I agree.

I don’t know how this one was missed before...

Heartbreak Ridge

classic Clint!

Two films from 1954:

"The Men of The Fighting Lady" with Van Johnson. Lots of Korean War aircraft operations aboard the Oriskany. I think some aerial scenes were borrowed from the film  "The Bridges at Toko-Ri". 

"Beachhead" with Tony Curtiss and Mary Murphy. Four Marines land on a Japanese held island to conduct a rescue mission of some civilians.

Well;

 Let's see . To start , The Guns of navarrone "

 I Know somewhat fanciful but I liked it .  "In Harms Way " Who can say D.D. s and D.E s didn't mix it up With the bad guys ? Also ," Band Of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan " .

 End with The Cruel Sea . For all around good action , For me at least " Apocalypse Now "

 Mustn't forget , The acclaimed anti - war film " Das Boot " Showing the futility of it all .

 I seem to remember the " Bridge on the River Kwai " Too . Built a model of the bridge out of toothpicks and skewers after I saw that one . Oh Shoot , Forgot " Midway "

Just realized I never thanked you all for responding to my thread.  Didn't think it would be this lively.  Really great list of movies, so thanks to you all.

Now I want to go back through this thread and start compiling a list.  Lots of really good stuff I had never even heard of, so thanks again.

Great list of films.  Now I have some watching to do.  I would like to add a couple of great German-produced films:

Downfall (2004)  Hitler's final days in the bunker

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days  (2005)  No war action, but very chilling depiction of Nazi "justice" regarding disenting students.

Cheers, Mark

A couple good ones involving the SAS:

Bravo Two Zero

The Final Option

a few good CIA type:

Argo

Charlie Wilson’s War

Spy Games

The Good Shepherd

some SEAL shoot ‘em ups:

Navy SEALs

Tears of the Sun

Not really a combat movie but a Sci-Fi "what if" flick, "The Final Countdown". Could you just imagine if the Nimitiz' air group would have attacked the Japanese fleet that morning of Dec. 7th 1941? It would have been like shooting fish in a barrel.

The attack force launched two Jake floatplanes, one each from the cruisers Tone and Chikuma. One went to Maui to confirm that the fleet wasn't in the Lahaina Roads, the other flew over PH for what was really a weather report.

I always wondered what would have happened if the Strike Force didn't make it back to the carrier before it returned to the future.

Retired In Kalifornia

 

 

plasticjunkie

Not really a combat movie but a Sci-Fi "what if" flick, "The Final Countdown". Could you just imagine if the Nimitiz' air group would have attacked the Japanese fleet that morning of Dec. 7th 1941? It would have been like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

 

Movie didn't address issue of Zero pilots signaling back to their carriers about the F-14s; did the Japanese even send out scouting Zeros before the Pearl Harbor attack?

How did the S2 Tracker go completely unnoticed over Pearl Harbor before the attack? The Wright R-1820-82WA radial engine resonances surely would had been heard as not being like anything in the current Army/Navy inventory; more advanced than 1820s then in service yes but different sounding am sure.

Why just one photo of Battleship Row taken from the S2 shown in the movie, a Japanese one of the attack too-boot? I'd think they'd be a whole series to show off; movie budget issues surely.

Could the IJN Aviator brandishing the grabbed M-16 begin firing with no knowlege how this weapon behaves when rapidly fired? The safety wasn't on, maybe it should had been?

Entertaining movie nevertheless; always game for Pearl Harbor "What If" video where there's positive warning in time for immediate return fire when the attack began.

 

 No S-2 went to Pearl Harbor in the movie. The Nimitz never carried them. She did have S-3s, which are shown in several scenes. An E-2 was launched and later tasked to shadow the Japanese task force. Those are turbo prop aircraft, much quieter than radial piston engines of the S-2. Now the RF-8 photo recon run over Pearl may have attracted some attention, depending upon flight profile and visibility conditions...

The radios in Zeros were notoriously poor and unreliable. They could barely talk with one another aloft within eyesight of one another. Let alone reach back to their ship over the horizon. Zero pilots usually communicated to one another by hand signals, flares, and aircraft movements. The radios were often removed as a weight saving measure.

Yes the RF-8 would have been a thing...

The J57 made a lot of noise.

Retired In Kalifornia

 

plasticjunkie

Not really a combat movie but a Sci-Fi "what if" flick, "The Final Countdown". Could you just imagine if the Nimitiz' air group would have attacked the Japanese fleet that morning of Dec. 7th 1941? It would have been like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

 

Movie didn't address issue of Zero pilots signaling back to their carriers about the F-14s; did the Japanese even send out scouting Zeros before the Pearl Harbor attack?

How did the S2 Tracker go completely unnoticed over Pearl Harbor before the attack? The Wright R-1820-82WA radial engine resonances surely would had been heard as not being like anything in the current Army/Navy inventory; more advanced than 1820s then in service yes but different sounding am sure.

