The budget could accommodate 17 flyable B-25s, and an additional non-flyable hulk was acquired in Mexico, made barely ferriable, and flown with its landing gear down to the Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, filming location, only to be burned and destroyed in the landing crash scene.
The wreck was then buried in the ground next to the runway, where it remains.
Paramount planned to film the Catch-22 aerial sequences for six weeks but the production required three months to shoot; the bombers flew a total of about 1,500 hours and appeared on-screen for 12 minutes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-25_Mitchell_aircraft_in_Catch-22
It may have been a commercial flop, but it was a great movie. Not only because of the B-25s, but also because it managed carry the absurd dark humor of the book onto the screen. Just like - say - 'The Right Stuff' movie did. Wonderful movies, even better books.
ReplyDeleteHello.I remember being disappointed by the lack of screen time for the B-25.
ReplyDeleteImagine the "cutting room floor".(Still out there somewhere?)
So much effort and investment for so little return.
Still,such a beautiful subject deserved more.