On Wings of Eagles
Under the circumstances, EDS CEO Ross Perot (Richard Crenna ) has no other option but to employ the services of retired Lieutenant Colonel Arthur E. 'Bull' Simons (Burt Lancaster ). He devises a plan to lead a team of local EDS employees to return to Iran and free their colleagues.
While most of the movie is set in the country of Iran, it is interesting to note that it was actually shot entirely in Mexico, so some of the actors and extras were Mexicans. Some of the military equipment used in the film was also provided by Mexican film studios as well as the regional police and armed forces.
The following weapons can be seen in the miniseries On Wings of Eagles :
Handguns Walther P1 Lieutenant Colonel Arthur E. 'Bull' Simons organizes a weapons training for the EDS team with the Walther P1 in preparation for rescue mission. The gun is also seen in the hands of revolutionaries in some scenes.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walther P1 - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing ’Bull’ Simons teaches EDS employees, many of whom never had proper firearms training, to fire the Walther P1. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Joe Poche (James Sutorius ) shooting the Walther P1, is the first EDS employee who manages to impress with his shooting skills. Colt M1911A1 The Colt M1911A1 pistol can be seen during weapons training in the USA and among the weapons stock that the EDS team assembles in their Teheran safe house.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt M1911A1 Pistol - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jay Coburn (Paul Le Mat ) firing his Colt 1911A1 during the training under the watchful eye of ‘Bull’ Simons. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Colt 1911A1 (left) can be seen among the weapons that the EDS team has assembled to rescue their colleagues. Unidentified revolver #1 A member of the EDS team (unaccredited actor) can be seen cleaning a unidentified revolver at the Teheran safe house prior to getting into action.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Unidentified revolver #2 An Iranian revolutionary is firing an unidentified revolver when a mob storms the central prison of Teheran to free the inmates.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Submachine Guns IMI Uzi Several Revolutionary Guards, most prominently Mohammad (Kabir Bedi ), as well as Joe Poche of the rescue team are seen with the IMI Uzi throughout the movie.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing IMI Uzi with buttstock collapsed - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing After having emptied a magazine of his Uzi on a photo of the Shah, Mohammad announces the revolutionaries’ demands to EDS staff. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Joe Poche (right) cleans his Uzi as he and his colleagues listen to the Lieutenant Colonel’s plans at the EDS safe house in Teheran. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Revolutionary Guards armed with Uzi’s checking the last plane out of Iran for EDS employees hiding among the passengers. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lieutenant Colonel 'Bull' Simons fraternizes with an Uzi carrying revolutionary (Alberto Estrella ) at the last checkpoint before the border. Heckler & Koch MP5A2 A Heckler & Koch MP5A2 submachine gun is seen in the hands of some revolutionaries during the siege of the US embassy.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Heckler & Koch MP5A2 with original "slimline" handguard and straight "waffle"-style magazine - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MP5A2 (right) can be seen as embassy staff emerge from the vault where they were hiding. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MP5A2 is visible when Revolutionary Guards search for two missing EDS employees among embassy staff. Spitfire Carbine Revolutionaries can be seen with Spitfire Carbines with the foregrip moved somewhat to the front of the barrel as opposed to the standard model. The movie was shot in Mexico and this gun was used by Mexican police forces so these guns were probably sourced locally.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Spitfire Carbine - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Rifles M1 Carbine During the storming of the central Teheran prison, the M1 Carbine can be seen in the hands of both prison guards as well as revolutionaries.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1 Carbine - .30 Carbine Error creating thumbnail: File missing A neat row of M1 Carbines can be seen as 'Bull' Simons negotiates with prison authorities. Error creating thumbnail: File missing One of the revolutionaries making his way into the prison carries what appears to be a WWII era M1 Carbine. Vz.24 Czech Mauser In several scenes, revolutionaries can be seen holding bolt action rifles. With this movie being shot in Mexico, it is most logical to assume these are VZ-24 Czech Mausers used by the Mexican army in the 1930’s/40’s.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Czech Vz. 24 - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Unidentified rifle 'Bull' Simons can be seen with an unidentified rifle around his country home. Later on, it also appears in Teheran in the hands of Joe Poche who eliminates several prison guards with it.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing ’Bull’ Simons coming home from a hunting party, note the good view on the bolt. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view on the receiver of the rifle as ‘Bull’ Simons sits down on his front porch. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Joe Poche with the rifle as he gets instructions from ‘Bull’ Simons how to deal with prison guards. Assault Rifles FN FAL The FN FAL is seen in most scenes, most notably in the hands of local EDS employee Rashid (Esai Morales ). It’s standing in for the Heckler & Koch G3 that was/is the service rifle for the Iranian army.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing FN FAL - 7.62x51mm NATO Error creating thumbnail: File missing Prison guards emerge from the central Teheran prison with FN FAL’s, uncertain how to deal with the growing unrest. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Rashid firing a commandeered FN FAL to get the revolutionaries’ attention in front of the prison walls. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Prison guards surrendering to the revolutionary mob, note the FAL bayonet. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A group of border guards with FN FAL’s being photographed by the EDS team. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view of the receiver of the FN FAL as Rashid tries to bribe a border guard into not firing at the EDS team. