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Post by Lokifan on Apr 1, 2014 21:36:09 GMT
Okay, the A-Team was fun, but let's expand the scope.
Aren't there a lot of cheesy 80s action shows that could be done in an episode?
Could a helicopter like Airwolf: 1. Loop the loop? 2. Hide missile launchers/machine guns/etc. without anyone noticing?
Could you build a rocket powered motorcycle ala "Streethawk"? How could you make it safe?
There's got to be something we could do with Knight Rider. KITT could be a fun guest.
Anybody else got an idea.
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 1, 2014 22:00:48 GMT
Helicopters can loop the loop, principally the AH64 Apache and the Westland Lynx.
That might not have been the case at the time the series was created (although the Lynx was in service before then).
They would probably have to build or modify car as a KITT stand in. Off the top of my head most of the remaining cars are in private ownership (three in the UK I think) and the one that was owned by the studio can't be driven as it breaks emission laws last I heard. (Or at least I seem to recall Mr 'Knight' himself saying something to that effect)
Maybe they could see if they could create their own version of the 'turbo-boost' function? I think this was a series of rocket jets that could not only lift up the front of the car so it could make jumps, but also act as an emergency brake or speed boost. Naturally the speed boost is hardly a myth, they've managed to prove that on the JATO tests, but could you fit a boost system into the car that could cause it to at least 'hop' over another car?
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 1, 2014 23:39:00 GMT
That'd definitely be good TV...
Now, a truly impossible stunt would be the Mach 5's jacks from the Speed Racer movie/anime.
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Post by the light works on Apr 2, 2014 2:01:06 GMT
airwolf's missiles are patently false - they fired three different kinds of missile from a launcher that was substantially shorter than the missiles named.
I like the question of whether you can make a car do a broad jump (I.E. without ramps)
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Post by ironhold on Apr 2, 2014 14:05:06 GMT
It should be noted, however, that Airwolf itself was a stock Bell 222 that was modified for the show, and so there's the question of just how much of the stuntwork shown each episode was actually performed by the helicopter in question.
Sadly, the aircraft no longer exists. After the show was cancelled the film modifications were stripped and the helicopter was sold to private hands. After going back and forth a few times, it wound up in service as an air ambulance somewhere in Germany. During one of its air ambulance runs (I want to say ca. 1992), it crashed, killing all on board.
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Post by the light works on Apr 2, 2014 14:21:27 GMT
It should be noted, however, that Airwolf itself was a stock Bell 222 that was modified for the show, and so there's the question of just how much of the stuntwork shown each episode was actually performed by the helicopter in question. Sadly, the aircraft no longer exists. After the show was cancelled the film modifications were stripped and the helicopter was sold to private hands. After going back and forth a few times, it wound up in service as an air ambulance somewhere in Germany. During one of its air ambulance runs (I want to say ca. 1992), it crashed, killing all on board. well, I guess that busts the invincibility myth...
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Post by ironhold on Apr 2, 2014 14:57:27 GMT
It should be noted, however, that Airwolf itself was a stock Bell 222 that was modified for the show, and so there's the question of just how much of the stuntwork shown each episode was actually performed by the helicopter in question. Sadly, the aircraft no longer exists. After the show was cancelled the film modifications were stripped and the helicopter was sold to private hands. After going back and forth a few times, it wound up in service as an air ambulance somewhere in Germany. During one of its air ambulance runs (I want to say ca. 1992), it crashed, killing all on board. well, I guess that busts the invincibility myth... Thing is, the series itself never had Airwolf as invincible. For example, the episode "Long Walk To Freedom" had it that the tail rotor (IIRC) was damaged to the point that Dom and Kat couldn't fly it, forcing them - and a group of college students that they had just rescued - to push it across a desert in order to get it to the nearest town; they ultimately found a metalworker who could fix it.
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Post by the light works on Apr 2, 2014 15:20:45 GMT
well, I guess that busts the invincibility myth... Thing is, the series itself never had Airwolf as invincible. For example, the episode "Long Walk To Freedom" had it that the tail rotor (IIRC) was damaged to the point that Dom and Kat couldn't fly it, forcing them - and a group of college students that they had just rescued - to push it across a desert in order to get it to the nearest town; they ultimately found a metalworker who could fix it. Strengefellow Hawk could have just hit the turbo button and driven it across the desert. but that leaves the question of whether there are any components in a tail rotor assembly that can be repaired by a person who is not trained to do so.
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Post by ironhold on Apr 2, 2014 16:43:22 GMT
Thing is, the series itself never had Airwolf as invincible. For example, the episode "Long Walk To Freedom" had it that the tail rotor (IIRC) was damaged to the point that Dom and Kat couldn't fly it, forcing them - and a group of college students that they had just rescued - to push it across a desert in order to get it to the nearest town; they ultimately found a metalworker who could fix it. Strengefellow Hawk could have just hit the turbo button and driven it across the desert. but that leaves the question of whether there are any components in a tail rotor assembly that can be repaired by a person who is not trained to do so. The tail rotor itself was shot up. I don't remember the details, but the metalworker either cranked out a new one or somehow "fixed" the old one.
