Bat*21 French DVD cover.
Movie (1988)
French title : Air Force Bat 21
Starring:
Gene Hackman (Lt. Col. Iceal Hambelton)
Danny Glover (Capt. Bartholomew Clark)
Jerry Reed (Col. George Walker)
David Marshall Grant (Ross Carver)
Clayton Rohner (Sgt. Harley Rumbaugh)
A 53 years old Lieutenant Colonel, expert in missile intelligence, is stranded in a Vietnam war zone after his electronic reconnaissance plane is shot down by a Sam-2 missile. The movie tells the story of his difficult rescue. Based (loosely) on a true story.
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King[]
A Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King comes to fetch Iceal from the golf green.
The Sea King takes Iceal to the Command Center.
Douglas EB-66 Destroyer[]
The electronic reconnaissance version of the Douglas B-66 Destroyer (in fact, a model was used for the movie; see [1] for a picture of the real plane).
The hit EB-66 is going down.
Cessna 337A Super Skymaster[]
Registration N5301S, c/n 3370401. Acting as a military O-2 Skymaster.
The Cessna O-2 and its distinctive "pull-push" configuration ; the real hero of this movie.
A view of the rear coaxial engine and the twin tail booms of the Skymaster. Notice that this is in fact a civil version of the plane: here [2] is a picture of the military version with additional glass panes for better visibility, and no propeller cones.
Low flying reconnaissance.
Firing rockets after a fellow pilot was killed by the enemy.
Flying low dodging mist.
Swift little beaut
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey[]
"The" Vietnam War helicopter, on the first rescue mission.
Reconnaissance pass, with a gunman at the side.
Scrambling at low altitude after the gunman was hit.
Second rescue mission next morning.
Coming to the rescue...
...only to be shot down.
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (as HH-3E Jolly Green Giant) []
In formation with a Huey on the first rescue mission. Note that the real Jolly Green Giant (Sikorski HH-3) is a larger helicopter, see here [3]. The Super Jolly Green Giant (Sikorsky HH-53) is even larger, see here [4]
Hovering over the rescue site, under cover of the Huey, with the Cessna O-2 about to dive for scouting.
Going closer down under the cover of the Huey.
Close to the ground.
Almost there.
Hit!!
Forced landing
Northrop F-5[]
Two F-5 Freedom Fighters appearing for a strafing run.
Low flying strafe.
Close-up of one F-5.
North American F-100D-50 NH Super Sabre[]
s/n 55-2881.
Rolling over for a bombing run.
Releasing bombs.
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