MovieChat Forums > The Blue Max (1966) Discussion > Bridge Storming

Bridge Storming

posted 19 years ago by Sputnik57
13 replies | jump to latest

I seem to remember when the film was released that the scene where Stachel & Klugermann fly under the bridge was state of the art in special effects/stunts. Even now I still regard it as one of the best action scenes in any movie and I never tire of watching it.
My dad took me to see this movie in about 1966 and for years I would dream of these flying scenes, in fact I still do. I've now got the DVD and am in the process of wearing it out watching the flying sequences.

[–] theragtopguy 19 years ago

I agree, the aerial photography is spectacular! I've watched this movie so much that I have the dialogue memorized by now!

[–] tonymaher8 19 years ago

hi .the bridge storming was brill. for years after the movie came out , while driving round ireland, every time we came across a bridge like the one in movie , we would shout out , there is the bridge george peppard flew under.
there are so many bridges like that one in ireland. 40 years later we are still looking.....

[–] Sputnik57 19 years ago

I wonder if anyone knows the location of the bridge or even if it still exists. Looking at the film again it appears to be an old railway bridge but it's difficult to tell.

[–] tonymaher8 19 years ago

hi. i will ask local dublin radio station if anybody knows where bridge is .would love to know myself.

[–] Sputnik57 19 years ago

Thanks, the location has always intrigued me.

[–] tonymaher8 19 years ago

hi. have not found location of bridge .i will keep looking.

[–] wildgoose419 17 years ago

I love that scene, too. The reason it looked so good was that it was real. A real pilot flew a real plane under a real bridge -- no CGI crap, and the camera was well placed to give viewers the maximum thrill. Hey, a good stunt beats computer graphics any day. I just wonder how much they paid the guy to do it. That was a very narrow openning between the two pillars.

[–] Navrag 17 years ago

I remember as a kid sitting in my back garden watching the dog fights up in the sky over Wicklow. Unfortunately I have no idea where that bridge was either...

[–] Navrag 17 years ago

Progress - A good friend, filmmaker (check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUN33IfB2NE) and Blue Max fan, Derek Wheeler informs me that the bridge is the Carrickabrick Viaduct on the Waterford Mallow Rail line. It can be found just outside Mallow in County Cork

So check it out on your next visit!

[–] niallhetherington 17 years ago

Navrag is spot on the money. The Carrickabrick viaduct is actually just east of Fermoy, Co. Cork on the old railway between Mallow and Waterford (closed in 1967)Check out this link to a site I found and the great photos. The viaduct can still be viewed today. Just take the R666 east from Fermoy.

http://fermoyireland.50megs.com/thebluemax.htm

[–] jesus_desade 16 years ago

It's actually outside Fermoy. There's no railway anymore but the bridge is still there I used to climb on it and under it as a kid

Pics
http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/ 20903527_1.jpg

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/ 20903324_1.jpg

http://static3.bareka.com/photos/medium/13995078.jpg

[–] naseby 17 years ago

Yeah the last (Well but one, now) post says the bridge is near Mallow, yeah it's just outside Fermoy in Co. Cork. looked at it on Google Earth too from above. Shadow shows the long four bridge spans and the medieval-looking tower by it that Willi crashed into in the film.

[–] pome2 16 years ago

Correct, the bridge is located about 2 miles east of Fermoy.
The pilot was Derek Piggott. Derek also carried out most of the Flight testing and stunts in'Those magnificent men in their flying machines'. Derek is best known for his gliding exploits and was CFI in Lasham for many years.
I am glad to say that Derek is still alive and well and in fact took part in the recent British Gliding Championships at age 85.
A reunion of persons who took part in the making of several Aviation films in Ireland during the 1960's including The Blue Max, Darling Lili and The Red Baron
will be held in Ireland during September 2008.It is planned that Derek will revisit 'the bridge' during his visit to Ireland.