we all seen at least a few examples of aircraft acting like other aircraft (like a Stampe SV-4 playing a Heinkel biplane in Indiana Jones 3, or T-6's modified to look like Zero's or Fokker D.XXI's....)
but i was thinking, if you were to make an aviation themed movie, what readily available aircraft would you repaint/modify to look like an aircraft that no longer flown.

for example, for a Belgian WW2 movie idea, i would modify a Boeing/Stearman Kaydet to look like a Gloster Gladiator Mk.I.

anyone else wanna pitch in idea's, maybe suggest a GB in the future? 

Tornadoes as a stand in for MiG-25s/-31s in an early Top Gun sequel or the Iron Eagle movies ( probably too high budget for the latter.

Gloster Meteors as a Me-262 proxy.

As a GB this would be a fun one..would really rack the brain trying to figure out what to become what ...if budget was limited then this is a great idea ..I know of one movie where they used P-51s as Me109s  strange 🤔

If the budget was very nice then you'd just CGI anything ya wanted 😉
But where's the fun in that 

Quote from: Wardukw on June 04, 2024, 01:14:51 PMAs a GB this would be a fun one..would really rack the brain trying to figure out what to become what ...if budget was limited then this is a great idea ..I know of one movie where they used P-51s as Me109s  strange 🤔

If the budget was very nice then you'd just CGI anything ya wanted 😉
But where's the fun in that 

Spitfire 16s were used as 109s in Reach for the Sky; Harvard's are used for everything!

Buchon as P-51

Quote from: kitbasher on June 05, 2024, 12:52:03 AMHarvard's are used for everything!

That's true. They make great Mitsubishi Zeros (The Final Countdown), and IIRC I recently posted a modded Harvard that posed as a WWII USN aircraft, similar to a Wildcat - but was probably not a movie prop.



And IIRC IAI Kfirs were used more than one time to depict "the bad guys" in aircraft-heavy movies with Israeli involvement (IDF F-16s frequently depicting "the good guys"; Iron Eagle comes to mind).

A much modified Yak-52 was used for some Spitfire scenes in Dunkirk. Getting the cockpit view, at least.

I was thinking of painting a P40 like an Me 109 to accompany my Dam Busters B17.

Quote from: zenrat on June 05, 2024, 04:37:50 AMI was thinking of painting a P40 like an Me 109 to accompany my Dam Busters B17.

And why not?

Well, considering Bf-108's and Ar-96's have been used as "fighters" I'm sure the humble Chipmunk could find a place in this thread.

De Havilland Vampires have been used to imitate Mig-19s,the camera doesn't show the rear end of the aircraft, substituting the F-86 at high levels of flight.

Readily available in a particular time period, or relatively available now?

Quote from: Mossie on June 04, 2024, 12:56:38 PMTornadoes as a stand in for MiG-25s/-31s in an early Top Gun sequel or the Iron Eagle movies ( probably too high budget for the latter.

Then again, you could take the micky out of the Iron Eagle movies by making your build a ridiculous parody of them. I had a couple of ideas along these lines.

Iron Eagle 27: The Real Story Of The Falklands War.
In which Argentina turns out to be backed by the Soviets, who intervene directly when they start losing, causing the USN to step in to save English butt (again), after which the whole business of US/USSR involvement is covered up to prevent the Cold War escalating...

Basically, the producers discover that it's possible to hire HMS Invincible for a limited period after her retirement, together with some surplus Spanish Navy AV-8As. The preposterous story line is concocted so that they can get as much generic footage as possible to use in future productions. All the Argentinians and Russians are played by British actors and all the Brits and Americans by US actors. Sharkey Ward is hired as a consulatant, but walks off the production 48 hours later, demanding that his name be taken off the credits. "Shooter Wade" is subsequently played by Eddie Murphy.

Invincible is 'dressed up' four different ways:
1. as herself,
2. as the 25 de Mayo*,
3. as the Soviet carrier "Leon Trotsky",
4. as the US carrier "Ambrose Burnside".

The poor AV-8As get repainted as follows:
1. Sea Harriers (blue and white with big Union Jacks on the fin and "ENGLISH NAVY" written on the sides)
2. RAF Harriers (green/brown cammo with Union Jacks)
3. Yak-38 Forgers (black, with huge red stars)
4. Unspecified USN fighters (white with black 'radar' nose cones, oversize stars'n'bars)

Argentine aircraft are played by privately-owned Gnats & Ajeets ("Skyhawks"), a single Draken** ("Mirage/Dagger"), a single F-100 ("Super Etendard"), L-39s ("Aermacchis") and a Piper Navaho ("Pucara"). All the Argentine aircraft have "ARGENTINE AIR FORCE" or "ARGENTINE NAVY" written on the sides in English.

British helicopters are played by Hueys and Jet Rangers.

*"Flying" scenes with Gnats and the "25 de Mayo" are done by carrying the aircraft around on deck, flying them close to the carrier (from land), and clever editing.
** There's a privately-owned Draken in the US IRL. It's appeared in several movies and TV shows.



Iron Eagle 28: Avro Arrow: The True Story
In which the promising Avro-Canada CF-105 Arrow is developed with huge amounts of American help, only to be borrowed to fight off a secret alien invasion, after which the programme has to be 'cancelled' as a cover for the prototypes' disappearance.

After the expensive fiasco of the previous movie (which, for some reason, didn't do as well as hoped for in the UK), the producers decide to make the next project simpler and cheaper. It's made in collaboration with their long-time partners, the Israeli Air Force, which explains the numerous shots of aircraft flying over the deserts of Northern Canada. All the Canadians and Americans are played by American actors and all the aliens are played by British ones. Jan Zurakowski's son is hired as a consulatant, but walks off the production 48 hours later, demanding that his name be taken off the credits. "Jan Zoomer" is subsequently played by Goldie Hawn.

The CF-105s are played by a couple of Kfir TC.7s painted white with black noses and big leafs.
CF-100 chase planes are played by Magisters painted in similar fashion.
The UFOs are played by dodgy special effects.

There's two whole Group Builds right there! 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 17, 2024, 02:31:06 AMThere's two whole Group Builds right there! 

The idea orignally came from seeing a toylike "kit" of a "Sea Harrier" which was actually an AV-8B (not even a II+) painted royal blue over white...