Talk:The Flight of the Phoenix (novel)

Split/Disabig
Shouldn't this be a disambig page or deal with just the 1965 movie as there is another article for the 2004 movie. As it is now it reads badly trying to detail both movies which have many differences (location, aircraft etc) at the same time. --Achmelvic 15:03, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

More importantly, shouldn't it be split between the novel and the 1965 movie? Although the plots are very similar, there are differences in the names and portrayal of characters.

This article is entirely about the book, and there are a separate articles about the 1965 film and the 2004 film. Because the article is only about the book, the aeronautical engineer is an Englishman named Stringer, and not a German named Dorfmann. I have fixed the references to the aeronautical engineer.

Fair use rationale for Image:Flight of the Phoenix (1965).jpg
Image:Flight of the Phoenix (1965).jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 11:31, 5 November 2007 (UTC)
 * Stupid bot Bzuk 11:35, 5 November 2007 (UTC).

Arabs in Gobi?
Something wrong in plot description. Either Arabs (Sakhara) or Gobi Desert, which is located in Mongolia.

1965 film pictures Berbers (or Arabs) and Libyan/Tunisian part of Sakhara.

2005 film features some Mongol or Chinese nomadic tribe in Gobi desert. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Thebiggestmac (talk • contribs) 17:40, 4 November 2008 (UTC)

I agree with the above apart from the fact that the second film is cited as 2004 elsewhere, I hope I'm doing nothing wrong but I've edited the plot description. I didn't want to specify which oriental race are in the nomadic tribe as I wouldn't know, also as my husband is from Algeria and I know something of the culture of north africa, you cannot specify arabs as the nomadic tribe, they could be tuareg or Amazigh (berber)Jannahred (talk) 23:34, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

I also added that in the book, according to the review I read, the plot is set in the Sahara, Libya, with a reference to that review. I had thought the book was being ignored, considering it came before he films and they were based on the book! Jannahred (talk) 14:40, 10 November 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks for your improvements. This article originally covered both the 1964 novel and the 1965 film, with the bulk of the material on the film. Although I did the split, I know next to nothing about the book, and was unable to make any real improvements to the article after the split. Again, thanks, and feel free to be bold in making improvements. - BillCJ (talk) 17:41, 10 November 2008 (UTC)

The book takes place entirely in Africa, so the plane did not take off from the Gobi desert. It took off from the Jebel oil town. The book mentions a meteorological bureau in Jebel Sarra, and then after Jebel they checked position overhead El Tallab in the Koufra Oasis Group. A quick internet check says that Kufra, Jebel and Sarra Oasis are in the Libyan desert, but I couldn't determine which country, possibly either southern Libya or northern Sudan.


 * At the time of the story's writing Libya was ruled by King Idris, and the country had a strong British presence post WW II due to the Western Desert Campaign, hence the reason for two British soldiers, Harris and Watson, to be travelling on the plane. Kufra is indeed in Libya, and a similar predicament occurred there in 1942 - Tragedy at Kufra — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.7.147.13 (talk) 09:57, 31 January 2014 (UTC)

This article is crap
It was clearly written by someone who saw one or both of the films, but never read the novel. There are serious errors of fact. &mdash;QuicksilverT @ 07:31, 3 February 2010 (UTC)


 * It's much better now, since you "removed meaningless caption". I look forward to seeing your work on correcting the other errors. I'd like to help, but I haven't read the book either! - BilCat (talk) 08:01, 3 February 2010 (UTC)

Please specify where the article is crap. I have read the book, and constantly make sure that erroneous movie corrections are removed, the chief being that some people keep making Stringer German, when he was English in the novel. Since I am satisfied that the article reflects the book very well, and does not describe the movie, I am very curious what are these "serious errors of fact". Please expand on this comment, or fix the article. This is your article as well as mine and everyone else's, hence the name "Wiki". Mburrell (talk) 02:52, 5 February 2010 (UTC)

Flying with Skids?
Is this even possible on sand soil? Section needed on this question.--24.31.253.212 (talk) 09:28, 11 February 2013 (UTC)

Paul Mantz death not menioned?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n82nN_lqn58

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mantz --24.31.253.212 (talk) 09:28, 11 February 2013 (UTC)

That is probably because his death has nothing to do with the novel. You might want to mention it in the film article for the original movie, but it has nothing to do with the book. Mburrell (talk) 17:35, 11 February 2013 (UTC)