An Almost Unknown Movie Star

Flight Journal, Aug 2004 by Bodie, Warren M

IN THE EARLY 1930s, seasoned actor Wallace Beery and newcomer Clark Gable starred in story inspired by the Curtiss Helldiver biplanes flown by the U.S. Navy's 1st Fighter Squadron (VF-1). To my preteen eyes, "Hell Divers" was an outstanding film; its two or three pseudo-comedians tried to be scene stealers, but they didn't enhance the film or the Navy's serious stature. Beery blustered; Gable played an injured pilot saved by Beery's obscure talents as an enlisted chief petty officer; the Curtiss F8C Helldivers of VF-1 flying off the USS Saratoga, however, were the center attraction. Of course, all this took place during the Great Depression-years during which movies were the mainliners in the affordable-entertainment field.

Fast-forward two decades to 1952 and to another Naval-aviation history film-"Task Force," released almost concurrently with the Korean War. The movie followed the development history of the aircraft carriers from the USS Langley to the WW II Essex-Class carriers. Gary Cooper's role took him from lieutenant to admiral as he fought for aircraft carriers all the way to the jet age. In one scene, Cooper climbs into a biplane F8C2 [sic] Helldiver for yet another flight. But wait! There weren't any Curtiss "F8C2s," or even real F8C-2s in VF-1B. In fact, no F8C-2s existed; there was only one XF8C-2, which was destroyed in a crash. The real tail designation should have been F8C-4.

In 1931, the Navy's High Hat Squadron, VF-1B, took delivery of 18 Curtiss F8C-4s to serve aboard USS Saratoga. Paul Mantz's top mechanic was evidently given incorrect markings information because the movie's Helldiver markings were wrong-no serial number on the tail, wrong markings color and wrong designation. Furthermore, where in the world did Mantz find a 1931 Curtiss dive-bomber?

Nowhere! Take Mantz's Boeing 100 (equal to Boeing's F4B and P-12 Navy and Air Corps fighters) and do major surgery. The result: a great-looking rendition of the F8C type, albeit one that's a few feet shorter. Those of us who were members of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (Los Angeles Chapter) were among the few who recognized the masked marvel for what it was.

-Warren M. Bodie widewing@dnet.net