In the movie The War Lover, Steve McQueen (well, the actual pilot) pilots a B17 bomber "cutting the grass", i.e. flying low with the gear up. The stunt was to be done with models because it was too dangerous.
My dad was in the AF at the time, and was assigned to the movie as a consultant on AF trivia. He convinced them that the stunt could be done safely, and explained how to do it.
And so it was done. My dad got in trouble, because if the B17 had crashed doing the stunt, the AF would have looked bad. But it didn't crash, and the stunt was a big deal to the movie crowds, so he was forgiven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGynxYbA48
It's still freakin' impressive today.
His other contribution to the movie was the mission briefing wall maps.
My dad was in the AF at the time, and was assigned to the movie as a consultant on AF trivia. He convinced them that the stunt could be done safely, and explained how to do it.
And so it was done. My dad got in trouble, because if the B17 had crashed doing the stunt, the AF would have looked bad. But it didn't crash, and the stunt was a big deal to the movie crowds, so he was forgiven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGGynxYbA48
It's still freakin' impressive today.
His other contribution to the movie was the mission briefing wall maps.