Subtitle (105)
0:03We're at the Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, New
Zealand, prepping these authentic, detail
0:09accurate World War One aircraft for an
actual but safe aerial dogfight using cutting
0:15edge laser technology.
0:17Simulated machine gun fire and smoke and
practical effects to indicate lethal hits.
0:23The thing that's so finicky about this work
is that it's not just the planes that are
0:27delicate. Everything about them is delicate,
including the flying.
0:31Just wiring up the planes and attaching our
laser sensors is a surprisingly intensive and
0:38It's critical that none of the gear we add
interferes with the safe operation of the
0:43plane. The last place you want any surprises
is in the air.
0:48I'm trying trying to route this wire so that
it doesn't touch any of the other important
0:55crap in here, and everything in here is
important.
1:01Come on. Oh, there we go.
1:05I really hope I did that right.
1:13With our lasers all wired up.
1:15Now to add a little more cacophonous tech to
our planes simulated machine gun fire.
1:22We are not just attaching lasers to rubber
guns on these planes.
1:26We've contracted Hamish, Bruce and Armour,
who is bringing some gas blowback guns for us
1:33to use. These guns will go bang at a very
loud decibel rate, and they'll deliver some
1:39muzzle flash to make this experience more
authentic from an audio standpoint and from a
1:45visual standpoint, these machine guns are
modified replicas of the same guns that would
1:50have been mounted on the planes.
1:52They're designed to release a mixture of
propane and oxygen in synchronized bursts
1:57with the machine guns trigger that gas gets
ignited by an electronic spark plug, and
2:09Lifelike and loud simulated machine gun fire.
2:15Next up, practical effects to indicate the
plane has received a lethal hit.
2:19In a true dogfight, a bullet ridden engine
would emit telltale smoke, and so will ours.
2:26We're installing smoke canisters so that
when the indicator box signals a lethal
2:30engine or fuel tank hit, the pilot will flip
a switch, releasing a smokey simulation of
2:37But what about the most lethal hit of all?
2:40Besides taking out the engine, it's clear
that one of the best ways to take down a
2:44plane is to take down the humans in charge
of that plane, and I wanted more than just
2:50the notation that a human has been killed.
2:53So I'm going to try and build in that
theatrical kill shot indicator onto this
3:01A helmet that will indicate my brain's being
blown out.
3:04Using some red paper streamers.
3:07Here's how this is going to work.
3:12And when I see that I've been killed, I pull
this pin and this whole thing goes flat and
3:19all of my brains fly out.
3:21For safety purposes, pilots Gary and Bevan
will not be wearing brain exploding helmets.
3:27So we've come up with something a bit less
invasive to indicate that they've taken a
3:32hit. Zack has designed and built a beautiful
automatic release mechanism for a roll of
3:37toilet paper that when the pilot gets hit,
he pushes a button and it releases a flag of
3:42maybe 3 or 4m of toilet paper that lets us
know we've gotten a hit on the pilot.
3:50With all of our effects in place, it's time
for a crucial systems check in the air.
3:56Bevans agreed to be our test pilot.
4:06Blowback guns. Then flips the switch.
4:13To release the smoke.
4:26Ha ha! The gun sounds amazing.
4:30The smoke is just a tad thin.
4:34Next up, the pilot hit indicator.
4:36Our red toilet paper blood trail.
4:43Bevin hits the switch and.
4:49All right. Toilet paper craps out.
4:54That's not as. Spectacular, as I was hoping.
4:58It seems that our toilet paper roll was a
little too big for our dispenser, and was
5:02jammed in too tight to unspool.
5:06These things happen from time to time, so
after a quick trip back down to earth and
5:11refitting the dispenser with the thinner
roll of red crepe paper, Bevin takes off for
5:30Our paper blood trail works like a charm.
5:35After adding extra canisters for a more
robust smoke trail, it's almost time for our
5:42But in order for this to feel truly
authentic, there's one more stop I need to
5:48So we've got some aviation gear in here.
5:52A lot of this is sort of, you know, me and
yeah, various this is mainly First World War.
5:58It's mainly First World War.
5:59Obviously. Maybe not.
6:01This is a little earlier before I take
flight.
6:04Of course I want to look the part.
6:07I'd like to dress as a correct World War One
aviator.
6:10And lucky for me, Peter and his collecting
prowess, which makes me look like an amateur,
6:17has thousands and thousands of costumes,
including tons and tons of World War One
6:22aviator uniforms, coats, hats, goggles,
among many other things.
6:26And he is going to outfit me correctly.
6:32Every aviator needs a great flight jacket.
6:35And of course, Peter's got me covered.
6:38You know, every time I look on eBay, the
amount of World War One stuff is surpassingly
6:42thin. Is that because of you?
6:45I couldn't possibly comment.
6:47I'm looking at this thing.
6:48It's totally amazing.
6:55Frankly, there's a lot more fabulousness.
6:57Than I expected to encounter.
7:05These things are 100 years old.
7:08Peters collection of World War One uniforms
is stunning, and it's the final touch I need
7:14for my showdown in the sky.
7:46With one final systems check.
