Monday, April 6, 2009

Farrah Fawcett Advertising Prop in Dodgeville, Wisconsin


While there is much news about actress, Farrah Fawcett these days (click here for the latest) back in 1977 the rising superstar and 1970s icon filmed two Mercury Cougar television commercials using this supersized cargo plane. Today, the plane and Farrah's autograph on the lower fuselage can be seen near Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Soon after the commercials were filmed the plane was bought in bankruptcy from a Long Beach, California company and flown to the now defunct Dodgeville air strip on October 16, 1977. There the plane was towed a few hundred yards and positioned as a roadside attraction to the Don Q Inn hotel. While the autograph can still be seen it remains suspect (see actual signature here vs. the fuselage misspelling version.) The Mercury Cougar logo can be seen on the nose of the aircraft (top photo.)

The Mercury Cougar television commercial below shows glimpses of the aft portion of the plane, fuselage markings and lowered ramp. The second ad featuring the plane and Farrah has yet to surface on the web. Who would have guessed that a Boeing C-97 parked along State Highway 23 in rural Wisconsin would be touched by one of Charlie's Angels? This could only happen in 42N country (latitude 42°58'39N, longitude 090°06'59W) to be precise. Know that.

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