Red Tails spoiler

Did they use P-39s in training? That line about Davis squeezing into a P-39 got me confused.

Eh, sorry, ain't buying it all.

The Red Tails briefly used the P-39, but I do not know at what point in their history.

Just like other "based on actual events films/miniseries", as the guy who was one of them said the things shown in the movie happened, just not always in the manner depicted. But they happened. Not one fact based war movie stuck 100% to the historical facts or source it was based upon.

Parade

Q.  I recently saw red Tails and would like to know where the P-51 planes were procured.
— Clifford Harlic, Ocala, Fla.

A.  Three original WWII-era planes were found at Britain’s Shoot Aviation and were used for aerial shots; additional aircraft were added digitally,  Three other planes were mocked up for scenes on the ground.  The actors never went up in the air—they were filmed in custom-built cockpits.
— Walter Scott

stikpusher

The Red Tails briefly used the P-39, but I do not know at what point in their history.

 

Pretty much the entire USAAF fighter community used P-39s in stateside operational training units, which was the next stop after you finished Advanced Flight Training with AT-6s and "got your wings", and your final leg of the "schoolhouse". This is where you "married up" with your new CO...   Next stop, overseas deployment, transition to whatever aircraft the Army assigned your unit, and combat...

True, but IIRC, they flew combat in P-39s for a brief period in the MTO as well.

I had the honor and pleasure of knowing and conversing with Capt. Chs. McGee, one of the Tuskegee Airmen. Movies are movies, and Hollywood takes artistic license with the facts. I'll see the movie and take it for what it is, a movie and not a documentary. The unfortunate thing is the "media" and the incorrect information that is being pumped out as if it was gospel. The Units DID lose bombers and the units DID NOT fly 1500 missions. Maybe they flew 1500 sortees, but not 1500 missions. These units ARE legendary and DO NOT need the "press" to exagerate their feats.  Hollywood I can excuse and take it for what it is worth. So called journalist who do not get the facts straight, especially when the facts are a matter of public record, cannot be forgiven nor tolerated. :Perhaps their work should be published on yellow paper. 

Red Tails DVD & Blu-Ray will be released 22 May.

Gonna wait.. Somebody I know will buy it, then I can borrow it, lol..

I watch it for free on Project-free-TV, lots of movies and TV shows for free.

 I did not like the bad acting and weak story line, so I started skipping to the fighting parts and just watches those.

I started skipping to the fighting parts and just watches those.

Heh.. That's what I do with Flyboys (and "Pearl-Necklace Harbor"), Memphis Belle, and the like....

Just watched this movie on Blu-ray. I really liked the flight scences inside and outside the aircraft, There were several scenes where I paused the video just to look at the background items, like jeeps, trucks, barracks, etc. One interesting scene was where a bombers wing is blown apart and a engine pod and its propeller is flying around on its own kinda like a little helicopter.

The movie seemed to suggest that it was common for fighter pilots flying escort for the bombers to abandon them and go chasing after German fighter planes just to score points! Did this really happen?

If it did happen why weren't they court martialed? Seems to me that would be dereliction of duty. I can't an infantry or tank unit running off to fight their own little war instead of taking part in an assault on a target with the rest of their unit.

Another thing. How the heck did they avoid running into each other or shooting up their own planes?

What that story needed was a Band Of Brothers, or The Pacific type mini series. It would make a great show.

One interesting scene was where a bombers wing is blown apart and a engine pod and its propeller is flying around on its own kinda like a little helicopter.

That was a re-make of an actual B-17 shoot-down.. It's been shown on the Military Channel, History Channel, YouTube, and a couple times in the TV show, 12 O'clock High...

Always in slow-motion too.. 

Watched it myself last night.. Hated the story-line...  Loved the air-to-air eye-candy, but it was probably the worst war movie script I ever heard...  Plus, they never showed how tough the B-17 actually was, just that one pass from a BF109 resulted in a kill...

And when "Lightning" took a basket-full of 30mm from the Me262 in a head-to-head attack (shakes head, sadly).. He shoulda been vaporized in the cockpit...

Can't believe I'm saying this, but the TV movie Tuskeegee Airmen was better, story-wise..

Hans von Hammer

And when "Lightning" took a basket-full of 30mm from the Me262 in a head-to-head attack (shakes head, sadly).. He shoulda been vaporized in the cockpit...

You know, I'd be willing to accept that it wasn't the 30mm shells hitting him, but shrapnel from everything forward of the cockpit being ripped to shreds.

