Close Encounters of The Third Kind - Vintage G-1 Jackets and WWII USN Aircraft

[Skyhawk]

I watched it last night. It has been many years since I have seen this movie. I had forgotten about the USN aircraft and pilots in the movie. In the movie, there was a training flight that disappeared in the early 1940's. Then the planes showed up in the desert in brand new condition, in the 1970's. At the end of the movie, the pilots walk off the big mothership after it landed. Their gear looks legit and they are wearing vintage G-1's and possibly even a G&F M422a. Possible there is a L.W. Foster G-1 in there too. All of the G-1's have small tooth zippers which places them at least pre 1960's. Good job to the costume department. It's not even an aviation movie and they got the jackets more correct than most movies have.

 

[Erwin]

Looks like that in 70's it was easier to get a proper movie props, less repro junk, well spotted Skyhawk!

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Director was Steven Spielberg ...

He tries to be accurate in military related stuff. As far as i know his dad served in PTO as a navigator on bombers - thus maybe he has a kind of affinity to stuff like that????

 

[Thomas Koehle]

See more details here:

5 Steven Spielberg Movies Inspired by His Dad's Service in WWII

Steven Spielberg's father served in World War II and the director's dad has been a major influence on the director's career. Arnold Spielberg died this week at 103, so let's take a look at how he inspired his son to make some of the greatest films and TV shows about the greatest generation.

www.military.com

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www.independent.co.uk

Here some more details about his dad:
Arnold Spielberg served as a Communications Chief in a B-25 Squadron in India during WWII. After honorable discharge, he graduated from University of Cincinnati with a BSEE. He joined RCA Advanced Development Department in 1949 where he did early work on servo and guidance systems.

 

[Erwin]

Not only cool flight jackets can be spotted

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Say what you want but tigerstripe-camo looks somehow COOOOOOL ...