MovieChat Forums > Twelve O'Clock High (1950) Discussion > How to Crash a B-17

How to Crash a B-17

posted 12 years ago by donovanarchmontierth
1 reply | jump to latest

Paul Mantz, Twelve O’Clock High: The second time Paul Mantz makes the list. It seems that he had a specialty that no one else could duplicate. He was the only stunt pilot that could crash planes on command. The B-17 bomber crash landing at the airstrip near the beginning of the movie was no special effect. Stunt pilot Paul Mantz was paid $4,500 to crash-land the bomber. Mantz, of course, walked away from the wreck. Until the 1970s, that was the largest amount ever paid to a stuntman for a single stunt. It's a pretty amazing feat, as the bomber is huge!

http://www.beststuntaward.com/2013/02/1949-best-stunt-award.html

Donovan Montierth
Brothers' Ink Productions

[–] rockmail 12 years ago

Non-pilots think the size of the aircraft makes it harder. Not really. It of course makes it different than crashing a Piper Cub, but the technique is basically the same, set up a very gradual vertical descent rate (much less than even a normal landing) and set the aircraft down gently. As long as you don't hit anything substantial on the ground, it's pretty gentle.

For a stunt, it would be done with minimal fuel, and most people don't know that aircraft are usually reinforced on the bottom somewhat in case of a forced landing. Take a look at all the forced landing videos on YouTube. New or old, very few have any tragedy other than damaging the aircraft.

So although a nifty stunt, it wasn't a massively dangerous risk, just a calculated one.