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!

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.  

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

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 was awesome

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

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...

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.

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.

 

 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 "

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.

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

Heartbreak Ridge

classic Clint!

I agree.

seastallion53

Ken Burns, The civil war

 

Speaking of Ken Burns, I thought his recent Vietnam series was great too.

yea just looking through my dvd's it seemed ok good flight scenes.

X-15

gung ho

fighter squadron

the D I

 beach red

flat top

wing and a prayer

The red badge of Courage 

Ken Burns, The civil war

The Devils Brigade

Merrill’s Marauders

The Green Berets

I have always liked. Battleground and Thirty seconds over Tokyo.  Can't forget The Flying Missfits either!

Another for the list "Bat 21".

with Gene Hackman and Danny Glober and based on a true story.

The Monuments men

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Heven Knows Mr. Allison

The Tanks Are Comming

Silent Night (Christmas Movie)

Andersonville Trial

The Man Who Never Was

Thanks for putting this together. Helpful.

Okay - we're up to 183!

1941
13 Hours
30 Seconds Over Tokyo
633 Squadron
A Bridge Too Far
A Walk In The Sun
A Yank In The R.A.F.
Acts of Valor
Admiral
Air Force
Alexander the Great
All Quiet On The Western Front
American Guerilla in the Philippines
Andersonville
Apocalypse Now
Away All Boats
Back to Bataan
Band of Brothers
Battle of Britain
Battle of Sutjeska
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the River Plate
Battle On Bloody Beach
Battle Stations
Battleground
Behind Enemy Lines
Bitter Victory
Blackhawk Down
Boys Of Co C
Breakthrough
Bridge On The River Kwai
Bridge Too Far
Captains of the Clouds
Casablance
Catch 22
Cleopatra
Crash Dive
Cross of Iron
Dark Blue World
Das Boot
Dawn's Early Light
Defiance
Destination Gobi
Dive Bomber
Doctor Zhivago
Dr. Strangelove
Dresden
Dunkirk
Empire of the Sun
Enemy at the Gates
Fall Of The Roman Empire
Farewell to the King
Final Countdown
Flight of the Intruder
Flying Leathernecks
Force 10 From Navarone
From Here to Eternity
Full Metal Jacket
Fury
Gallopili
Generation Kill
Generation War
Gettysburg
Gibson’s own dog
Go For Broke
Go tell the Spartans
God is my Copilot
Great Escape
Hacksaw Ridge
Halls Of Montezuma
Hamburger Hill
Henry 5
Hiroshima
Hornblower Series
Hunde, Wollt Ihr Ewig Leben
Ice Station Zebra
In Harm's Way
Island in the Sky
Kelly's Heros
King Of The Kyber Rifles
Kingdom of Heaven
Last Of The Mohicans
Letters from Iwo
Lone Survivor
Longest Day
macarthur
Massacre in Rome
Master and Commander
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Midnight Clear
Midway
Mr Roberts
No Highway in the Sky
Objective Burma
Operation Burma
Operation Pacific
Operation Petticoat     
Paths of Glory     
Patton
Platoon
Pork Chop Hill
PT-109
Raid on Rommel
Railroad Tigers
Rambo
Report From the Aleutians
Rome
Run Silent Run Deep
Sahara
Sands of Iwo Jima
Saving Private Ryan
Seven Days In May
Sgt York
Shaka Zulu
Sharpe Series
Sink the Bismark
Sir Peter Robert Jackson ONZ KNZM
Stalag 17
Stalingrad
Strategic Air Command
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
Tears of the Sun
The Alamo-2004
The Battle of Britain
The Beast
The Bedford Incident
The Big Red One
The Blue Max
The Bounty
The Bridges at Toko Ri
The Burmese Harp
The Caine Mutiny
The Crossing
The Cruel Sea
The Dam Busters
The Dawn Patrol
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel
The Desert Rats
The Dirty Dozen
The Eagle Has Landed
The Enemy Below
The Eternal Zero
The Flowers of War
The Great Escape
The Great Raid
The Great Raid
The Great War
The Guns of Navarone
The Hunley       
The Hunt for Red October
The Hunters
The Lighthorsemen
The Longest Day
The Lost Batallion
The Man Who Would be King
The Pacific
The Patriot
The Raid
The Sand Pebbles
The Siege of firebase gloria
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Thin Red Line
The Train
The Wild Geese
The Wind and The Lion
The Winter War
They Were Expendable
Thirteen Days
To Hell And Back
Too Late the Hero
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Twelve O'Clock High
Unbroken
Valkyrie
We’re Soldiers Once
What Did You Do In The War Daddy?
When Trumpets Play
Where Eagles Dare
White Tiger
Windtalkers
Wings
Zulu
Zulu Dawn