'Tis either a model or the full-scale mockup, with the latter being my personal opinion. Whether it’s a model or a mock up it’s possible, and quite probable, that it doesn’t really represent a real aircraft type…
Fade to Black…
Interesting. So the real answer “To which airplane type shot King Kong down?” is “none.” [:)]
Some pics of O2C’s here
http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/locator/manufact/curtiss/o2c.htm
and here
http://www.aerofiles.com/curtissO2C1.jpg
and here
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/aviation/navy.htm
Hey folks…
I just stumbled across this post. I want to build a Kong diorama…and I am struggling to find a plane kit. Are there any Curtiss O2C kits? I know of the Ardpol kit…but I think that’s a little too small.
Any others out there?
Mike
The Curtiss O2C Helldiver is the King Kong plane, the 1933ish biplane.
Peter Jackson was adamant the planes in the remake absolutely positively HAD to be Helldivers, just like the original film. 2 non-flying replica were built, accurate down to instruments and engine. One is going to the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka (in New Zealand’s South Island). I’ll try to scan pics from a recent magazine, it has a four-page spread of the replicas.
K5054NZ,
Thanks…I would love to see those pics! I watched PJ’s production diary on making that plane. At that time, he said that no real planes existed…and there weren’t even any model kits.
Maybe I’ll have to find someone who could fabricate a custom plane.
That’s probably your best bet. Good luck and welcome to FSM!
Hey all,
From the clips I’ve seen of the new movie, the biplanes in question look more like Douglas O-2Cs than Curtiss O2C-2s. Could be a mix up. The Douglas airplane was an Army observation type used in the 20s and 30s. The Navy airplane has a similar designation, but is actually a completely different aircraft altogether. I’ve been working on an Ardpol O-2H in 72nd scale and the movie screen shots I’ve seen are almost identical to it.
At lest the last remake was easy, Charlie and Mike model Huey gunship’s
I believe the special effects master who created the original “King Kong” was Willis O’Brien. However, Ray Harryhausen was at one time a student of O’Brien’s, and went on to create such stop-action animation classics as “The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” (or was it “Golden Voyage”?), “Clash of the Titans”, and the Racquel Welch “One Million BC”.
Cobrahistorian…thanks for the info. It seems like I read somewhere that they used both Douglas and Curtiss planes. Could you give me some measurements on the Ardpol kit you have? Wingspan and overall length?
Also, is there a good place to go to order those Ardpol kits?
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
The Ardpol kit is tiny, but really nice resin. I’ve got both their O-2H and their O-38E (in fact, I did a review of the O-38 for FSM recently!) I actually found them available on ebay and contacted the seller, Joe Francesco from Joe’s Models in NJ and he hooked me up with the two kits. I can’t get to the kit right now, since it’s still packed from the move, but give me a few days and I’ll see what I can do for ya!
Here’s a PA National Guard O-2H in 1928. The A and B models had radial engines, while the later ones had inlines.
Thanks Cobra!
Do you know of anyone making that aircraft in a larger scale?
From what I’ve seen, Ardpol is the only company actively producing “Golden Age” observation planes and they’re all 72nd scale.
Here’s Joe’s e-mail joefrancesco@comcast.net He’s a great guy to deal with. I’ve bought a few Olimp and Falcon kits from him. He always has more than he lists on e-bay. Good luck! Gary Schurr
Kong Lives! new remake looks great-planes look generic! http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/king_kong/medium.html
Actually, Peter Jackson built a Helldiver from scratch. He went looking for a plane to use…and there were none in existence…not even a model kit. So, he pulled the actual assembly plans and built one for the close-ups.
Forbidden Zone is right. PJ ended up building two Helldivers from scratch, accurate down to the instruments and engines.
As for model kits, go to eBay and have a search. I found two in 1/72: a resin kit going for about $25-30, and an injection-moulded one. Can’t remember the price for that, and the auction may actually have ended.
Boy…I would love to get a better look at one of those planes. K5054NZ, didn’t you say there was going to be one on display near you?
THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL!!!
I was amazed at the detail, and they were DEFINITELY Curtiss airplanes. In fact, they were in Tophatters markings! Oh, and the movie was good too, but really long!