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[Thunda]

So, to our American members, how many of you are going to the new George Lucas film 'Red Tails' this weekend (opens 20th Jan)

Its a remake of the 'Tuskagee Airmen' story. P40's, P51's, B17's, 109's, 190's an' 262's all modelled in the trailer.

Looks pretty spectacular, even though its 90% CGI in the battle scenes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7INVptSxFg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RypVmBm3bCw&feature=endscreen&NR=1

What do you think?

[SAS~Le0ne]

I try to dig out facts about this line, not a single bomber lost....
I have heard this is a myth made by Discovery or History channel, does anytbody know this is a fact. In these times of political correctness it should not be a offence against

[WhamO]

my local theater has an option to spend $25 and buy out all the tickets to a movie showing...i'm seriously considering doing that and taking myself and a large bin of popcorn

[Thunda]

I will look into the truth of that, Le0ne, but either way, the 332nd and the 99th pursuit sqn had very impressive records:

It earned three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) during World War II. The DUCs were for operations at Pantelleria and Tunisia from May 30 – June 11, 1943, Monastery Hill near Cassino from May 12–14, 1944, and for successfully fighting off German jet aircraft on March 24, 1945. The mission was the longest bomber escort mission throughout the war. The 332nd also flew missions in Sicily, Anzio, Normandy, the Rhineland, the Po Valley and Rome-Arno and others. Pilots of the 99th once set a record for destroying five enemy aircraft in less than four minutes.

Individual pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group earned approximately 1000 awards and decorations. Their missions took them to Rome-Arno, Normandy, Rhineland, Romania, Northern and Southern France, and the American Theater Campaigns. The 332nd first saw combat in February 1944. Throughout various engagements over the course of the war, the 332nd was credited with destroying at least: 112 airborne enemy aircraft, 150 aircraft on the ground, over 600 train cars, over 40 barges/boats, and a German Navy destroyer. The destruction of the Navy destroyer was the first such accomplishment of its time.

Taking out a German destroyer with .50cals is pretty amazing.......

[Thunda]

Well, a veteran of the 15th Airforces website claims it to be true:

http://www.frankambrose.com/pages/tusk.html

And so does the American Library of Congress:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm116.html

However, it seems it isnt true, and the 332nd actually lost 25 bombers:

"At least 25 bombers being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen over Europe during World War II were shot down by enemy aircraft, according to a new Air Force report. The report contradicts the legend that the famed black aviators never lost a plane to fire from enemy aircraft. But historian William Holton said the discovery of lost bombers doesn't tarnish the unit's record."

"It's impossible not to lose bombers," said Holton, national historian for Tuskegee Airmen Inc.  The report released March 28, 2007 was based on after-mission reports filed by both the bomber units and Tuskegee fighter groups, as well as missing air crew records and witness testimony, said Daniel Haulman, a historian at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. The tally includes only cases where planes were shot down by enemy aircraft, Haulman said. No one disputed the airmen lost some planes to anti-aircraft guns and other fire from the ground.

The 25 planes were shot down on five days: June 9, July 12, July 18 and July 20, 1944 and March 24, 1945, the Montgomery Advertiser reported"

[Ectoflyer]

Bad CGI flying scenes, made by someone good in 3D animation but who don't care too much of aviation...
If only they had asked to Masaru Tochibayashi (akaTochy Suppon) !!!!!!!
Look an example of his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3LjPZrO5Ho
it's homemade but more realistic than Hollywood wizards' work

By the way, I'll surely watch the movie when it will arrive in my country...aviation films are so rare nowadays

[Thunda]

Yeah, Ecto, his work is amazing, although his choice of music is often somewhat 'suspect'.

See below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Y-KmvVUbQ&list=UUPQ5oqQGRTygyQaDaK4Xlhw&index=5&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOAxoGgfk3E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w1wxxXnKsI&feature=BFa&list=UUPQ5oqQGRTygyQaDaK4Xlhw&lf=plcp

[thefruitbat]

I try to dig out facts about this line, not a single bomber lost....
I have heard this is a myth made by Discovery or History channel, does anytbody know this is a fact. In these times of political correctness it should not be a offence against

from a post over at 1C from a normally very acurate source, don't have the facts for myself, but tend to belive him,

And just for the sake of historical accuracy...

The 99th. lost 25 B17s that they were escorting, they did not have a perfect record in this regard, unlike the mythology that has built up around them.

[Thunda]

According to research released in 2007, that seems to be correct, they lost 25 bombers to enemy aircraft- see above........

[~Ice Eagle~]

Anyone can check here:

http://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2/missing-air-crew-reports.html

Indeed at least 25 bombers lost. Probably more if one digs more. Also, the Gemeinschaft der Jagdflieger is in disaggrement with total number of Luftwaffe fighters lost.

Those bombers in the movie are not 15th A/F as the movie says. 8th A/F it would be (which the tuscany airmen never escorted), no doubt about it. Also, the markings/camo on the German aircraft are completely inaccurate, along with totally unrealistic dogfights with P51 vs ME 262's.

One would think for the budget Lucas spent, he would hire a historian to get a accurate 'look', and it wouldn't cost his annimation team anymore money to get it right in the first place. But todays movie going sheep don't care about historical accuracy.

Really?? :

[Phas3e]

the majority of viewers wont know a 109 from a mustang or wont even have heard of an Me262, we are the 1% who care but arent worth listening to, the yellow markings will be the film makers way to tell the audience who the bad guys are.

No matter how easy it would have been to make accurate paintschemes this is an action movie, people want to see brightly coloured planes blowing up.

[Uzin]

Can the whole movie be d/l anywhere for free, of course?