BUT the P-51 stayed in the air for like five more minutes! WTF? I'm willing to suspend a lot of disbelief (hey - I dug the hell out of Battleship), but that was just stupid.

I'm with ya.. P-51s and B-17s were dropping like flies from single bursts of the 30mm, which ripped wings and engine off the bombers every time, but our "hero" was able to keep flying long enough to guive his monologue, then die in the cockpit while the camera followed him all the way down.. Heh.. Even the engine lept running.. (No, it wasn't wasn't wind-milling, there was still power from the Packard-Rolls, which shoulda been just so much junk out front..)

Pure WW2-era war-movie stuff..   Which is where I expect it, not in a movie made in the 21st century..

Hans von Hammer

 Plus, they never showed how tough the B-17 actually was, just that one pass from a BF109 resulted in a kill...

And when "Lightning" took a basket-full of 30mm from the Me262 in a head-to-head attack (shakes head, sadly).. He shoulda been vaporized in the cockpit...

Can't believe I'm saying this, but the TV movie Tuskeegee Airmen was better, story-wise..

 

I received the DVD for Fathers Day and watched it this past weekend finally. The eye candy was quite nice and the integration of CGI models to real aircraft (I think they used a few ) was very nicely done. But yes, HBO did a far better job at the historical story/script.  But Lucas's money showed in the scope, flash, and movie bling. The script was more in line with old John Wayne aerial movies such as Flying Tigers or Flying Leathernecks or even In Harms Way, than in the current generation of "gritty" war movies. But between the two they do give a good, if flawed overview of their story. Now which Tuskeegee plane to build for my collection? Col Davis' mount? Lee Archer's pony? Or the destroyer killer P-47....

It's funny, movies that I have low or no expectations for are often pleasantly suprising, while movies that I know the subject or story and eagerly anticipate are a letdown... ah well... Not a bad addition to the DVD library.

Now which Tuskeegee plane to build for my collection? Col Davis' mount? Lee Archer's pony? Or the destroyer killer P-47....

Ain't gonna do a Red Tail, but I'm really considering doing "Prettyboy's" Yellow-nosed Bf109 and Me262... 

The script was more in line with old John Wayne aerial movies such as Flying Tigers or Flying Leathernecks or even In Harms Way, than in the current generation of "gritty" war movies.

Bingo! That's exactly what I was trying to say... It WAS a "John Wayne movie"...  With too many sub-plots..

I received the DVD...

Is their a bonus section, a the "behind the scenes" or "The Making Of..." kinda things? And a commentary option?

But Lucas's money showed in the scope, flash, and movie bling.

Yupper.. Just change the aircraft to Y-Wings with X-wing escorts, and attacking TIE fighters..

Now how can you as a red blooded American child of the Cold War era not like a John Wayne movie? Even if there was no Duke in it

and yes, Pretty Boy's 109 or 262 would be a cool fictitious build.

"Sir, them Fokkers were Messerchmitts"

Sort of like the bad guys' Fokker Tripe in Flyboys

or Casey Jones F-84F/MiG in The Hunters (another movie of this catagory).

No those guys aren't real, but they are fun movies to watch. And would make some cool models that the Hexperten cant pick apart too badly at club meetings or contests.

The DVD does have a bonus featurette of "Double Victory", interviews with the Real Tuskeegee Airmen. I have not watched that part yet. If there is a collectors edition DVD like the one I have for Battle of Britain, that is not the one I received. No commentary on this one either. I think they were being frugal on my gift No worries, I had just wanted to see it.

But yes it was definitly Lucas visual handiwork... How would Chewie and Han look in the cokpit of a B-17?

Now if we can get Hollywood to do a WWII (or Korea or Vietnam) air war movie along the lines of Private Ryan, Blakhawk Down, or We Were Soldiers... no un neccesary subplots just the main story. Or the HBO/Hanks/Spielberg team to do another 10 hour series for the air side...

Now how can you as a red blooded American child of the Cold War era not like a John Wayne movie?

*GASP*  No, No, No, i never said that....  That would get my dog-tags separated for sure.. 

Now if we can get Hollywood to do a WWII (or Korea or Vietnam) air war movie along the lines of Private Ryan, Blakhawk Down, or We Were Soldiers... no un neccesary subplots just the main story. Or the HBO/Hanks/Spielberg team to do another 10 hour series for the air side...

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about...

