Airwolf

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The reason we are discussing “Airwolf” today is not the cheesy 1980s TV show per se. It is to explore the intriguing back story. The show’s lead, Jan-Michael Vincent, bore his own demons. You can spot them in his character if you look closely.

Vincent’s real-life grandfather was a bank robber, and his uncle was gunned down by law enforcement during the commission of a crime. For his part, the promising young actor had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse. He was also credibly accused of beating the women in his life. He was in and out of jail for offenses ranging from drunk driving to drugs to assault. He was married three times and badly injured in several automobile crashes, most of which involved alcohol. What should have been a fabulously successful career was badly curtailed by his off-screen behavior. Vincent died hard at age 71 in 2019.

The “Airwolf” helicopter was a Bell 222 with serial number 47085, owned by Jetcopters of Van Nuys, California. It was modified with fake missiles and retractable guns that fired propane for the show. The fourth season was shot on a shoestring, and to save money on production, predominantly stock helicopter footage from the previous three seasons was utilized.

Helicopters are expensive. Once the production of “Airwolf” wrapped, it was not practical to retire the aircraft. As a result, Bell 222 number 47085 was stripped of its Hollywood trappings and sold to an air ambulance company in Germany. On June 6, 1992, the “Airwolf” helicopter was flown into a thunderstorm on a life flight mission and destroyed, killing all three crewmembers. It seemed an ignominious ending for the world’s sexiest gunship.

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