The Thousand Plane Raid
Encyclopedia
The Thousand Plane Raid (aka The One Thousand Plane Raid)is a 1969 film directed by Boris Sagal
. It stars Christopher George
and Laraine Stephens. Although claimed to be derived from Ralph Barker
's The Thousand Plane Raid, the storyline inaccurately portrays the first raid as a 8th Air Force mission while the actual attack was undertaken by 1,047 Royal Air Force
bombers against the city of Cologne
, Germany in May 1942.
8th Air Force
, 103rd Bomb Group base in England
, repeatedly attempts to persuade superiors that massive daylight bombing will hasten the end of World War II
. In spite of the mission's extreme difficulty, his plan is finally put into effect against a German aircraft factory.
During preparation for the raid, Brandon alienates his men by insisting that normal bombing operations continue. His disdain for cautious Lieutenant Archer (Ben Murphy) and brash RAF Wing Commander Trafton Howard (Gary Marshal) further antagonizes his associates, including his girl friend, WAC Lieutenant Gabrielle Ames (Larraine Stephens).
When his bomber crashes the morning of the mission, Brandon boards a bomber manned by Archer and Howard. During the effective air raid, he is impressed by Archer's courage and Howard's judgment.
Aerial sequences included a mix of stock wartime footage including the Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress
(1944), some of it colorized to match original footage. The air-boss was legendary Hollywood stunt pilot Frank Tallman
but the most spectacular scene was a low-flying B-17 scene flown by Don Lykins. Another crash scene was taken from Twelve O'Clock High
, the famous crash-landing carried out by Paul Mantz
, another of Hollywood's leading stunt pilots, and Tallman's onetime partner in Tallmantz Aviation, before his death in 1965.Three Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers (DB-17P 44-83684 [N3713G], DB-17P 44-83525 [N83525], both on loan from the USAF and Tallman's B-17F 42-29782 [N17W]) were used in the production.
Boris Sagal
Boris Sagal was a Ukrainian-born American television and film director.-Early life and career:Born in Yekaterinoslav, Soviet Union, Sagal emigrated to the United States where he attended the Yale School of Drama. Sagal's many TV credits include directing episodes of The Twilight Zone, "T.H.E...
. It stars Christopher George
Christopher George
Christopher John George was an American television and film actor who was perhaps best known for his starring role in the 1966-1968 TV series The Rat Patrol. He was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1967 as Best TV Star for his performance in the series...
and Laraine Stephens. Although claimed to be derived from Ralph Barker
Ralph Barker
Ralph Hammond Cecil Barker was an English non-fiction author with over twenty-five books to his credit...
's The Thousand Plane Raid, the storyline inaccurately portrays the first raid as a 8th Air Force mission while the actual attack was undertaken by 1,047 Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
bombers against the city of Cologne
Bombing of Cologne in World War II
The City of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies during World War II, including 31 times by the Royal Air Force . Air raid alarms went off in the winter/spring of 1940 as enemy bombers passed overhead. However, the first actual bombing took place on 12 May 1940...
, Germany in May 1942.
Plot
In 1943, Colonel Greg Brandon (Christopher George), stationed at an United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
8th Air Force
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
, 103rd Bomb Group base in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, repeatedly attempts to persuade superiors that massive daylight bombing will hasten the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In spite of the mission's extreme difficulty, his plan is finally put into effect against a German aircraft factory.
During preparation for the raid, Brandon alienates his men by insisting that normal bombing operations continue. His disdain for cautious Lieutenant Archer (Ben Murphy) and brash RAF Wing Commander Trafton Howard (Gary Marshal) further antagonizes his associates, including his girl friend, WAC Lieutenant Gabrielle Ames (Larraine Stephens).
When his bomber crashes the morning of the mission, Brandon boards a bomber manned by Archer and Howard. During the effective air raid, he is impressed by Archer's courage and Howard's judgment.
Cast
- Christopher GeorgeChristopher GeorgeChristopher John George was an American television and film actor who was perhaps best known for his starring role in the 1966-1968 TV series The Rat Patrol. He was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1967 as Best TV Star for his performance in the series...
as Col Greg Brandon - Laraine Stephens as Lt. Gabrielle Ames
- J.D. Cannon as Gen. Cotton Palmer
- Gary Marshal as Wing Cmdr. Taffy Howard
- Michael EvansMichael EvansMichael James "Mickey" Evans is an English-born Irish former footballer. He spent the majority of his career at home-town club Plymouth Argyle, with notable success, including two Football League titles....
as Group Commander Leslie Hardwicke - Gavin MacLeodGavin MacLeodGavin MacLeod is an American actor most notable for playing Happy Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat...
as Sgt. Kruger - Noam Pitlik as Lt. Jacoby
- Ben MurphyBen MurphyBenjamin E. Murphy is an American actor. He is known for his role in the ABC television series Alias Smith and Jones, co-starring as Kid Curry, first with Pete Duel and later with Roger Davis.-Early life:...
as Lt. Harvey Archer - Bo HopkinsBo HopkinsBo Hopkins is an American actor.-Career:Hopkins has appeared in more than one hundred film and television roles in a career of more than forty years, including The Bridge at Remagen, The Wild Bunch, The Getaway, American Graffiti, White Lightning, Radioland Murders, The Killer Elite, Midnight...
as Captain Douglas (in his screen debut)
Production
Shot in a budget-conscious manner, the main sets were in Santa Maria, California, chosen for principal photography which took place in winter 1968. The local village and airport realistically portrayed a typical British wartime base when period maintenance shops, operations center and wartime-style control tower were added to recreate the fictional Steeple Bassington base.Additional studio work was completed at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood.Aerial sequences included a mix of stock wartime footage including the Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress
Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress
The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the Memphis Belle, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. In May 1943 it became the first U.S...
(1944), some of it colorized to match original footage. The air-boss was legendary Hollywood stunt pilot Frank Tallman
Frank Tallman
Frank Gifford Tallman was a stunt pilot who worked in Hollywood during the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life:...
but the most spectacular scene was a low-flying B-17 scene flown by Don Lykins. Another crash scene was taken from Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
, the famous crash-landing carried out by Paul Mantz
Paul Mantz
Albert Paul Mantz was a noted air racing pilot, movie stunt pilot and consultant from the late 1930s until his death in the mid-1960s. He gained fame on two stages: Hollywood and in air races.-Early years:...
, another of Hollywood's leading stunt pilots, and Tallman's onetime partner in Tallmantz Aviation, before his death in 1965.Three Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers (DB-17P 44-83684 [N3713G], DB-17P 44-83525 [N83525], both on loan from the USAF and Tallman's B-17F 42-29782 [N17W]) were used in the production.