Vintage Tin Goose airplane used in Johnny Depp film to take flight over Miami
The Tin Goose is back.
A vintage airplane with a glorious history will take wing over Miami - once again - and curious passengers can book flights for a journey into the golden age of aviation.
The Ford Tri-Motor airliner, also known as the Tin Goose, is visiting Miami Executive Airport, 12800 SW 145th Ave., from Thursday through Sunday during its national tour. The public can get a look at the restored 1929 nine-seater or pay $70-75 for a 15-minute trip.
“It’s not like going to a museum because you get to sit in it or fly in it and see how people traveled in the 1930s,” said Yale Mosk, president of the local chapter of the Experimental Aviation Association. “It’s truly a thrill.”
The Tri-Motor, which has one engine on each wing and one on the nose, was manufactured by the Ford Motor Co. and flown by Eastern and Cubana airlines. It was also used to transport smoke jumpers to forest fires. This particular plane underwent a 12-year refurbishment after it was damaged in a 1973 thunderstorm. It appeared in two movies -- “The Family Jewels” starring Jerry Lewis in 1965 and “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp in 2009.
“It’s got a maximum speed of about 100 mph, which back in the day was very fast,” said Mosk, a retired real estate developer who recently restored a 1920s Great Lakes open cockpit biplane. “It’s a lot noisier than a jet. You have to have skill to fly it; it’s not automated. But it handles beautifully and lands easily.”
Tickets booked in advance are $70; walk-up tickets are $75 and tickets for children 17 and under are $50. Reserve your seat at www.flytheford.org or by calling 800-843-3612.
“The pilots will probably try to fly out over the bay or down to Ocean Reef at an altitude of 1,500 feet,” said EAA member Phil Slotsky. “It’s a fascinating piece of our past.”
This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 6:02 AM with the headline "Vintage Tin Goose airplane used in Johnny Depp film to take flight over Miami."