Tallmantz Aviation Guestbook

Submitted by
Name: Danny Hill
From: Orange County California
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I was a very fortunate young man in 1968 to be selected to fly a B-25 Mitchell Bomber in the filming of Catch 22. Working on the film and with the TallMantz Aviation group was a high lite in my aviation career. I have such fond memories some 40 years later. I now tell my grand children how fortunate I was to be selected to fly that aircraft and work for Frank Tallman. I was one of the youngest pilots to be selected for the copilot position. What memories!!!!!

Added: 17-Aug-13

Submitted by
Name: Jeff Dutton
From: "Sioux Falls, SD"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"My Father, D.C. Dutton, worked for Paul Mantz as a mechanic, I believe in the late '30s, possibly up to 1941 when he joined the Air Corps.

Dad flew B-17s during WWII, and says that Paul Mantz asked him if he would be interested in flying the B-17 for the opening crash-landing scene of "Twelve O'Clock High". Dad declined, so Paul flew it himself. Dad may have given him some instruction or information to help him do the scene as safely as possible.

If there is any more information available about my Dad's relationship with Paul Mantz I would love to know about it."

Added: 3-Aug-13

Submitted by
Name: Adam Broomberg
From: London UK
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Would anyone who worked on the catch 22 set be prepared to talk to me?

Added: 29-Jul-13

Submitted by
Name: Gary Winn
From: "Mission Viejo, CA"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:

Private post. Click to view.

Added: 22-Jul-13

Submitted by
Name: Lawrence Kiger
From: "PBY Memorial Foundation, Oak Harbor, WA"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"I am researching the history of our PBY Memorial Foundation PBY-5A, and I have learned that our PBY was owned by Mr. Thomas Kendall and the aircraft was kept at the Orange County Airport in the late "50s. Do any of your staff, contributors, or readers have any information or photos of Thomas Kendall's PBYs (13) while they were stationed at the Orange County Airport in the late 50s?
Any information on these PBYs will be greatly appreciated in my aircraft history research.
Also, you can check us out at our "PBYMF.ORG" website."

Added: 21-Jul-13

Submitted by
Name: Lynn Thornton
From: "Barstow, Ca"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"I came across this site by accident, but so happy to look through it and recall some very fond memories of Tallmantz Aviation when they were in Orange County, Ca. I am an airplane-loving artist. In 1969 my mother took me out to the airport so I could get some pictures of planes I could paint from. I learned about "Catch" from one of the movie's pilots, Bill Huerth. While talking with him, he asked me if I wanted to go for a flight in his 1943 DeHavilland Tiger Moth. I don't need to tell you, I didn't pass that offer up! It was a great day. I took several photos which I used for paintings, the most memorable being of "Catch-22s'" Denver Dumper. I was stationed at Lowry AFB, Co when I did that painting. Glad to know these folks and the old birds are still remembered."

Added: 6-Jun-13

Submitted by
Name: Cynthia Hann
From: Arizona
E-mail: Contact

Comments:

Private post. Click to view.

Added: 28-Apr-13

Submitted by
Name: Scott Thompson
From: "Lincoln, CA"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"I've done a fairly thorough media review of Frank Tallman and have not uncovered anything on the "tortoise and the hare" cross-country event. There were two other cross country events Tallman participated in, one in 1957 and another in 1958, both that involved several aircraft from his World War I collection. No mention of a race involving a Corsair, but the other two events would certainly suggest that such an event was held, though apparently not well-covered by the nation's media."

Added: 13-Feb-13

Submitted by
Name: John Hinn
From: "Thousaand Oaks,Ca"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"In 1959, 0r 60 61...My Father Michael Hinn and Frank Tallman flew a promotional race from California to Pensicola, Florida, which was titled The Tortoise and the Hair Race. The race was to commemorate the 50th aniversery of naval aviation. Tallman flew his Newport 28 and my father flew a F4U corsair, thus , the title of the race. I can find nothing of its actually taking place anywhere on the internet, yet I think my mother(still living and 95 yrs old) has a couple news clippings of the race. One striking feature of the duos race was that My fater and Tallman look so much alike. Can anyone shed some light on this event?
Thank you John Hinn"

Added: 12-Feb-13

Submitted by
Name: James A Combs
From: "Salt Lake City, Utah USA"
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
"I lived in Yuma, AZ in the late 1970's: the Yuma Sun Dunes (Imperial Valley, CA) were beautiful. I needed a vacation from SLC's cold, snowy Christmas season. I spent about 5 hours on December 17th of 2012 at the actual site at Buttercup where filming and the production occurred. I met a couple from British Columbia (Canada), who showed me the site. Great conversation, great video and still photos I took on that 72F beautiful day. A great movie; the location looks just like the movie and just as I remember as a 13-year old in 1979.

In the era of CGI (computer graphics, subbing for the real craft of stunt actors), reading this account online was very touching to read. To Paul Mantz' friends, family and pilot cohorts, my heart goes out to you all.

Rewatching "The Flight of The Phoenix" with my wife and friends in the near future will not be the same.

To Paul Mantz: God rest his soul.

Sincerely,

James A Combs,
Sandy, Utah USA"

Added: 27-Jan-13