"Blue Thunder," the 1983 American action thriller film from Columbia Pictures, directed by John Badham and produced by Gordon Carroll, Phil Feldman, and Andrew Fogelson, featured helicopters specially designed by Mickey Michaels. Rejecting existing designs, Michaels created the helicopters using French-built Aérospatiale SA-341G Gazelles. These Gazelles underwent extensive modifications with bolt-on parts and Apache-style canopies for the film.

Columbia Pictures purchased two Gazelles, serial numbers 1066 and 1075, from Aérospatiale for $190,000 each. The helicopters were then sent to Cinema Air in Carlsbad, California, where they were heavily modified. However, these alterations made the helicopters considerably heavy, requiring filmmaking tricks to create the illusion of speed and agility on screen.

Post-film and TV series production, both helicopters were sold to aviation salvage collector Michael E. Grube in Clovis, New Mexico. In 1985, one of the helicopters appeared in the pilot episode of MacGyver, featuring a different paint job, removal of microphones, the video surveillance package, and a change in the side number from "02" to "51."

Grube later leased serial number 1066 to a film company shooting "Amerika," an ABC television mini-series depicting Soviet occupation of the United States. The helicopters were repainted black with red tail stripes and numbering, and missile launchers were added to the pylons. After its return, 1066 was dismantled and sold for parts.

Serial number 1075 met a different fate, being scrapped in 1988. A third static display model used for close-up shots with actors was created but deteriorated over time and was eventually scrapped by 2009. The bolt-on cockpit of the original helicopter was once visible on the backlot tour of MGM Studios in Florida.

Hashtag:
#airplane #flight #planespotting #planes #aviation
#bluethunder #copter #helicopter #famouscopter

Amazon #Affiliates
- Remove Before Flight https://amzn.to/3bQEmHG
- Remove Before Fly T-Shirt https://amzn.to/3bSBLNB
- Flight Crew https://amzn.to/2V53Ydp
- AviationTag Boeing 747 https://amzn.to/3e1SCPN
- AviationTab Boeing 737 https://amzn.to/2ULdy5X
- Mavericks Renegade Aviation School Top Gun https://amzn.to/2yDBVtW
- P51 Mustang T-Shirt https://amzn.to/34gwnS0
- Army Aviation https://amzn.to/34ccHyy
- Alpha Industries Cap https://amzn.to/2JUY6yh
- Boeing T-Shirt https://amzn.to/2Rf1NT8
- Boeing 747 Necktie https://amzn.to/34pPGZb
----------------------------

COPYRIGHT OF FRANKIE HM CHANNEL

If you want to use this video mail me to have the permission and remember to credits and link my channel.
Mail to: [email protected]

If you have videos, that you want to be featured, please submit your video here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...