OT: Defender Pics

[laminar]

Hey Guys

I apologize for being off topic.

We just posted some pictures to the Wasabi site from our 2009 trip to visit Chris Ball and the Defender. I know this movie has a cult following with warbird and experimental folk alike, so I thought it might be of interest.

If you havent seen the movie it is available for free viewing here.

Carry on,
-Race 68

[Big_Jim]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

Hey Guys

I apologize for being off topic.

We just posted some pictures to the Wasabi site from our 2009 trip to visit Chris Ball and the Defender. I know this movie has a cult following with warbird and experimental folk alike, so I thought it might be of interest.

If you havent seen the movie it is available for free viewing here.

Carry on,
-Race 68

NICE. Cult following indeed. I want to say Gerry Beck had some awesome shirts made up a few years ago with a profile of the Defender that said "What would Bob do?"

[JCP]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

That makes me feel really sad to see "Chase 1" and Defender collecting dust like that! I would LOVE to be able to get those donated to our Warhawk Air Museum for permanent display..... Seriously, Defender needs to be preserved. The lawn mower used to prepare the runway should be part of the exhibit as well.

JC

[Big_Jim]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

Chris Fahey sent me this photo a while back....I think it's John Hinton 'modelling' the shirt.

I agree with JCP, just for novelty's sake I think the Defender would be a cool display somewhere. Imagine that with photos and artifacts including the CAF Zero, the Val, the Firefly with the Lancaster motor, and the four-place Mustang with the CF-100 canopy.

A fine line between dreamer and visionary, for sure.

[ChrisMX105]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

I watched the video and have to say it must be viewed with a libation of choice in hand to fully appreciate the project, I had sore muscles for 2 days afterwards from all the laughs. It took about 1/3rd of the movie before the realization that it wasn't a spoof.
Surely one of the strangest movies ever and one for the history books

[Big_Jim]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

I watched the video and have to say it must be viewed with a libation of choice in hand to fully appreciate the project, I had sore muscles for 2 days afterwards from all the laughs. It took about 1/3rd of the movie before the realization that it wasn't a spoof.
Surely one of the strangest movies ever and one for the history books

Oh no...Deimert was very serious about it...just like he was very serious about the restoration of the Zero for the CAF. The CAF flew it for a few years with lots of mechanical issues, and when they took it down for a 'deep restoration' in the '90's they realized it was literally corroded all over, replacement parts build from sheet metal, old signs, etc., and held together with pop-rivits. It was so bad that the airplane was declared non-airworthy, was given a cosmetic 'static' restoration by Aero Trader, and is now on display at the aviation museum at Pearl Harbor/Ford Island.

The thing about Deimert was he is a farmer with a farmer's mentality...'it's just machinery' and 'oh, this will work fine...' Unfortunately, that mentality doesn't work in the aviation world. His other abhorration aircraft were all just as bad.

But you can't knock the guy for his passion even if everything about it is a bit off-center.

That movie (The Defender) was a full-on documentry that was shown on the Candian equivalent of BBC/PBS in the late '80's.

[shorebird]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

We can relax. Canada is safe but, I'm not sure from who. Now give those Cessna wings back.

[John H]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

Chris Ball was perfect in this, like some character snl comedian they picked from central casting. Amazing.

[RichH]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

It took about 1/3rd of the movie before the realization that it wasn't a spoof.

In a serious documentary tone, "It's lift performance is then measured on a pair of calibrated instruments at the back" said to describe a pair of bathroom scales strapped to a board. LOL!

[Arctic Cat]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

I watched the whole thing also. I was amazed at how completely serious he was about. Safety 3rd, quality 5th.

[Chad Veich]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

Did any of Bob's restoration short cuts and corner cutting ever lead to an accident of any sort? I can't recall any off the top of my head.

[JCP]

Re: OT: Defender Pics

Think..........P-40. (or at least he thought it looked enough like one)

JC