Could you dig The Flying Tigers or The Hunters re-made with today's CGI (and a little scrip[t-tweaking)?  Man, if I only had the money to remake some of the classics..  Kinda like the idea, it's like I do with Monogram kits.. Remake the classics..

Hans von Hammer

 

Now how can you as a red blooded American child of the Cold War era not like a John Wayne movie?

 

*GASP*  No, No, No, i never said that....  That would get my dog-tags separated for sure.. 

 

 

Now if we can get Hollywood to do a WWII (or Korea or Vietnam) air war movie along the lines of Private Ryan, Blakhawk Down, or We Were Soldiers... no un neccesary subplots just the main story. Or the HBO/Hanks/Spielberg team to do another 10 hour series for the air side...

 

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about...

Could you dig The Flying Tigers or The Hunters re-made with today's CGI (and a little scrip[t-tweaking)?  Man, if I only had the money to remake some of the classics..  Kinda like the idea, it's like I do with Monogram kits.. Remake the classics..

Well I know Peter Jackson's been making rumbling about doing Dambusters or a WWI aerial movie for awhile now. Perhaps after the Hobbit...

As for a miniseries, I think the 8th Air Force would be PERFECT material. Follow one bomber group, one fighter group, and a few personalities within each. 

Hans von Hammer

Could you dig The Flying Tigers or The Hunters re-made with today's CGI (and a little scrip[t-tweaking)?  Man, if I only had the money to remake some of the classics..  Kinda like the idea, it's like I do with Monogram kits.. Remake the classics..

Yes I could... and for The Hunters, real Migs could be had for a dime a dozen these days in Eastern Euope for the ground scenes. There were rumors online that Peter Jackson was going to remake The Dambusters. But those seem to have faded. A great aviation movie that only needs a little tweaking to the script. And no bloody romantic subplot to worry about.  Mr Jackson's CGI biplanes (Helldivers?) in the ending of King Kong were gorgeous! Thats the part I wanted to see and it did not disappoint. Make it look like a real event not a video game trying to fill the sky in every possible place...

Well I know Peter Jackson's been making rumbling about doing Dambusters or a WWI aerial movie for awhile now.

Heh.. Probably doesn't wanna make it because of Gibson's dog's name..

Hans von Hammer

Well I know Peter Jackson's been making rumbling about doing Dambusters or a WWI aerial movie for awhile now.

Heh.. Probably doesn't wanna make it because of Gibson's dog's name..

and to think that Alan Parker lifted those scenes directly and put them into The Wall... History can be blunt...

Hans von Hammer

Well I know Peter Jackson's been making rumbling about doing Dambusters or a WWI aerial movie for awhile now.

Heh.. Probably doesn't wanna make it because of Gibson's dog's name..

The PC police have already had a shot at that. The dog's name in the remake will be "Digger" Never mind historical accuracy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002027/Dambusters-dog-renamed-Digger-remake-iconic-film.html

The FNG interjects:

On another forum (dedicated to virtual aerial combat  ) we discussed the possibility of taking old movies and redoing some of the combat scenes, adding new content. (Hey! They did it for Star Trek!)  Perhaps a bit beyond the ability of average Sim Pilots today (but not by much!).  Computer gaming CGI is advancing quite rapidly.

I suggested we take "Fighter Squadron" and get rid of those P-51s painted as German fighters!

Well the fact that a script is being written for Dambusters is a positive sign! Too bad the interference...

I would love to see an HBO mini-series along the lines of Band of Brothers or The Pacific done about WWII aviation.  Lots of possibilities . . . . Flying Tigers, Battle of Britain, 8th Air Force, Cactus Air Force, Naval Aviation in the Pacific, etc.

IIRC, wern't there rumors originally that one of the main characters in "The Pacific" that they were going to follow was a naval aviator?  Seems like I read that somewhere then was disappointed when I watched it and never saw that side of the war. :(

That must have been a wishful thinking/speculative rumor about The Pacific. The word from HBO and other sources was that is was going to be based primarily off the Sledge and Leicke books, with additional stuff to include Basilone's story.

I picked up the DVD at BJ`s Wholesale store for $15.  I liked it...had to sit thru "Why  we fight" twice `cause I couldn`t find the remote for my DVD player. Also...don`t know if it`s just me or my equipment but the planes all looked kinda `stubby` to me...prolly the aspect ratio on my TV was set wrong. This movie is a lot better than the first "Tuskegee Airmen"...just couldn`t buy "Theo" flying an airplane....