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 2, 2014 17:53:28 GMT
Airwolf, like KITT, was only invulnerable to small arms fire. Heavy weapons could damage the vehicle. Airwolf also had a vulnerable spot, which was a small grill located somewhere on the front of the aircraft (possibly in front of the engine, I don't recall it being seen in anything other than close ups).
Lets not restrict ourselves to the 'big three' of Airwolf, A-Team and Knight Rider. There were other very popular shows back in the 80's, such as Miami Vice, that might provide fodder for the show.
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Post by the light works on Apr 3, 2014 2:56:36 GMT
Airwolf, like KITT, was only invulnerable to small arms fire. Heavy weapons could damage the vehicle. Airwolf also had a vulnerable spot, which was a small grill located somewhere on the front of the aircraft (possibly in front of the engine, I don't recall it being seen in anything other than close ups). Lets not restrict ourselves to the 'big three' of Airwolf, A-Team and Knight Rider. There were other very popular shows back in the 80's, such as Miami Vice, that might provide fodder for the show. it was the midair refueling boom. according to the pilot episode, a direct hit up the pipe would bypass the armor and destroy the craft. Riptide would be another show to look at. they ran a Vietnam era chopper - (Sikorshy S-58T) and a plethora of surface and water vehicles - as well as a somewhat eccentric robot.
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 3, 2014 4:20:04 GMT
Can a helicopter such as Airwolf survive the stress of the jet engine boost?
Actually, I don't think they ever clearly defined exactly what the propulsion was, except to say it was a Mach 1+ vehicle.
In that case, can a helicopter break the sound barrier?
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Post by the light works on Apr 3, 2014 4:31:54 GMT
Can a helicopter such as Airwolf survive the stress of the jet engine boost? Actually, I don't think they ever clearly defined exactly what the propulsion was, except to say it was a Mach 1+ vehicle. In that case, can a helicopter break the sound barrier? I believe they do make a mach one helicopter. airwolf was allegedly a lifting body aircraft, and under "turbo" mode, it disengaged the rotor and flew under aerodynamic lift. after a quick internet search, it appears they don't currently have one - I recall seeing a writeup about the idea in the past - and the limiting factor is the rotor dynamics - for the airframe to exceed mach one, the blade tips will be going WAY faster. (yes, I actually looked it up for some reason or another in the past year)
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Post by memeengine on Apr 3, 2014 6:30:39 GMT
...airwolf was allegedly a lifting body aircraft, and under "turbo" mode, it disengaged the rotor and flew under aerodynamic lift... The problem with disengaging the rotors is that they would then windmill, which would produce a large amount of drag and still produce the problem of supersonic rotor tip speed.
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Post by the light works on Apr 3, 2014 6:45:50 GMT
...airwolf was allegedly a lifting body aircraft, and under "turbo" mode, it disengaged the rotor and flew under aerodynamic lift... The problem with disengaging the rotors is that they would then windmill, which would produce a large amount of drag and still produce the problem of supersonic rotor tip speed. yes. though theoretically not so much as using the rotors to drive the aircraft. - of course, we know it was all made up, anyway.
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 3, 2014 7:34:59 GMT
Funny, I too remember something I saw about a real supersonic copter proposal--I even have vague memories of a thicker than normal rotor system that folded back (?). I think it was similar to the vehicles in "The Sixth Day".
Getting a little sidetracked, I suppose.
Just thought of a few new shows to examine: "Chips" and "The Fall Guy".
I hear they're making a movie of "The Fall Guy" so it might be a timely show.
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 3, 2014 8:58:08 GMT
CHIPS might be good for any motorbike stunts/myths, although having said that. Since you can't realistically have a full sized RC bike (or at least not on a TV budget) chances are that all the stunts were done for real. (Chances are also good that many of those stunts might be too dangerous for MB themselves to want to try and duplicate).
The Fall Guy on the other hand could be ideal. For those who don't recall the series the premise was about a Hollywood stuntman who also worked as a bounty hunter, using his knowledge of stunt work to help with bounty hunting. Since stunt work is basically a form of practical special effects this would seem right down Mythbusters alley.
One thing I have noticed over the years is that while Mythbusters are special effects experts, they are rarely called on to act as their own experts - by which I mean that while they have used their effects skills to duplicate scenes/results and explain how things are done on screen. I don't think they are often call on to deal with myths that come from special effects directly. So myths that relate to special effects tricks being used in the 'real' world might be an interesting change of pace, and allow them to showcase their background in the industry.
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Post by ironhold on Apr 3, 2014 14:56:29 GMT
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Post by Lokifan on Apr 3, 2014 15:16:58 GMT
That looks like what I remembered. Thanks!
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Post by the light works on Apr 3, 2014 15:41:29 GMT
Fall guy is great. I haven't seen as much of CHIPS, I can confirm, though that they do have the ramrod straight posture when riding.
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