It's a Bird, It's a Plane

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Gilligan! is the 95th episode of Gilligan's Island and the 27th episode of the Third Season. It aired on March 27, 1967.

Synopsis
The US Navy loses an experimental jet pack at sea that washes up on the island, and after Gilligan reels it in while fishing, the Professor sees it as hope of getting rescued from the island. Unfortunately, the others can't keep their hands off it. Mr. Howell plots to get Gilligan to wear it, but his wife ruins his scheme. Ginger and Mary Ann likewise try to trick Gilligan into flying it to get them rescued, but they're discovered by the Skipper and Professor. The Professor sees no reason to have anyone fly it; he'll just set the pack off with a dummy in it on an azimuth with Hawaii, but while rigging the dummy for the jet pack, Gilligan accidently activates the pack and expends much of its fuel through the jungle and lagoon. Only enough fuel is left for a 15-minute flight. This means testing to see who among them would be best to fly it for help. That person ironically turns out to be Gilligan. The Professor's plan is to have him shoot straight up over the island to alert the Navy looking for the pack off shore, but Gilligan gets scared and crashes back to the island after causing it to rain. After it stops raining, the Professor somehow manages to synthesize a substitute fuel for the pack, but before he can explain his plan to the Skipper, Gilligan takes the pack to try once more going for help to make up for his blunder, but this time, he forgets to strap himself in and it blasts off without him into the sky.

Cast
Main Cast
 * Bob Denver as Gilligan
 * Alan Hale Jr. as The Skipper
 * Jim Backus as Mr. Howell
 * Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell
 * Tina Louise as Ginger
 * Dawn Wells as Mary Ann
 * Russell Johnson as The Professor

Guest Cast
 * Frank Maxwell as the General
 * Edward Falkner as the Colonel
 * Walt Hazzard as the Lieutenant
 * Chick Hearn as the Radio Announcer

Trivia

 * Syndicated versions of the episode delete the tag scene where Gilligan lets the jet pack fly off without him.
 * XJP stands for Experimental Jet Pack
 * When Gilligan flies over the Island, he is seen observed flying over pine trees that would not be seen on an tropical South Pacific island. These scenes were reportedly shot over Griffith State Park near Los Angeles, California.
 * When Gilligan in the jet pack is seen by the US Navy over the island, the location is reported as about 250 miles south of Hawaii.
 * In the exterior location shot with the Castaways watching Gilligan flying in the jet pack, Mary Ann goes without her signature pig tails.
 * Technically, the pack should have crashed back down to the island or washed back up on shore after a while.

Quotes

 * Professor - "I think it's one of my most brilliant plans. There's just one problem." Skipper - "What's that?" Gilligan - "If it will work."


 * Mrs. Howell - "Oh, Professor, it's absolutely wonderful having you with us. You're absolutely marvelous." Mr. Howell - "If you were Republican, you'd be perfect!"