The real Indiana Jones

Real Indiana Jones dies at age 96 ! (Breaking News) Last week the Real Indiana Jones died at the age of 96 in Waterloo (Belgium) True Indiana Jones Lieutenant General Pilot Baron Michel 'Mike' G. L. Donnet CdG, CVO, DFC (1 April 1917-- 31 July 2013) was a Belgian pilot who served during World War II in the Belgian and British air forces. He shot down four enemy aircraft confirmed, and achieved the RAF rank of Wing Commander. After the war, he returned to the Belgian Air Force, and held several important commands before retiring in 1975. Flight to freedom[edit source] After release in German-occupied Belgium, he met his former colleague sergeant-pilot Léon Divoy, and they briefly planned to build an aircraft with which to escape to England. Their search for a propeller suggested that there was one still attached to a complete stored aeroplane. That proved to be a Stampe et Vertongen SV-4B (OO-ATD) which was owned by Baron Thierry d'Huart. It was stored in a locked small hangar at his chateau at Terbloc, where German troops were stationed. With the help of many trusted friends and the Belgian Resistance, Donnet and Divoy spent four months preparing their plan. It involved bicycle rides of three hours from Stockel to Terbloc and return at night, improvisation of flying instruments, obtaining scarce petrol, and testing systems. Divoy had won the toss to pilot the SV-4B, but Donnet had access to dual controls to assist Divoy. On 19 May 1941, they planned to fly, but the engine failed to start, and they abandoned that first attempt. More work delayed the second attempt, but finally at 0245 on 5 July 1941, they took off and headed approximately WNW towards the coast. After narrowly avoiding a searchlight, the engine stopped, but eventually picked up again. After about two hours' flying, they sighted land during sunrise, but the geography did not match the intended destination in Kent. The engine started running roughly, so they landed at the nearest suitable landing area in a field. They quickly confirmed that they were in England, and headed on foot towards the nearest police station that turned out to be at Thorpe-le-Soken, near Clacton, Essex. The Stampe SV-4B was later camouflaged and marked 'J7777', then impressed into service with No. 24 Sqn and then No. 510 Sqn, finally marked MX457 and nominally based at RAF Hendon. In 1945, it was returned to its owner Thierry d'Huart in Belgium. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American fantasy-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry Jones, Sr. Other cast members such as Alison Doody, Denholm Elliott, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, and John Rhys-Davies also have featured roles. In the film, set largely in 1938, Indiana searches for his father, a Holy Grail scholar, who has been kidnapped by Nazis. After the mixed reaction to the dark Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Spielberg chose to compensate with a film lighter in tone. During the five years between Temple of Doom and Last Crusade, he and executive producer Lucas reviewed several scripts before accepting Jeffrey Boam's. Filming locations included Spain, Italy, England, Turkey and Jordan. The film was released in North America on May 24, 1989 to mostly positive reviews. It was a financial success, earning $474,171,806 at the worldwide box office totals. It won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing. Source: Wikipedia