Chet Desmond’s Airplane from Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me

In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole makes arrangements at a private Portland Airport for Special Agent Chet Desmond. Upon his arrival, he meets Special Agent Sam Stanley and receives a coded message from Cole via a dancer in a red dress named Lil.  I became fascinated with the airplane Chet arrives in after Chris Isaak briefly discussed the scene before his concert in Orlando, Florida.

I met Chris Isaak, who played Chet Desmond, at a private VIP meet and greet session before his concert at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida on October 12, 2017.  This was my second time seeing him perform in concert. Make it a point to see him as you won’t be disappointed!

During the meeting, he signed this publicity photo and recalled filming this scene. He said it was a “cold day when they were shooting and he remembered the airplane was vintage with lots of rivets.” I couldn’t believe he signed it “Chet Desmond” and gave a nod to the “Blue Rose.” He’s a class act!

So what vintage plane was used and where is it located today?

UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 10, 2019

With thanks to BigginHill, I have new information about this aircraft. I misread the tail number which should be N7803B, not N78038. Upon closer examination of the original Flight Aware analysis from August 2018, it looks like the found image could also be N7803B. This means the entry is incorrect yet, it may be the same plane in the photo. I’m keeping the original analysis for reference and added additional information (with new images!) below.

ORIGINAL FLIGHT AWARE ANALYSIS FROM AUGUST 31, 2018

To identify this airplane, I started with a search for the registration number on the tail – N78038 N7803B. This search returned results for the late Pete Sauer from Kansas City, who owned a single engine 1946 GLOBE GC-1B with fixed wing. As previously mentioned, this analysis was incorrect and has been updated with new information below.

NEW DETAILS ABOUT N7803B – SEPTEMBER 10, 2019

Thanks to BigginHill’s tip, I located additional details about the actual plane used in Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me. The photo above was taken by Paul Chandler on July 25, 2011 at Oshkosh Wittman Regional airport in Wisconsin. (I’m sure there is no relation to Sam Stanley’s “Whitman machine”).

Turning again to FlightAware.com, I learned the plane was a Ryan Navion A, fixed wing single engine plane. The serial number is NAV-4-1783 and it is owned by Danny Metz from Brighton, Colorado. But was this the actual plane?

The AerialVisuals.ca website listed details about the frame’s history. It stated that the plane first received it’s Airworthiness certificate on July 3, 1958, which appeared the match the FlightAware listing. An other Airworthiness certificate was issued on April 21, 1970. Danny Metz appears to purchase the plan on April 7, 2000 while he still lived in Louisville, Kentucky. He moved to Colorado at some point in 2006 where the plane was registered again to him.

Here’s another look at the plane from the AerialVisuals.ca website.

I turned again to the US Civil Aircraft Registry and found an entry from December 6, 1999. I searched for the aircraft registry and John Hoobler, the pilot from the film, and BINGO – I found it. He was listed as the owner from Fall City, Washington, the same place where the Fall City Airport is located.

John is credited at the end of the film as the Pilot so I knew this had to be his plane.

Aircraft in Focus had another look at the plane which they attributed to an owner in Colorado (Danny Metz).

FlightAware had two additional photos of the airplane.

Photographer Ray Hill captured this image of the Navion A on July 19, 2015 at EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2015.

More than likely the plane currently resides in Colorado. It’s wonderful knowing that it is still around and being used. I sure hope to see it in person one day.

Let’s take a look at how the plane appeared in the film.

APPROACHING PRIVATE PORTLAND AIRPORT
There is a short seven-second scene of the airplane approaching the private Portland Airport. We get a good look at the plane’s cockpit.

According to Aircraft In Focus, this plane was built by Ryan Aeronautical Company in the late 1940s:

“First flown in 1946, the 4-seat Navion was designed to resemble a World War II fighter, specifically the P-51, and to cash in on North American’s reputation.  North American produced 1,100 of the aircraft in 1946 and 1947, then sold the design to the Ryan Aeronautical Company, which built about 1,200 through 1951.  The final producer was the Tubular Steel Corp. which took the final total to 2,634.  Although the Navion was never a cash cow, this was a respectable production total for a high-end leisure aircraft during this period.”

Here is video of a 1948 Ryan Navion landing at Hamilton, Texas.

I am captivated by these videos! Speaking of landing … let’s get back to the film.

LANDING AT PRIVATE PORTLAND AIRPORT
Pilot John B. Hoobler from Arlington, Washington is flying the plane. This scene was shot at the private Fall City Airport in Fall City, Washington as detailed in this story.

Principle photography for Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me began on September 5, 1991 in Washington State. The Shooting Diary on Dugpa.com lists several scenes shot around this time, but September 24 is missing. That day is also missing in issue No. 36 of Craig Miller and John Thorne’s “Wrapped in Plastic” which included a report from the set. This could be the day they shot this scene.

ARRIVAL
After landing at the airport, Pilot Hoobler and Chet Desmond (Chris Isaak) are seen opening the canopy.

If you look carefully, you can see all of those rivets that Chris Isaak mentioned at Hard Rock Live. We also get a better look at John Hoobler (though I’ve been unable to find a more current photo of him).

CHET DESMOND DEPLANED
Chet deplanes and the Pilot hands him a suitcase. An uncredited mechanic is seen briefly seen as Chet climbs out.

MEETING COLE AND STANLEY
Chet Desmond approaches Gordon Cole and Sam Stanley. During this part of the scene, we can see Pilot Hoobler and the uncredited mechanic discussing the plane’s engine.

I’m glad we have found the plane. Now we just have to locate Special Agent Chet Desmond. Where did he go?