Movie "Sky Raiders", 1925

The ace – a real World War I hero – was Charles Nungesser in a Hanriot aircraft. The "unknown" airman was Louis Meier in a Thomas-Morse Scout. It was 1924 and the dogfight over the Hempstead Plains was being filmed for the movie "Sky Raiders." But the aerial action had not followed the script. Nungesser, naturally, was supposed to wind-up on the tail of Meier’s plane and shoot him down. However, it seems that the fledgling movie actor, Meier, had apparently been carried away by the glamor of being in his first motion picture and was stealing the scene from the star. After landing, Meier was chewed out by the director. The dogfight was shot again and this time, keeping to the script, Nungesser was the victor.

Another actor in the film was Carl "Slim" Hennicke who starred in a scene by performing as a dare-devil wing walker. Part of the film showed a French military air base and a row of aircraft. Actually the air base was Roosevelt Field and the row of aircraft were definitely non-French. One of the planes was Paul Kotze’s 1914 Heinrich biplane, on loan to the film makers. On hand to witness the action was famed pilot and aircraft builder Igor Sikorsky.

Louis Meier (left) and Paul Kotze respective past
and present owners of the WW1 Thomas-Morse Scout.
The airplane is now on loan to the
Cradle of Aviation Museum.

With the exception of Nungesser, all persons mentioned
are Early Flier Members. Slim Hennicke you recognize as member #1,
the late Igor Sikorsky was #250, Paul Kotze #539,
and Louis Meier #901. It would be interesting to view
"Sky Raiders" at a meeting if anyone has a copy.

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