On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:09:12 -0000, Jim Logajan wrote:

I still vividly
remember the scene where Stewart's character retracts the airplane's
landing gear while it's on the ground.

Friend of my father did that in rather more spectacular style. During the
Berlin airlift they were in the habit of drinking until the small hours
before setting off back to England. They did the usual of going to a show,
drinking lots and getting little sleep, and set out at dawn with his
co-pilot playing host to a monumental hangover.

They taxied with the co pilot slumped in his seat looking green, and he
decided to leave him to it. As they turned onto the runway he looked at the
co pilot and said "c'mon mate, cheer up!"

"Righto skip, gear up."

Crunch, splinter, grind

"No mate I said cheer up."