Cameron Mitchell: The Pilot
Premiering this week in the U.S. is the twelfth episode of Season Nine, 9.12 “Collateral Damage”, and we’ll see more flashbacks into Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell’s past. These flashbacks are brought on through the use of adaptations of the memory recall device used by the Goa’uld and Tok’ra.
Executive producer and writer Joseph Mallozzi has shared a few insights into this story. “Collateral Damage” was written by Mallozzi and production and writing partner Paul Mullie and directed by William Waring. Originally entitled “Remembrance of Things Past”, the story delves into SG-1’s newest member’s past by bringing to the forefront painful memories which shaped his relationship with his father and recap some of his piloting experiences before his fateful crash in Antarctica.
There were two F-16s used by the crew for filming this episode. The F-16C is a single-pilot “Fighting Falcon” aircraft and is currently being used by the famous precision flying group, the Air Force’s own Thunderbirds.
According to Stargate SG-1 military advisor Ron Blecker on his Galaxy of Stars bulletin board, “Fighter pilots sometimes work with many different aircraft during their career and sometimes they stick with just one. I would imagine that F-16 training would prepare someone for flying the F 302.”
When actual aircraft are used in filming, they are accompanied not only by their pilots, but also a ground crew. According to Blecker, “It’s all part of the package.” He added, “Having practical aircraft is always better than CGI in certain circumstances…”
Not only did actor Ben Browder get to sit in the fine aircraft, but he also got to meet and talk with real-life Air Force pilots during the episode’s filming. In a recent interview posted at GateWorld, Browder relates Mitchell’s new team leader status with that of an actual Air Force pilot who also became an established team’s new commander. Browder said, “New leaders are brought in routinely into units from one place to the next. The guy who is commanding the Thunderbirds, when I arrived there, had not been commanding the Thunderbirds before. He was brought in to command the Thunderbirds. And this is what the military does. They bring people in to these positions. This is the way things lay out.”
Tune into the SciFi channel at 8pm Eastern this Friday, January 13, for the premiere of “Collateral Damage” to see Mitchell and his F-16 in action.