Why just one photo of Battleship Row taken from the S2 shown in the movie, a Japanese one of the attack too-boot? I'd think they'd be a whole series to show off; movie budget issues surely.

Could the IJN Aviator brandishing the grabbed M-16 begin firing with no knowlege how this weapon behaves when rapidly fired? The safety wasn't on, maybe it should had been?

Entertaining movie nevertheless; always game for Pearl Harbor "What If" video where there's positive warning in time for immediate return fire when the attack began.

 

Most if not all movies have their goofs if you really analize it carefully. All good points specially about the E2. Just pure entertainment.

GMorrison

 

I always wondered what would have happened if the Strike Force didn't make it back to the carrier before it returned to the future.

 

Well, had they stayed in 1941, the pilots would have been useful for their knowledge. But the aircraft would have been curiosities at best. No spare parts or personnel with the knowledge to maintain them. The aviators just fly them, they don’t fix ‘em. Without the Nimitz they are pretty much a one shot deal. 

And in reality they would have had to split into two strike groups and not stay grouped together.

The A-6 and S-3 would have to go after the carriers as they have no air to air capability. The A-7s could do limited air to air with their gun and Sidewinders, so they could escort the Intruders and Vikings against Kido Butai. So four squadrons max in that group: 12 Intruders, 12 Vikings, and 24 Corsairs. And all with mostly dumb bombs and unguided rockets. No air launched anti ship missiles (Harpoon or Tomahawk) in service yet. The Bullpup had been phased out in 1970. Shrikes and Standard ARMs have no radar to home in on. At best possibly some of the early TV guided Mavericks and Walleye glide bombs. Not sure how those would do against a  maneuvering ship at sea. Those depended upon good contrast in B&W for the seeker head to lock in on. Imaging infra red seeker heads for those were not yet fielded in 1980.

All that is left is the two Tomcat squadrons to stop the Japanese first wave. But even with just the first wave to deal with, nearly 180 aircraft, two squadrons of Tomcats, 24 total, would have to take care to dispose of them all. 8 missiles per Tomcat (4 x Phoenix, 2 x Sparrow, 2 x Sidewinder) would likely run out and guns would be used. In actual combat, those missiles have only been    around at best 30% effective. Even doubling that percentage to account for the “easier” targets, still does not give great numbers... 

yes this sort of useful knowledge serves me so well in everyday life nowadays...

That was awesome

Without fuel and weapons they are just beautiful displays.   Or does it create the Terminator paradox.

keavdog

That was awesome

Without fuel and weapons they are just beautiful displays.   Or does it create the Terminator paradox.

 

LOL! Thanks. Things to ponder...

Leaving the seeds of future technologies and speeding up their development thru reverse engineering? Certainly. But the technology will still take years to develop. Not to mention the materials for solid state electronics and the metallurgy for jet engines.  

And the rest of the initial Japanese blitz across the pacific will still happen.  Malaya/Singapore, Hong Kong, Burma, The Phillipines, Guam, and Wake will still be attacked within the next 24 hours. With the US Pacific Fleet back in the equation, the only battles that can potentially be effected are Wake and the Phillipines. If Kido Butai is destroyed, and the Pacific Fleet battle line intact, this produces essential parity of naval forces between Japan and the US in December 1941. Wake almost certainly could be saved, but the Phillipines? The Navy could likely fight thru, but there are no real reinforcements to send for the ground and air battle. And they would be exposed to land based Japanese air power from the Marshall Islands on West.

That is one very interesting view stik. I never stopped and thought about logistics, re supply and the disparity in weapons delivery on WWII era targets.

I'm pretty certain that plain iron bombs would had a more accurate score ratio as compared to the old WWII delivery techniques but still, one huge task for a single carrier to carry against the Japanese Empire but enough to give them more than a bloody nose.

All very interesting "what if" scenarios. Reminds me of one Twilight Zone episode called "The 7th is Made up of Phantoms" where an M3 National Guard crew somehow go back in time to the Custer Massacre. The tank was disabled but they went into the battle with their 1911s and M1 Carbines. Won't say the ending for those that haven't seen the episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bffMqIVioY

LOL, fascinating guys! 

Frankly, when a black hole came so close to Earth to brush the Nimitz without ripping the world into a zillion tiny fragments with it's gravitional tidal effects not to mention sinking the carrier with the worst storm in history I kinda put reality on hold.   

By the same token I'll mention the 'The Philadelphia Experiment'. Based on the urban legend it's sorta in the same vein but with a less over-the-top method of time travel.  

Hi folks,

I have to vote for "Stalag 17", "Toward the Unknown" and "Strategic Air Command".  I knew three guys ( 2 fathers of friends and my father-in-law) who were actually in a Luftstalg (sp ?)  and saw a B-36 in the air as a kid.  In both "Toward the Unknown" and "Strategic Air Command" the inflight photography is great.  These are sort of "comfort movies" on a cold winters day in retirement.

Have fun!