Where did they get the Folland Gnats for the " Hot Shot!"

[aerofan]

I was just watching Hot Shot! on tv and was wondering where the movie producers got the Folland Gnats from. Could some possible be from the Finnish airforce or Hal Ajeets from the Indian air force - the single seaters. It is most likely that the Mk.T1 trainers are from the RAF. I hope someone knows as I looked thru the web and couldn't find out. The real aircraft flight scenes are the only part of the movie I really enjoy seeing.

[Scott R Wilson]

I was just watching Hot Shot! on tv and was wondering where the movie producers got the Folland Gnats from. Could some possible be from the Finnish airforce or Hal Ajeets from the Indian air force - the single seaters. It is most likely that the Mk.T1 trainers are from the RAF. I hope someone knows as I looked thru the web and couldn't find out. The real aircraft flight scenes are the only part of the movie I really enjoy seeing.

I've seen a few US registered Gnats for sale in Trade-a-Plane over the past 10 years or so. A quick look at the FAA registry show several currently registered in the USA, probably some were used in the movie:

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=FOLLAND&Modeltxt=&PageNo=1

[aerofan]

Thanks Scott for the link. Too bad I don't know what the registration numbers of the ones used in the movie but they look cool in the movie with US Navy markings. With the Goshawk version of the Bae Hawk in service as anavy trainer it would be cool to build a Gnat model with US Navy trainer colors - too bad the only one I know are in 1/72 scale which is not my preferred scale.

[Jay Chladek]

One I am pretty sure was an Ajeet (it was in the background of many shots in flying and ground scenes and it had a single seat fighter canopy). One of the distance shot planes was a Vought trainer jet (not sure of the designation) that only ever made it into the prototype stage and never got a customer for full production (it had been utilized in a couple other video productions of the period as well).

The number of flying Gnats used in the film was probably rather small. But they likely had a few for only the taxi and ground scenes (they had to have a couple for the mocked up joke bits of course).

So who is going to be the first resin producer to make a 1/72 resin suction cup Garfield that I can stick inside the canopy of my "The Navy" Gnat? ;)

[KursadA]

This Flickr post mentions that the aircraft in the photo (US civil reg N7HY) was one of those used for the movie:

I also vaguely remember reading about a fatal crash during the filming of the movie. I just did a quick Google search; and it looks like one of the Gnats (US civil reg N1CW) indeed crashed while being filmed, killing the pilot.

Edited April 16, 2012 by KursadA

[Patrick_Nevin]

Thanks Scott for the link. Too bad I don't know what the registration numbers of the ones used in the movie but they look cool in the movie with US Navy markings. With the Goshawk version of the Bae Hawk in service as anavy trainer it would be cool to build a Gnat model with US Navy trainer colors - too bad the only one I know are in 1/72 scale which is not my preferred scale.

The Gnat's been done in other scales:

48th:

http://s362974870.on...howtopic=238727

Note comment on post #6 :)

32nd Card

http://www.paper-avi.../wars/ww3_f/390

http://b00m-file.inf...25_gnat_mk1.zip

[cafe]

The Gary Pilsworth Gnat is a free model (with 3 colour schemes). You can get it from the download section of papermodelers.com ("military/cold war" subsection). You may have to join and post a few comments before getting access to the downloads.

[aerofan]

One I am pretty sure was an Ajeet (it was in the background of many shots in flying and ground scenes and it had a single seat fighter canopy). One of the distance shot planes was a Vought trainer jet (not sure of the designation) that only ever made it into the prototype stage and never got a customer for full production (it had been utilized in a couple other video productions of the period as well).

So who is going to be the first resin producer to make a 1/72 resin suction cup Garfield that I can stick inside the canopy of my "The Navy" Gnat? ;)

Jay, I also noticed the single seaters but wasn't sure if they're Ajeets or ex-Finish airforce Gnat as they flew the single seaters for years. Boy can't wait for that resin suction cup Garfield .

I also vaguely remember reading about a fatal crash during the filming of the movie. I just did a quick Google search; and it looks like one of the Gnats (US civil reg N1CW) indeed crashed while being filmed, killing the pilot.

Didn't know that. It's always sad to hear that some died especially in a movie that suppose to make us laugh.

The Gnat's been done in other scales:

48th:

http://s362974870.on...howtopic=238727

Note comment on post #6 :)

32nd Card

http://www.paper-avi.../wars/ww3_f/390

http://b00m-file.inf...25_gnat_mk1.zip

Yeah, I know about the resin 1/48 scale Gnat. Unfortunately, I'm a diehard polystyrene guy. Maybe Airifx will introduce one in the future.

Edited April 17, 2012 by aerofan

[Horrido]

Injection molded. Good luck finding one, though:

http://www.theaviationworkshop.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=52_55&products_id=618