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Test Pilot Overview:

Test Pilot (1938) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Victor Fleming and produced by Louis D. Lighton.

SYNOPSIS

This whizzy story with heart-stopping flying sequences is about the dangerous life of a test pilot and its effect on the people who love him. With the cast assembled here, this turned out to be one of MGM's biggest hits of the day. Gable is an adventurous test pilot who falls in love with Loy when he's forced to land in her family's Kansas cornfield. He settles down, thanks to the watchful eye of his loyal mechanic Tracy, and starts a family, but tensions arise when Loy objects to his testing of a new Air Force bomber. Cinematographer June provides a breathtaking experience.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1938 --- Ceremony Number 11 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingFrank WeadNominated
Best PictureMetro-Goldwyn-MayerNominated
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Test Pilot BlogHub Articles:

Test Pilot (1938)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 27, 2018 From 4 Star Films

Test Pilot is a fine piece of time capsule filmmaking and there’s little doubt that the film showcases a dizzying array of airplanes that we very rarely see today. In that sense, it’s an aerial picture with some truly dazzling footage. By 1930s standards, this is also an action picture, ... Read full article

Test Pilot (Found!)

By Alyson on Mar 5, 2011 From The Best Picture Project

Test Pilot is a story where men put their lives at risk for the sake of aviation and women find that irresistible.  Clark Gable plays Jim, the cocky hotshot test pilot who tries to moonlight as a lady’s man.  Spencer Tracy is his right hand mechanic, Gunner, who spends most of his time keeping J... Read full article

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Test Pilot Quotes:

No Quote for this film.
Test Pilot Facts
The four engine bomber flown by Gable and Tracy near the end of the film when they are flying with the simulated bomb load was a Model 299, which was bought by the Army Air Force and became the yb-17 while testing continued until it became operational as the b-17a.
Reportedly Myrna Loy's personal favorite movie of all her films.
The four engine bomber flown by Gable and Tracy near the end of the film is one of thirteen Y1B-17 (model 299B) Flying Fortresses. The Model 299 prototype had crashed on October 30, 1935. Almost all of the Y1B-17s assigned to the 2nd Bomb Group appear flying in formation at the end of the film.
The "Drake Bullet" was a Seversky P-35 single-seat fighter which had no back seat for Myrna Loy to sit in.
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