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| Source: Screen capture from video linked below about 44:53 |
Okay we recently looked at a bunch of folks involved mostly in WW2 Warbirds and the amazing work they have done, usually with most of a plane to start with.
Ever hear of Peter Jackson? No, not the moon walking guy obsessed with kiddies, that was Michael. Peter is a film director, one of the top people in that trade of all times. He directed “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, “King Kong” and a lot of other VERY successful films. From that, he is fabulously wealthy, worth over $1.4 Billion.
Some might say he is a bit eccentric, but he seems to be a fun loving guy who does not take himself too seriously. But, he is passionate about World War I history. He was the brains (and money) behind taking reels of film footage from the Imperial War Museum and turning it into the amazing “They Shall Not Grow Old” which appeared in 2018. This involved sharpening, synching and colorizing the old footage, and adding appropriate sound track including voice overs from interviews with WW1 veterans. It is an amazing insight into WW1.
If you have not seen it, then hither ye to a search engine and find out where to view it on line. It does not seem to be available free, but streams for $3.99 from several sources. As Nike says, “Just do it!”
Anyway, Jackson is truly obsessed with WW1, and has a personal collection of WW1 artifacts better than any other except possibly the Imperial War Museum itself. He is especially interested in WW1 aviation, but since there are not very many surviving original aircraft, he has his own company which makes WW1 aircraft exactly to original plans and specifications, and flies them. Jackson owns about 40 planes, at least a dozen are new production.
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| Source: Screen capture from video linked below at about 29:14 |
He has also provided non-airworthy replicas for museum display, and provided the money and skilled set makers to create amazing exhibits, like the British plane crashed into a tree above, and a full size exhibit on the Red Baron’s crash site being looted by Australian souvenir hunters while his body was still there. (Somehow, Snoopy got overlooked.)
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| Source: Screen capture from video linked below at about 29:27 |
So, lets go down under and turn left (politically) to Kiwi Land and visit Peter Jackson and his obsession.
Now, off we go…
If you don’t come away from this video utterly amazed at what one rich guy can do, and loving him for it, then maybe history is not your thing.
WOW!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!
You found a new rabbit hole for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gmZ9X9Aplk
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/peter-jackson-loves-more-than-just-hobbits-has-world-s-biggest-ww1-plane-collection-173775.html
Don't forget Cole Palen's Old Rheinbeck Aerodrome about an hour north of NYC https://oldrhinebeck.org/ My father took us out there a couple times in the early 70's and I never forgot those trips. At one time, all the planes, cars, and the Renault tank out there were original...
ReplyDeleteWell, you got to spend the $$ on something eh? Did not know Mr. Jackson was interested in early warbirds, thanks for the info and vid JB!
ReplyDelete"They Shall Not Grow Old" is at my library in BlueRay and DVD. Just saying....
ReplyDeleteIch auch. That movie is a treasure! One of the things Jackson was able to do was get the sound of the breech being closed on an artillery piece - because he has one!
DeleteWe saw the movie in the theater during the brief run it had. The audience stood in silence after the credits.
Boat Guy
They Shall Not Grow old. www.lookmovie2.to free to watch.
ReplyDeleteOOPS!! LINK TO PETER JACKSON VIDEO AT BOTTOM SHOULD BE
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/7gmZ9X9Aplk
Link above is to previous post.
Sorry!
John Blackshoe
Oops! My bad, fixed it.
DeleteJB - I love Jackson for his care and craft on The Lord of The Rings. Now I have reason to love him more - thanks for the information!
ReplyDeleteOMG! That was fabulous! In 7th grade, 1963, I discovered the library and a seemingly endless supply of WWl and WWll books. I was especially drawn to the air wars, it was like being there. Good writers and an imagination are wonderful things. That's what originally got me hooked on reading. What a great documentary, I can't spew enough superlatives, so I'll just leave it at awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat find! Thanks for sharing!
Peter Jackson is a treasure.
ReplyDeleteLove the old warbirds!
I think it's out of print, but I recommend Frank Tallman's book Flying The Old Planes. (My very dear wife found a good used copy for me a few years ago.) The late Tallman was a stunt and exhibition pilot who bought and restored many old aircraft and commented on them from an expert's point of view (he said, after flying a Fokker Eindecker, that a man who would do an Immelmann in an Eindecker deserved the Pour le Merite!). Interestingly, he said that most modern (1960's) engines and propellers could not do justice to the old birds, despite their superior horsepower ratings.
ReplyDeleteThere's a "Pioneer Flight Museum" In Kingsbury, TX (just n. of I-10 east of Seguin) that had a fly-in several years ago.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I noticed on all the old (WWI era+) planes was the absolute lack of any safety wiring or even lock washers (they had seat belts).
I wonder how many pilots watched their planes come apart in mid-air until they discovered safety wire.
I'm wondering if any reproduction planes would be certified if they didn't meet some basic modern safety requirements.
Especially in a nanny state like NZ.