Flying Missile Movie

"The Flying Missile"

USS Cusk's accomplishments spawn a Hollywood movie starring Glenn Ford and Viveca Lindfors

This movie was made about the USS Cusk albeit a fictional drama based the early experiments and eventual development of a missile submarine. Ford plays the fictitious Commander Talbot, a dedicated but renegade submarine captain who was determined to show that missiles could be launched from submarines. Contrary to historical fact, the movie portrays the launch system as having been secretly built without the U. S Navy's knowledge or support. In the movie, tragic accident occurs and the guilt-ridden Commander Talbot is stricken with hysterical paralysis. But all comes out well as the missile launch is a success and Commander Talbot recovers from his paralysis. He is lauded a hero by all drives off into the sunset with his girl. The "Flying Missile" uses actual film footage from some of the Cusk's early missile launches, as well as launches from the USS Tunny (SS-282) and the USS Carbonero (SS-337).

Click on any image to see its full size

Articles, posters and publicity pictures from the movie

Article about "The Flying Missile" movie

published in the "Martin Star", 1950

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Newspaper article about the Cusk movie "The Flying Missile"

(Article courtesy of Tom Roseland)

CDR Talbot discusses the missile with some of his crew

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Getting a report on the missile launch success

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

CDR Talbot's wife comforts her husband

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Glenn Ford posing in front of a Loon Missile

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Recovering in the hospital from the missile explosion

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Not really the Cusk's bow planes, but reasonably similar

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Publicity photo from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Movie Poster from "The Flying Missile"

(Picture courtesy of Tom Roseland)

If you have any information, pictures, history, or crewmember names/information from the Cusk in 1950 (or any year), please contact the Cusk Webmaster. Thanks!

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This page was last updated: 01/11/19