Airplanes in "Casablanca"

Romani · 27 January 2008, 04:47 AM

*SPOILERS WARNING*

If you haven't seen "Casablanca" stop reading right now and go see it inmediately if you want to consider yourself a human being. Thanks for your cooperation

Ransom Olds gave me the idea of posting pictures of the airplanes in this movie. While most of us can easily identify military airplanes of both world wars, civilian aviation of the interwar period is more of a challenge, since there aren't as much references.

It's funny the tricks memory plays, I hadn't taken a look to the movie in a long time, and in my recollection Major Strasser arrived at Casablanca on board a Junkers 52 and the airplane in the final scene is a DC3

So here's the first airplane of the movie, landing ...

...

and coming to a stop

Romani · 27 January 2008, 04:53 AM

Parked at the aerodrome there are a couple other interesting airplanes we get a glimpse of as the camera follows Strasser and the welcome commitee.

First, from an overhead panoramic shot of the airstrip, we can see in the bottom corner this interesting sleek, 2 seater monoplane, with wing bracing struts, looks like a racing airplane.

the other airplane we can glimpse is unremarkable, but included for the sake of completeness

j ferguson · 27 January 2008, 05:06 AM

Don't they leave in a Lockheed 10 or 11?

Not a DC3

Romani · 27 January 2008, 05:06 AM

And now, perhaps the most famous of all airplanes in the history of cinema, or to be precise the most viewed, because its identity is shrouded in mystery as in the mist of the movie scene.

A beautiful caption of the airplane revving up and taxiing to take off. The insignia of the airline is rather odd, an hybrid of a pegasus and a mermaid? it would be more fitting for a seaplane, I think. And probably is made up and doesn't match with any airline of the times.

and on the take off run, it's the last clear image as when it gets airborne it gets all misty as the eyes of the viewers... *snif!*

By the way, I think the pilot was a brave man to fly with that weather

Have fun!

Hans · 27 January 2008, 05:10 AM

Source of the picture below:
Graphic Design from the 1920s and 1930s in Travel Ephemera

It's a Hippokamp ( Sea Horse) from the greek mythology. The greek gods used them for travel. Air France added wings....

The a/c is a Lockheed Electra 12A. ( L-12 Electra Junior)

H.

Hans · 27 January 2008, 05:47 AM

Strasser's single engine transport seems to be a Fokker Super Universal.
http://www.airminded.net/foksu/su_2oc.jpg

But I am not sure. The Fokker looks a little bit small for it. The a/c which is landing, is a model, so it is hard to judge.

The other could be a Lockheed Vega, I presume.

H

Ransom E. Olds · 30 January 2008, 08:45 AM

The first plane does look like a Super Universal, and I believe there were a number of them in North America at one time. The low-winger looks like one of those Menasco-powered racers from the mid-1930s, and I think this one (or one very much like it) shows up in some other movie of the wartime years. And surely the highwing monoplane with the NACA cowling is a Vega. Thanks for the still images, Romani. Ransom