PT-17 N54322
PT-17 held by Tallmantz in this 1964 photo. In the background is the Twin Beech that, earlier, famously appeared in the film It’s a Mad Mad World. Also visible is B-25H N1203. (William T. Larkins)
A-24B N74133 (42-54682)
Frank Tallman obtained this A-24B, AAF 42-54682 as XB-ZAH from Compania Mexicana Aerofoto, S.A on February 20, 1964, for $2,250. It arrived at Orange County in a bright overall red paint scheme. It was immediately repainted in a generic USN scheme for display (seen here). In early 1965, however, a team of eight volunteer enthusiasts stripped the paint and repainted the aircraft as the SBD-3 flown by John Liska during the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942), thus in VS-2 squadron markings. The paint was completed by October 1965 and it was proudly displayed at the Movieland museum. It went to Rosen-Novak in 1966 and then sold at the May 1968 auction to John McGregor of Los Angeles. It then went to the Admiral Nimitz Foundation of Fredericksburg, Texas, in 1972. It was purchased by Robert Waltrip’s company, Air-SRV, Inc, in July 1994 and is currently displayed at the Lone Star Flight Museum. (William T. Larkins)
FM-2 N4629V (BuNo 86564)
The Tallmantz FM-2 Wildcat was purchased in February 1962 and repainted in a USMC Wake Island Wildcat scheme. As far as can be determined, it was purchased primarily for display at the museum as no film or other projects have been identified. It was ultimately sold with much of the Tallmantz collection to Rose-Novak in 1966. When auctioned in May 1968, it brought $4,750 to the sellers. This aircraft is now displayed at the Yanks Air Museum at Chino. More Information. (Photo by Harry Standel)
F8F-2 N7826C (BuNo 121699)
This F8F-2 Bearcat, N7826C, was not part of the Tallmantz collection but it was displayed, at least for awhile, with the Movieland of the Air museum. At the time, the Bearcat apppears to have been owned by John and Mary Dorr of Orinda, California. With a new owner, N7826C crashed and was destoyed in August 1966 at Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by Harry Standel)
Movieland of the Air Museum
Interior view of the Movieland of the Air Museum in 1964. (William T. Larkins)
Fleet 2 N725V
Hung from the ceiling is a Fleet 2 that is either Paul Mantz’s original Fleet 2, N725V, or painted as that airplane in this 1964 view of the Movieland of the Air Museum. (William T. Larkins)
Movieland of the Air Museum
Nice exterior view of the new Movieland of the Air Museum taken in 1964 from across Campus Road looking west. (William T. Larkins)
Maurice Farman S.11 N9645Z
This 1911 Maurice Farman S.11 came to Frank Tallman in the mid-1950s from an Australian collector. Extremely rare, this airplane was flown with the civil registration of N9645Z while with Tallmantz and displayed in the Movieland of the Air museum. It was part of the 1966 sale to Rosen-Novak and was auctioned in May 1968. It is currently with the Canadian Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe, Ontario. (William T. Larkins)
Sopwith Camel F1 N6254
display at the museum. Tallman obtained the Camel from the remnants of the Jarrett War Museum collection in 1950. Tallman had the airplane flying by 1955 but was forced to sell it to Rosen-Novak eleven years later. It was later sold at the 1968 auction for $40,000 and is now displayed at the Arkansas Education Center at Little Rock. Note the extensive displays behind the aircraft with armament, photos, and memorabilia from both Mantz and Tallman. (William T. Larkins)
Movieland of the Air Museum
A pair of airplanes in semi-storage at the Movieland of the Air Museum in October 1976. The first one is a reduced scale SE-5 possibly used for the filming of Darling Lili; the second appears to be a wingless Jenny with a engine modification. Not sure on the history of this airplane, or the identity of either. (Craig Covner)
Catch-22 B-25N
A view of the Tallmantz flight line after the filmiing of Catch-22. A bunch of the movie Mitchells were repainted in Mexico in this mottled grey camouflage scheme and left unmarked….no registration number evident on any of the airplanes. (Craig McCormick)
P-51C NX1204 (42-103831)
Okay…one more. Like I said, Craig has a bunch (like 59) photos. Here is one of the blood-red Mantz racing Mustangs being rolled out of the m museum circa 1970. This airplane is now owned and flown by Kermit Weeks. (Craig McCormick)
Tallmantz Brochure
The cover of a mid-1970s promotional brochure for Tallmantz Aviation as provided by Leslie Owens.
