Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1490572
We didn't give up and made a logical decision to paint it US Navy gray, which satisfied the needs of all departments. The paint team, led by James Passanante, rolled out the material and got to work. What looked like a snowstorm (the material is white), transformed into a workable surface. After fourteen weeks of site work, the set was ready to go. And it all worked wonderfully, even if some production vehicles ignored our warnings to avoid driving on it! The support team of eight standby painters and utility kept it shootable throughout the many weeks of filming. What made the relationship of our two main characters, Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner, so special was the bravery and heroism displayed by both men. Jesse Brown's plane was shot down behind enemy lines in North Korea and banked in a snowy, rocky field as the light faded and the temperatures plummeted. Thomas Hudner defied orders and crashed his own plane to try and save Jesse. Of course, this emotional and difficult scene had to be recreated in the spring sunshine of Savannah. In a quarry no less. Led by Art Director Erik Robert and Illustrator Chris Hand, the Art Department began the task of envisioning the path, damage and ultimate landing spot of the plane. It had to be done without any video or photographs, just from interviews with the deceased Thomas Hudner. A. PLANE CRASH. ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HAND. B. PLANE CRASH. ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS HAND. C. CRASHED CORSAIR IN PROGRESS. D. CORSAIR. CONSTRUCTION DETAILS. A B C D