Flat Top movie poster.
Movie (1952)
French title: L'escadrille de l'enfer
Also Known As: Eagles of the Fleet (United Kingdom title)
Starring:
Sterling Hayden (Commodore Dan Collier)
Richard Carlson (Lieutenant Joe Rodgers)
William Phipps (Red Kelley)
John Bromfield (Ensign Snakehips McKay)
Away from the coast of Korea, Commodore Dan Collier remembers its first assignment on this carrier vessel during the Pacific War.
Note : filming used lot of archive footage but mixed them more actual facts of the Korean War. These last one are identified by the action showing the deck of CVA-37 (37 painted on the deck's threshold). This is the USS Princeton (Essex class) commissioned in November 1945, too late to serve in World War II! (but CVA-37 saw extensive service in the Korean War).
Grumman F9F-2 Panther[]
Vought F4U Corsair[]
Mass start but the two Skyraiders on the top right background.
Commodore Dan Collier is leading its Fighter Squadron at the controls of his Vought F4U Corsair but most of the time, backgrounds are showing other type of aircraft like those Grumman F6F Hellcat.
Loaded with a 1000 lb bomb.
A famous landing accident with this Vought F4U Corsair colliding the carrier castle high above the landing deck.
Grumman F6F Hellcat[]
This movie is full of continuity errors. A flight of Vought F4U Corsair is landing ? This Grumman F6F Hellcat is touching down.
Landing with arrestor hook out of service (not extended).
Douglas AD-4 Skyraider[]
Despite action is set during World War Two but the very first and last aviation scenes, this Douglas AD-4 Skyraider is seen in a middle of Vought F4U Corsair. One of the numerous continuity error as the Skyraider made her maiden flight in March 1945 and reach front line units only in 1946.
Another one losing a live rocket (red ring) when hook engaged the cable.
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa[]
A model on the desk, during the briefing.
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura[]
Just the wing tip.
Seen flipped (and correctly fitted!) in Flying Leathernecks.
Grumman TBF Avenger[]
Douglas SBD Dauntless[]
Footage already seen in The Fighting Lady.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver[]
Unidentified Japanese Aircraft[]
According the screenplay, attacking Japanese aircraft.
Too far away to be identified (North American T-6 Texan? archive footage of a flypast (Dauntless?).
Most of the dogfighting have been seen or reused in other movies (IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft). For example:
Footage blackened compared about other uses.
Grumman F6F Hellcat[]
Close-up on Grumman F6F Hellcat acting as cockpit of a Japanese fighter. The radio mast has been removed.
and thirteen minutes later...
Kawanishi H8K[]
Footage already seen in The Fighting Lady.
Unidentified Aircraft[]
Perhaps a Yokosuka P1Y ? (already seen in Flying Leathernecks).
Aichi E13A1 & Mitsubishi F1M[]
Footage already seen in The Fighting Lady.
Mitsubishi F1M.
(top) Aichi E13A and (bottom) Mitsubishi F1M.
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