Redfern DR.I used in The Great Waldo Pepper?

[kenadamsjr]

Hello to all,

Sorry if this question has been answered already, I have searched the archives but cannot determine the correct answer. I am trying to help the Queensland Air Museum (https://www.qldair.museum/) which has recently acquired the Dr.I reproduction formerly registered as N864DR s/n 1864DR. The data plate shows that this aircraft was built on 4 December 1973 by Roland Jones, Oregon City.

I found information that N864DR was built according to Walt Redfern plans and used in the movie "The Great Waldo Pepper" (TGWP). Does anyone know if this statement is correct? I attended Frank Ryder's Aerodrome '92 and thought that I had heard this directly from Walt Redfern, but that was over 33 years ago, and my memory is a bit foggy.

There is a lot of history documenting this aircraft after it was imported to Australia, but very little history known while it was in the USA. I am hoping someone here has additional information that can be shared. Another question that the Museum has is how could this DR. I have been used in the TV series "Air Wolf" when it was clearly registered in Australia at that time. I believe the answer to this was reuse of film shots from TGWP movie. Is this correct?

As background information about why they contacted me, I am the caretaker of Walt Redfern's DR.I and his Nieuport 17/24 reproduction drawings. I have worked with Walt's son Floyd and have obtained the original vellums for both the DR. I and the 17/24 designs. I also have the set of drawings that Walt provided for the DH-2. We are still trying to locate the Fokker D.VI and Sopwith Camel drawings. Does anyone have a set of theses? I do not believe that Walt or Bill Sleep ever had a set of drawings created for the Albatros aircraft they built for Frank Ryder.

Any assistance would be appreciated, thank you.

Ride the Wind!

Ken Adams, Jr.
Jasper, Georgia USA

[kenadamsjr]

UPDATE to my previous post, I mistakenly listed Bill Sleep as the builder who worked with Walt Redfern. I should have listed Ron Sleep as the correct name. Ron Sleep was an American craftsman who built accurate reproductions of World War I aircraft, including Albatros fighters, in collaboration with others. He was noted for his work with Walt Redfern on historical WWI aircraft projects.

Ride the Wind!

Ken Adams, Jr.
Jasper, Georgia USA

[kenadamsjr]

I was able to find information on the DR.I replica built by Anthony Bright and Harold Duringer. It carried the FAA registration N5523V. According to Dave Welch (www.aerovintage.com/tallmantz-aviation/tallmantz-photo-gallery-4/), this airplane was used in the final scenes that appeared in the film The Great Waldo Pepper (TGWP) when it donned a black paint scheme. I was able to do a scene grab from the end of the movie and have attached the picture. Using TFF's (www.homebuiltaircraft.com) tail number hint, it looks like this could possibly be N5523V.

From what I understand, Tallmantz had two or three DR.I's available for the TGWP movie. One of course was N5523V and they also owned N5522V which was also built as a DR.I replica but has since been deregistered. There is an original photo of this aircraft for sale on eBay right now. However, I have not been able to find a reference to N5522V as appearing in the TGWP movie.

Here is the nail bitter, I was told that N5523V was damaged prior to the completion of the movie and that N864DR was brought in to do the flying scenes. I was hoping that we could validate the history of N864DR for the Queensland Air Museum. I guess I will need to watch the movie again to see if the Fokker serial number shows a different number when the plane is flying.

Ride the Wind!

Ken