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Judge Dadgar (Parviz Sayyad ), chasing the EDS team across Iran, commandeers a FN FAL in the final scene. Heckler & Koch G3 In a number of scenes, Iranian government troops can be seen using the Heckler & Koch G3 . As the movie was shot in Mexico, these are probably regular Mexican military staff using their G3 service rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Heckler & Koch G3A3 with wide handguard - 7.62x51mm NATO Error creating thumbnail: File missing Iranian troops (actual Mexican soldiers used as extras) marching down an avenue with their Heckler & Koch G3’s to put down a demonstration. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Iranian troops clashing with protestors, note the wide handguards. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An Iranian soldier is seen slamming a protestor over his right shoulder while at the same time still keeping his G3 in his left hand. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Original period news footage showing the typical location of the G3 bayonet, right above the barrel rather than under it like most other rifles. AKM Most Kurdish fighters carry the AKM as their standard side arm, most notably ‘The Large Kurd’ (Miguel Ángel Fuentes ) who uses it to deadly effect on government troops.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maadi ARM with 30-round Bakelite plastic magazine - 7.62x39mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing ’The Large Kurd’ holding his AKM as he boards the jeep carrying the EDS employees. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An AKM-equipped Kurdish escort team, note that the slant compensator of the front AKM seems to have been turned upside down. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view of the AKM on the back of ‘The Large Kurd’ as he and Lieutenant Colonel Simons exchange farewell greetings. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An AKM on the shoulder of a Kurdish rebel as wounded fighters are recovered from the scene of a gun battle. AK-47 A Kurdish revolutionary (left in below screenshot) can be seen carrying the AK-47 , rather than the AKM carried by almost all of his comrades.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Poly Technologies AK-47 - 7.62x39mm. Error creating thumbnail: File missing XM16E1 Revolutionaries can be seen with what appears to be a XM16E1 Rifle after they have raided weapons stock of a local police station.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing XM16E1 rifle with 20 round magazine - 5.56x45mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A revolutionary waving his XM16E1 after police stocks have been raided and gun fights break out in the streets. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An angry revolutionary crowd, the XM16E1 visible on the right, makes its way to the prison to free prisoners. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A close-up of the front section of a well-worn XM16E1 as revolutionaries breach the doors of the central prison. Machine Guns FN MAG 58 In several scenes, the FN MAG 58 can be seen used by government troops as well as by revolutionaries.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing FN MAG 58 - 7.62x51mm NATO Error creating thumbnail: File missing An FN MAG 58 equipped armoured vehicle, captured by young revolutionaries, driving through the streets of Teheran. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A prison guards firing at revolutionaries with an FN MAG 58 (left). Interestingly, he uses the carrying handle rather than the buttstock to steady the gun. Mendoza M1934 A Mendoza M1934 can be seen at the last checkpoint before the border. This movie was shot in Mexico so the gun’s rather out-of-place appearance is easily explained.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mendoza M1934 Light Machine Gun - 7x57mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Mendoza M1934 mounted on the back of a truck, note the typical ‘duck-foot’ bipod and the absence of a magazine. MG3 One of the pieces of original news footage shows a few revolutionaries carrying a tripod mounted MG3 through the streets of Teheran.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG3 Machine Gun - 7.62x51mm NATO Error creating thumbnail: File missing Shotguns Stevens Model 520 A Stevens Model 520 can be seen in the hands of embassy guards as well as in the weapons assembled by the EDS team at the safe house.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Stevens Model 520 - 12 gauge Error creating thumbnail: File missing A guard, equipped with a short-barreled Stevens Model 520, closes an embassy gate. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Stevens Model 520 (middle) among the weapons gathered for the rescue operation of the EDS staff. Winchester Model 1897 A Winchester Model 1897 with a pistol grip is the side arm of ‘Bull’ Simons, both during the training in the US as well as during the rescue operation in Iran.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester Model 1897 Riot Gun - 12 gauge Error creating thumbnail: File missing ’Bull’ Simons fires his Winchester 1897 to make the team accustomed to the sound of guns shots. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The team departing from the training location, note the good view of the pistol grip on the Winchester 1897. Error creating thumbnail: File missing ’Bull’ Simons checking his Winchester 1897, note the excellent view on the repeating mechanism. Winchester Model 1912 Several embassy guards can be seen with the Winchester Model 1912 defending the location against revolutionaries.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester Model 1912 Riot Gun - 12 Gauge Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Unidentified shotgun An unidentified shotgun can be seen at ‘Bull’ Simon’s house near the fireplace. It is never taken off the wall and may thus be a prop.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Others M20B1 "Super Bazooka" In the days leading up to the actual revolution, a revolutionary is seen firing a M20B1 "Super Bazooka" at a government armoured vehicle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M20B1 "Super Bazooka" - 3.5" rocket Error creating thumbnail: File missing Even though it looks quite impressive, firing a bazooka from a balcony of an apartment probably has some nasty side effects. M1874 bayonet The Kurdish fighter identified as ‘The Large Kurd’ carries an impressive bayonet in his belt. It can be identified as the bayonet for the Gras M80 Model 1874 rifle due to the pointed end of the scabbard, the curved handguard (to allow rifles to stand against eachother) and the wooden/brass grip.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Gras M80 Model 1874 rifle with bayonet – 11×59mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Two images of ‘The Large Kurd’ with the bayonet. Note how especially on the right the bayonet (and the AKM) are dwarfed in comparison to his large body. Unidentified flare gun In original news footage, a revolutionary demonstrator is seen holding an unidentified flare gun against a statue of the disposed Shah.
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