 In April 2000, filming began on the Michael Bay film Pearl Harbor. Before the filming, the cast and crew gathered on the USS Arizona memorial for a wreath-laying by a representative of Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer and Bay. The producers brought fifteen vintage planes to Ford Island, placing them in one hangar for the filming. In addition, they brought fifteen ships back to Pearl Harbor for live bombardment (without sinking them). The operations room of the control tower was converted into a barracks for the filming. The Pacific Aviation Museum hoped that the film would increase public awareness of the tower and spur support for its restoration. Bay reflected on the historic significance of Ford Island: "I have a vivid memory of showing the crew around Ford Island during pre-production. We came upon a plaque directly across from the sunken Arizona, marking the spot where a torpedo hit nearly six decades ago. My crew stood in silence for three minutes at the sight of this small monument. It was a solemn moment for all of us, and I think it helped the crew appreciate the undertaking were [sic] about to begin." During filming, a Vultee BT-13 Valiant used as a torpedo bomber crashed on the island.
