Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 17, 2007 Story about 1953 KLM flight to New Zealand ‘Bride Flight’ film project receives Dutch government subsidy AMSTERDAM - A 2007 film project on immigration, has landed $2.4 million in subsidies through two film funds in the Netherlands. ‘Bride Flight’, to be directed by Ben Sombogaart, is the story of three young Dutch women who with a 23 others in 1953 traveled on a special KLM-flight to New Zealand to join their future husbands already living in that country. The international press covering the trip, dubbed the KLM plane ‘Bride Flight.' The film, scripted by Marieke van der Pol, is also about the KLM-flight, when the Dutch airline entered the London to Christchurch Air Race, billed as the ‘Last Great Air Race.’ The modified KLM DC-6A raced in the transport handicap section, winning the race, although way behind the overall winner, a RAF Canberra jet. The story of Sombogaart’s film is about the adventurous trio Marjorie, Ada and Esther, eager to escape the damp and suffocating atmosphere in post-war the Netherlands, and looking forward to a brighter future in New Zealand. They meet each other on the immigration flight to their new country, where they will join their future husbands. The KLM plane carried 40 Dutch immigrants, most of them young Dutch women. During the flight the three young women encounter Frank, who is immigrating to New Zealand to be a share farmer. In the early years in their new country, the lives of Marjorie, Esther and Ada become entangled. They lose sight of each other and it is only after fifty years, at Frank’s funeral, that they discover how much their lives have become intertwined through their different relationships with Frank. The KLM DC-6A made the journey in 37 hours and 30 minutes. With aircraft designation PH-TGA, and named after Dr. Ir. M.H. Damme, it was piloted by captain H.A.A. Kooper. Other flight crew members were first officer J. Griffith, second officer P. Aarts and third officer J. Noomen. The Air Race was a ‘repeat’ of the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race from London to Christchurch, when KLM had won the handicap race with the famed ‘Uiver’ DC-2, flown by pilot Koene Parmentier, which took just over 90 hours. The subsidies for the film are from the Netherlands Film Fund and from Public Broadcasting. ‘Bride Flight,’ which Sombogaart announced already some years ago, was selected from among five other film projects. Among the lead actresses who signed on for the film are Tamar van den Dop and Lottie Hellingman. On location filming will be done in New Zealand Here are some pictures of the aircraft to be used : The aircraft G-APSA arrived at Schiphol on 16aug07 and disappeared into KLM's hangar 14 for the paint-job: sorry for the blurriedness of some, but the light was quite dimmed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted August 17, 2007 That plane is flying right? where did she come from? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 17, 2007 Yes, still in flyable condition: arrived from Coventry/UK... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norman 1 Report post Posted August 18, 2007 Thanks for sharing this beauty with us, Pieter I'm sure we'll get to see her in the new paint later, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 18, 2007 Will do my best, although access to this part of the hangar is 'limited' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 18, 2007 Norman, You wanted to see some progress, well, here you are (taken 18aug07): You just cannot believe the acid smell in there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norman 1 Report post Posted August 19, 2007 Thanks Pieter.... Will follow this thread closely... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 19, 2007 Thanks Pieter.... Will follow this thread closely... You better, as this is how she looked today (19aug07): All titles, registration, etc. has now been removed and only under the elevator some stripes left...will, surely, be gone by tomorrow, but having a day-off, can only re-visit 21aug07 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edwin Yii 0 Report post Posted August 19, 2007 Nice pics pieter...do bring us more! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibrahim 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 thank for sharing Pieter. Nice~!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 (edited) The subsidies for the film are from the Netherlands Film Fund and from Public Broadcasting. ‘Bride Flight,’ which Sombogaart announced already some years ago, was selected from among five other film projects. Among the lead actresses who signed on for the film are Tamar van den Dop and Lottie Hellingman. On location filming will be done in New Zealand Pieter, any chance of spotting this old bird in Auckland? I guess in 1953 they would have been landed at Whenuapai airport, the then international airport of Auckland, if they did come here from Christchurch? Edited August 20, 2007 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samuel Chy 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 will the acid damage the frame? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 21, 2007 Not much change to the previous visit on 19aug07: Look at these huge flaps and flap-setting More to follow.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 22, 2007 Here some more progress of the DC-6 repaint: Green propellor-spinners now removed for repaint...not much other progress noticed taken 22aug07... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Lim 0 Report post Posted August 23, 2007 nice piece of classic there, pieter. hav not seen it before Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 23, 2007 The Classic has been covered now in plastic and paper and ready for her new 'dress': Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 24, 2007 Today's visit showed 'some' progress, as witnessed by today's shots: The spinners are now white and can be seen 'parked' nicely next to the ancient lady: The wings and flaps do have a grey 'metalic' look now; guess, job is finished now as no more plastic protection over the wheels): Tail section now also covered in plastic and paper. elevators do sport the grey metalic paint as well now; a painter is doing ''his finishing touch'': more to follow... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted August 25, 2007 Look at these huge flaps and flap-setting If anyone is to deploy those flaps at that setting whilst airborne, would they not be better described as spoilers / air speed brakes ?! Is the old lady in for paint job only ? Incidentally (and OT admittedly), any idea as to cost of stripping down a bird and repainting her ? Trying to figure out the cost of rejected Oasis lease of MH 744 and who will end up footing the bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted August 25, 2007 Is the old lady in for paint job only ? Incidentally (and OT admittedly), any idea as to cost of stripping down a bird and repainting her ? Trying to figure out the cost of rejected Oasis lease of MH 744 and who will end up footing the bill Hopefully it won't end up with as an invoice for the tax payer. Looks like a lot of leases of ex-MH birds fell through, what happened? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 25, 2007 If anyone is to deploy those flaps at that setting whilst airborne, would they not be better described as spoilers / air speed brakes ?! Is the old lady in for paint job only ? Incidentally (and OT admittedly), any idea as to cost of stripping down a bird and repainting her ? This flap setting is nothing special here for the DC-6: ever seen the flap setting in the landing configuration of a 777 ? This paint-job will be paid for by KLM, hence their own people and hangar facilities (when finished, it will be an excellent promotion for 'the flying dutchman') Since the bird is supposed to fly again next weekend (at the Lelystad airshow), work has to progress fast now Here's the result at 1645/today: A nice 'silver' coating has been applied !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Ong 1 Report post Posted August 26, 2007 Can't wait to see this bird finished Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 26, 2007 Keep comin' back to this topic, Andrew Was able to talk to one of the painters today, and he told me to be quick with the picture taking, as they would resume painting within 15 mins...he told me, she should be finished by tuesday-evening Since yesterday, she 'received' a nice white top and tail : Hope to be able to 'shoot' her again tomorrow, depending the progress Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted August 26, 2007 Thanks Pieter, this has been a real eye opener of a thread so far ! Incidentally, if this is the sort of enthusiasm you exhibit when it's 'only' a Douglas plane, one can only imagine what it will be like when the bring a Fokker in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 27, 2007 Incidentally, if this is the sort of enthusiasm you exhibit when it's 'only' a Douglas plane, one can only imagine what it will be like when the bring a Fokker in BC, Take a look here at Obs Hill with regard to the F27 Friendship operated in the NLM colours (oldest flyable F27 !!! ) which I posted here about 1.5 year ago Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted August 27, 2007 From your special "correspondent", here's today's update of the DC-6: the rudder has been cleared again and note the lines for the Dutch flag already visible Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
