Steve McQueen and airplanes

Steve McQueen was great as the maniacal Capt. Rickson and quite believable as a "hot" B-17 pilot-in-command. As we know, he was destined to gain much fame and many women as he rose to the top. He loved motorcycles and fast cars. But, in relation to his great performance in this movie, he didn't get interested in airplanes until the end of his life.

It was when he was suffering from cancer treatments that McQueen started to hang-out with "dah guys" over at the Santa Barbara Airport, taking flying lessons and spending hours at the hangar chatting with the mechanics and pilots and smelling the oil, solvent and 100 octane. He bought a vintage Stearman biplane and learned to fly it. He began to cherish the hours, sitting in the sun on the flightline, watching the airplanes. He went as far as to set up a cot so he could have "sleep-overs" at the hangar. He ultimately loved the airport scene more than anything else.

I think it a bit profound that here was this Hollywood actor, who at the top of his game could have anything and any woman he wanted...and at the end of his life began to savor the simple things.

It was a pity how his life ended...this great and vital soul whose body unwound like an old clock.

CmdrCody