Friggin spell check, I should look closer before clicking yes!! Eric was mates with some interesting people, Kenneth Howard too! One of the story's he talks about was when Steve found out about his cancer he and Eric went down to the airport where he had a hangar with his cars and airplanes. Von Dutch was there working on some of Steve's stuff. Steve took a pistol that Howard had made him, climbed into his Boeing Steerman and flew away. They both thought that was the last time they would see him. It wasn't, he landed some time later and taxied up to the hangar, as he climbed out Howard only had one thing to say, '****ing chicken'!
The problem with Virgil Hilts getting away is that he didn't. Being a true story they couldn't change history to let it happen. Even know the motorcycle bit was pure Hollywood and never really happened. Of the 76 officers to get out of the tunnel only two made a 'Home run' back to England. As portrayed in the film, 50 officers were shot and one's fate is still unknown. Ever since I was a kid WWII escape story's have fascinated me. I have collected about 80 books written by escaper's, guys that made it out and guys that tried. Read 'The Colditz story' and 'Colditz, the latter days' by P.R. Reid, he tells of the true story of the Colditz glider, yes it really was built! Doc.
My oldest brother raced with him in the Dessert and was in the races while they were filming On Any Sunday. Said he was the nicest guy...OFF the track. But on the track,he was a ruthless competor! Hated to lose!
The red Hurst buggy was the Baja Boot built by Vic Hickey and driven by Steve and, I think, Bud Ekins in one of the early Baja 1000 races. Bud won several Baja races on a Husky and the bike used in the Great Escape was a Husky with a different gas tank. Steve always had the latest Husky MC's in his garage and used to ride with Malcom Smith all the time.
Pretty cool video. I bet that chick tore into him when he slid through the water at the end. I doubt that her scarf protected her hair from that! And yeah, serious sounds from that little engine...
There is a scene in Bullitt, where he and Jaqueline Bisset get out of a pale yellow Porsche. She grabs the top of the door window frame and slams it shut, he carefully pushes his door near the handle. Even if you didn't know anything about the guy, that would have told you he was a car guy...
Then since you are a student of the history of the escape you must know that the movie did deviate from reality in a very big way. NO AMERICANS escaped that night. All of the American prisoners were transferred to another prison camp B4 the escape. The Americans were involved in planning and building the tunnels B4 their transfer. http://www.ww2f.com/wwii-general/27984-there-american-involved-great-escape.html
Yes I did know that but I didn't want to take up more space, it was just an 'Interesting' tidbit I thought. I take it you too are somewhat of a historian? I had a 'duty' in several of my Army units as Unit Historian, great job and it almost lead me to running the second largest War Memorial and museum in Australia when I got out, too many injury's though. ******. Anyway back on subject, Steve was a legend, true and simple. It was a sad, sad day when we lost him. Doc.
McQueen was one of my childhood heroes ... In the 70's, I shared a bedroom with my younger brother ... he had posters of Pro Baseball players ... and I had posters of Hot Rods, Dragsters, Funny Cars, Stock cars ... and this 1971 movie poster: I didn't see the movie until much later in life (when it was released on VHS) ... but that poster spawned many a dream of me driving a Porsche 917 in the 24 Hours of LeMans! This thread has inspired me to go find a copy of the LeMans movie and have another gander.
Steve McQueen was a very good motorcycle rider in his day. Here is a pic of him and one of his bikes. Bullit Mustang is just Bad***ssss.
I have the movie on DVD, also have Winning. If you can get them off the shelf here in OZ they wont be hard to find online or in the US. Doc.
Thanks Doc ... I found the DVD from many different sources ... only US$10.99 @ Amazon.com ... but during my search for the DVD, I ran across this trailer for the movie on YouTube: <object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ls08-F6I5Ss&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ls08-F6I5Ss&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object> ... which revealed that the entire movie is also available on YouTube (in 12 parts) ... so you know what I was doing for the last 2 hours! ... Still a pretty damn good film!
Awesome thread guys! I was just reading about Steve's white Indian chopper last night. It said he loved the ratty old bike better than any restored bike. He was the coolest. God Speed Harvey Mushman.
When I was growing up in Palm Springs Steve had house up the hill from my folks. When he was there he would come down off the hill just about every afternoon and ride his Husky in the desert. I was always ready on my trusty Yamaha and chased him around. He would always stop to smoke a cigarette after about a half hour and we would talk while he smoked. He was one hell off a guy. Several years later after I went in the Navy I came home on leave and my younger cousin had struck up a freindship with Steve's son Chad, while I was home they both got poped by the local cops for riding off road, when I asked them why they didn't run they looked at each other and just shruged.
Actually, the bike that Bud Ekins used for the jump was a Triumph that Mr. Ekins modified to look like a Geman military bike. McQueen rode the 1964 ISDT on a Triumph the year after making The Great Escape. Steve McQueen didn't start riding Husqvarnas until later.
Faye Dunaway was his p***enger and they used no doubles. One scene the car wouldn't turn and the throttle jammed and they went right into the surf. McQueen said she was a good sport about it. they tore the engine down to get all of the water out. Tony Nancy did the interior on the buggy too. McQueen bought the car after the picture was made and sold it later to a Meyer's Manx dealer. (From the book , "McQueen's Machines")
The Jalopy Journal
