The Pearl Harbor Movie Scene That Accidentally Captured a Real Plane Crash

The 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!, a reenactment of the Pearl Harbor attack, attempted to set new standards for realistic fighting scenes. Using life-size replica planes and explosive effects, the video realistically portrayed the tragic events of December 7, 1941. However, one moment surpassed the directors' expectations: a real-life plane accident that left stuntmen racing for survival.

The event occurred during a scene staged in Oahu, Hawaii, in which an American Curtiss P-40E Warhawk attempted to take off amidst an onslaught. The plane, a radio-controlled duplicate filled with gasoline and explosives for a planned detonation, failed when a propeller sheared off after takeoff. The plane spiraled out of control and raced into a hangar filled with paper-mâché planes and 15 stuntmen dressed as service troops.

With cameras rolling, the blazing wreck rolled across the flight line. Stuntmen were forced to sprint for their life, with several diving for cover. One narrowly evaded disaster, fleeing and crawling to safety as the flaming wreckage passed only feet away from where he was standing.

Surprisingly, this spontaneous turmoil was captured on film and used in the film. "You thought you were in World War II," said stuntman Charlie Picerni, recalling the intense experience of working on the production.

The now-infamous crash footage serves as both a lesson of the dangers of practical effects in filmmaking and a tribute to those who bring history to life on screen.

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