From concept sketchs to...reality

Concept Art of  "Back To The Future II" by Tim Flaterry

In 1989 Universal Studios commissionned designer Tim Flaterry to visualize concept vehicles for Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to visualize the products and technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At the very begining.....

From the sketches to the reality

In 1989 BTTF designers and engineers bring life to differents  vehicles sketches.Tim Flaterry works on the concept, while a dedicated team in ILM works on the miniature, and another one works on 2 real models for Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

Building the body

All day long on the garage

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At this step, the  real  125 Ninja was all foam covered, and  2 elements were made to be complementary each others: The body and the nose.

Next step: Paint 

It's alive

Building Stage

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At this step, the   last foam details were added and the body could appears in 2 parts. Each of this part is painted in the same color that the Hill Valley police car. It is a mix of whites zones and blue/green zones 

Next step: Added some decals

A flying motorcycle

From BTTF part II

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At this step, all of the sketches and particularly thoses of Tim Flaterry were used to make decals in an appropriate way to respect the 2015 Hill Valley police Brand 

Next step: Going to the set

The ILM Miniature model

ILM Headquarters

In 1989 inside the ILM basement for the production of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At this step, in the ILM Headquarters, some engineers were working on a 1/8 miniature flying motorcycle. It his one block made, with all details from the real scale one, to respect all  cameras angles and views

Next step: Let's shoot on the set

On the set in 1989

From BTTF and BTTF part II

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

Here you could find some rare pics from the stage which show this beautiful vehicle

Next step: Archived pictures

Archives photos 

From BTTF part II

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

Those were the main set of pics which were used by Mitch to  start the lite retoration on the last survivor.

The idea was to  restore it  just with a lite touch, to keep it  real used conditions  for  keeping this beauty with the age it has.

Those headlights were custom made by a plastics company that is LONG out of business and can not be reproduced. No replicas bike have those headlights. Mitch put the original headlights   

Storage in Universal Backlot

From BTTF part II

In 1989 inside the studios of Back To The Future II, the second installment of the hit film trilogy starring Michael J. Fox as the adventurous time-travelling Marty Mc Fly. 

The challenge was to  bring life to a flying motorcycle flying car, onboarding all technologies that would characterize flying vehicles 25 years in the future, in the year 2015.

At this step, the  real  125 Ninja was all foam covered, and  2 elements were made to be complementary each others: The body and the nose.

Next step: Paint 

Rare pics of the 2sd model 

From BTTF part II

This second model was damaged

It was being transported from Universal to Jay's shop in Hollywood and the bikewas only secured  to the flatbed with one strap on each handlebar. One of those straps snapped and the bike was DRAGGED down the 405 freeway.

It was then fully restored

Creating the miniature scale model 

From BTTF part II

The idea was to fully recreate the motorcycle in 3D and to create the 1/43 miniature to fit Mitch's dioramas.

Some unique display will be soon created by Mitch in limited edition to raise money to help Michael J. Fox Foundation to fight against Parkinson's disease

Hill Valley Police

To join the motorcycle bike  and make a good display, Mitch acquire also some Hill valley police uniformes.

Those ones used for charity during the 2015 BTTF event in Los angeles and Las Vegas