Below is an article that we originally posted in February 2022. In light of the new film “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” released on June 30, 2023 we thought we’d repost this.
Did you know a Clipper had an appearance in the Indian Jones film series?
Related to The Hawaii Clipper, the sister plane China Clipper depicted in Raiders of the Lost Ark should be a Martin M-130 plane, but during the filming of the movie, the production crew discovered that there was a Short Solent Mark III flying boat undergoing restoration in Oakland. Short Solents were not actually made until the late 1940s, however Raiders takes place in 1936. Using matte paintings and compositie photography, the unseaworthy plane was made to look like it was being boarded in the water.[1]
Epitomizing the glamour of the golden age of flight, the Pan American China Clipper took Indy to Manila en route to Marion’s Bar in Nepal.
The practical Short Solent Mark III flying boat sits on display at the Oakland Aviation Museum in California, and visitors can enter it.[2] Read more here
The Short Solent 3 flying boat at the Oakland Aviation Museum. This legendary seaplane doubled as the China Clipper in Raiders of the Lost Ark, circa 1981.
For the flying shots during Raiders of the Lost Ark, a model was used. See a variety of real and movie set photos, here.
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The Lost Clipper - The mission to bring 15 forgotten Americans home 