Tallmantz Brochure
One of the photos in the brochure showed a “photoshopped” aerial view of the flight line, showing two Tallmantz B-25 camera ships, the last Catch-22 B-25 on the ramp (N9451Z) that would soon replace N1203 as a camera ship, the Tallmantz A-26, and a variety of other airplanes. The lettering on the building, “Frank Tallman’s” above the words “Movieland of the Air” was not painted on the actual buidling….it was added in the darkroom. (via Leslie Owens)
Tallmantz Brochure
Another illustration from the brochure is this collage, showing a variety of views of different camera platforms used by the company. Top left is Frank Tallman flying the Nieuport. Middle left is a shot believed of Paul Mantz and Frank Pine on a movie location. Bottom right shot is from Catch-22. (via Leslie Owens)
Movieland of the Air Museum
A view of the front of the Movieland of the Air Museum as it existed in 1964, showing the distinctive rocket that remained a landmark of the museum for another two decades. (1964 photo by John Bellah)
Spirit of St. Louis replica N7212
A view of the Ryan B-1, N7212, that was one of several modified by Paul Mantz for use in the 1956 filming of The Spirit of St. Louis. (1964 photo by John Bellah)
Continental Airlines DC-7B N8210H
Cockpit view of the Continental Airlines Douglas DC-7B on display at the museum. A piece of plexiglas separated visitors from the cockpit. (1964 photo by John Bellah)
Continental Airlines DC-7B N8210H
Interior view of the Douglas DC-7B displayed at the museum. (1964 photo by John Bellah)
B-17G N83525
A view of the ramp in 1972 with the B-17G and the original B-25H Mantz cameraship. (1972 photo via Chris Hoage)
B-25N N9451Z
1972 view of TB-25N N9451Z in its Catch-22 paint scheme, soon enough to be modified into a replacement for Mantz’a N1023. (photo via Chris Hoage)
Possibly Porterville, CA?
Three unusual World War I replcias as seen (on the infield ramp area in front of the Tallmantz facility at Orange County Airport in September 1962…nope). Upon further research, I think this photo was actually taken at the Porterville Airport around the time of a September 22-23 airshow.) The two silver aircraft are replica Nieuport 11s built by Joe Pfeifer and Walt Addems, the closest being N1486 and the further N1485. Both were powered by authentic LeRhone rotary engines, N1485 was reportedly exported to New Zealand in 2007, and N1485 is now displayed at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Both are seen here in September 1962 surrounding another Joe Pfeifer replica, a Sopwith Pup (N54T). (Perhaps the three were out and about and made a visit to the Tallmantz facility…nope…Porterville.) It is not thought that any of the three were ever added to the Tallmantz collection. More information would be appreciated (whoops…slide was sold as having been taken at Orange County…jumped to a conclusion there…). (Scott Thompson Collection)
Movieland of the Air Museum
Line up in front of the new Movieland of the Air Museum at Orange County in July 1963. Not pristine restorations by current standards, almost all the aircraft flew and earned their keep whenever called upon. (Scott Thompson Collection)
Boeing 100 N873H
Perhaps not the best photo, I’m including it here just for the historical interest. This is evidently a flight display, possibly being flown by Tallman, of the Boeing 100 in the museum’s collection in July 1963. The museum held frequent flight displays of its unique collection. (Scott Thompson Collection)
Fokker E-3 Eindecker N3363G
Location unknown (I’d like to know if anyone recognizes the air field…it is not Orange County) of a flight display featuring the Tallmantz (replica) Fokker E-3 Eindecker (N3363G) followed by one of the two Addems-Pheifer Nieuport 11 replicas in June 1964. (Scott Thompson Collection)
Movieland of the Air Museum
A front view of the Movieland of the Air Museum in March 1966 featuring on outdoor display, a fragile Curtiss JN-4 Jenny believed to be N6898 (marked as “A-169”). The building to the left was the entrance to the International Flight and Space Museum, an auxiliary Tallmantz museum that allowed display of USAF aircraft on loan. The hangar to the right of the International Flight and Space Museum was the old Mantz hangar. To the right and out of view was the larger Movieland of the Air Museum hangar with the main entrance. (Scott Thompson Collection)
