previously lost one leg in an accident. The plane, N67790, is actually built by Columbia. When production at Grumman was needed more for fighters and torpedo bombers the manufacture of the J2F-6 was subcontracted to Columbia. This plane, USN 33587, had a long life and it currently in the USAF Museum at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.
With such great photos we will allow you an error Bill!!!
Frank Tallman followed his Canadian national exibition airshow
with the "Duck" with a visit to the Reno Air Races in 1976, and
if my memory is correct flew four great acts in this plane ,thursday to Sunday.
You are right on the loss of a leg, this happened as a result of a fall while pushing his son"s go cart earlier. This was the accident that caused Paul Manz to fill in for him in the final takes
of "Flight of The Pheonex"
At Reno he commuted to the Duck via a golf cart and on one of the days had Stephen Ford (son of pres Ford ) in the cart on the ramp with him.....thanks Bill and we are looking foreward to more of that great photography.
don mcdonald

[blacksheep]

and it was the movie "Flight of the Phonix " where Paul Mantz killed flying the bastardized plane made out of the engine boom of a C-119

Blacksheep

[Mike MC]

and it was the movie "Flight of the Phonix " where Paul Mantz killed flying the bastardized plane made out of the engine boom of a C-119

Blacksheep

The engine boom of the C-119 was the aircraft in the the plot line, but the aircraft used in the film was a stretched T6 matched up with wings from a Twin Beech I believe..

[Leo]

Further off topic, but I have heard several versions of the lineage of the "Pheonix" from stretched T-6 or BT-13 to C-119 parts to C-87 parts and just about everything in between!
I've seen the pictures of the Pheonix that Mantz was killed in, and of the O-47 that filled in after the crash. Anybody out there have a true history of the building of the movie plane?

[Unregistered]

I don't know what was used in the movie as the flying "Phoenix" , but the
the aircraft that was wrecked was not a C-119, but the earlier and smaller look-alike C-82, as was the aircaft in the actual incident the movie was based on.
Ken Morgan