Indiana Jones

Are you aware that Margarethe Trappe appears in an episode of George Lucas's TV series, 'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.'

The series chronicles the adventures of young Indiana Jones (played by Sean Patrick Flanery) before, during, and after World War I.

In the episode, 'Young Indiana Jones and the Phantom Train of Doom,' young Indy is a soldier in British East Africa. He joins the 25th Royal Fusiliers, a real life regiment that was made up of English, American, Scottish, Russian, and South African soldiers, most of whom were too old to fight in the regular army.

Indy joins a group of elderly Fusiliers headed by real-life big game hunter, Captain Frederick Selous (Paul Freeman). In the two-part episode, the Fusiliers have two missions behind German lines in East Africa.

In the first mission, Indy and the Fusiliers must destroy a huge German rail gun that has been inflicting heavy casualties on the British forces in Africa. After locating the train in a hidden underground fortress, Indy and the Fusilers succeed at destroying the gun.

In the second mission, Indy and the Fusiliers try to kidnap the famous German Lt. Col. Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, who commanded Germany's small African force during World War I. On the way to the Colonel's camp, Indy and the Fusiliers encounter young Margarethe Trappe (played by actress Lynsey Baxter).

Unfortunately, Margarethe is serving as a courier and reconnaisance pilot for the Germans. When Indy and the Fusiliers invade the German camp, it is Margarethe who alerts the German soldiers to their presence.

Indy attempts to kidnap von Lettow-Vorbeck using a hot air balloon. However, Margarethe follows in her bi-plane and shoots down the balloon. When the balloon lands, there is a gunpoint standoff between Indy and Margarethe over the Colonel. With the German army approaching, Indy is forced to give up the Colonel and flee. Margarethe takes the von Lettow-Vorbeck in her plane and escapes with him.

The story is probably heavily fictionalized. (Was Margarethe Trappe a pilot in real-life?) But it shows how much research George Lucas puts into his work, to include these historical characters.

'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles' will be released on Region 1 and Region 2 DVD later this fall. I know 'The Phantom Train of Doom' is available on VHS video. I don't know about PAL video.