# Ploesti--The Movie: Help Needed



## billbradle (Dec 21, 2010)

Dear Warbird members,

My name is Bill Bradle, and I am a published history writer (Goliad: The Other Alamo). 

I am trying to get a film put together that tells the story of the heroism and valor of the B24 crews that bombed Ploesti in August, 1943. The title is Tidal Wave: The Ploesti Raid.

We are all aware of the details of the raid but the world is not; the action is largely forgotten. And action there is from the Dambusters to the crew landing on the estate of the Romanian princess and everything in between. 

In writing the script I tried to combine the action of Saving Private Ryan, the planning and teamwork of The Dirty Dozen, and the pathos of Gallipoli. The script follows three planes and their crews—Kane, Baker and Lt. Longnecker.

Innovative director Robert Child is attached to direct. Go to http://www.robchild.net/ to see his work, including Wereth 11 and USS Franklin---Honor Restored. Rob is a dedicated, pragmatic director who can get it done. Take a look at the Wereth 11 and you will see how he uses computer graphics and single props to make quality material at low budget prices.

With the current Hollywood mindset getting a picture made that is long on heroism and courage is itself a very long shot. Rob was able to get the script in to Dale Dye, actor, director, and Stephen Spielberg’s military advisor and we are waiting to hear. 

In the meantime, we are exploring all other options and I thought I would throw it out to the group to gather suggestions/resources/financing sources/studio entries. Any and all comments will be appreciated. 

A copy of the script is attached. As with all movies, characters are often composites of more than one person. I wanted to be a purist but scripts and the audience can only handle so much. What I think we have accomplished is an exciting story, strong characters and loads of action—a real action movie with real action heroes.

As far as resources, we have
-the script
-Rob Child as director
-a detailed $3.9 million budget
-actor list
-sites and locations in New Mexico to utilize tax incentives

For those who have not read many scripts they appear at first look, lifeless. To give you some comparison you may want to read or scan another. For Saving Private Ryan go to Saving Private Ryan Script at IMSDb.. 

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy the script. 

Bill Bradle


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## FLYBOYJ (Dec 21, 2010)

GOOD LUCK!!!!

I do know some folks tried to do a movie about Ploesti during the mid-70s right after "Tora-Tora-Tora" and "Midway" and the USAF would not help did everything to prevent this movie from being made as AF brass at that time was worried about the full story being told (ignored intelligence, errors in planning and during the mission, etc.) I do hope you are successful. IMO it would make a great movie and the whole story should be told.

BTW - I had an uncle who served during WW2, was training to be a B-24 bombadier until he was almost killed in a B-24 crash. His CC was John Kane.


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## Njaco (Dec 21, 2010)

Good luck on this. Dale Dye has been in on several good war movies (as I'm sure you know  ).

PLEASE, don't take a "Pearl Harbor" track in the script!!!!


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## RabidAlien (Dec 21, 2010)

Njaco said:


> Good luck on this. Dale Dye has been in on several good war movies (as I'm sure you know  ).
> 
> PLEASE, don't take a "Pearl Harbor" track in the script!!!!



Amen....the facts should carry the movie well enough on their own, without some sappy romance. Although, if you can get Kate Beckinsale in there somewhere (or Olivia Wilde!), maybe as a WASP or nurse, it couldn't hurt. (back to original topic) Keep us updated on the release date, I want to see this one! The Ploesti Raid has always fascinated me...I always admired the men who went through that hell in order to complete the objective, even knowing as they flew into it that it was gonna be a meatgrinder.


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## bobbysocks (Dec 21, 2010)

Njaco said:


> PLEASE, don't take a "Pearl Harbor" track in the script!!!!




yes please dont use that! watch old 12 oclock high episodes and the movie deep blue world...


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## evangilder (Dec 21, 2010)

I would highly recommend Bob Sternfels book "Burning Hitler's Black Gold". He is still around and is one of the survivors of that very raid.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00216XSG4/?tag=dcglabs-20


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## Maximowitz (Dec 21, 2010)

If you need anyone to play the part of Douglas Pitcairn I can muster a passable German/Scottish accent....


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## Capt. Vick (Dec 22, 2010)

Forgive me for being so bold to suggest the following "lead in" for when the action switches to north Africa. (As you know the crews practiced low level bombing in the desert there on a refinery mockup - or so I read.)

African desert, midday, looking off to the horizon. Barely visible initially, a couple of shapes morph out of the shimmering desert heat. Slowly growing in size as they approach, the roar of a couple of B-24's commencing their practice bomb run just begins to be heard. Increasing in size and sound as they approach until reaching a screaming crescendo as they flash overhead and drop their practice ordinance on the refinery mockup in the middle distance. Walking into frame discussing Tide wave are…

Boy I would see this movie if just for that scene! 8)


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## muggs (Dec 22, 2010)

This is the latest documentary on the subject that ran on national TV over here in Romania some 3 weeks ago : Kogainon Films: "Knights of the Sky: Air War Over Romania"

Although it is not a big-budget documentary it's quite interesting and has some nice interviews with participants from both sides, footage from the period and so on.

If you need extra info billbradle i think you can contact some of the persons that took part in this documentary.

PS: the correct name of the city is Ploiesti ( probably Ploesti is easier to spell in english )


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## Thorlifter (Dec 22, 2010)

Excellent!!!! I hope it is as historically accurate as can be made. I think we all understand there is some "fiddle faddle" that is included just to keep parts of it interesting or progress a story line.

Just stay away from Ben Affleck and you will be fine!


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## Gnomey (Dec 22, 2010)

Would be excellent to see this made. Certainly I agree with what the others have said in keeping as accurate as possible. Really wish you the best of luck with the project.


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## daughter of Bob Brothers (Jan 1, 2012)

Dear Sir:

My father-in-law was on a B-24 Liberator and shot down in Romania. I have pictures of the Princess that saved many lives. She actually came to Ohio and visited with my father-in-law. Although he died in 2002, he left audios of his experiences. Should you still be interested, please let me know.


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## Matt308 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have always wondered why this specific mission was never archived in Hollywood history. Shame actually. And if other folks in the world wish to take up the film production, I wish them well and prosperous.


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## vikingBerserker (Jan 1, 2012)

EXCELLENT! This is one of the two movies that need to be made, the other being Taffy 3 which is also supposedly in the works.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Jan 1, 2012)

With all here. I am anxious to see this if it can be pulled off. Especially if it can be kept accurate. Good luck sir.


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## Njaco (Jan 1, 2012)

I dunno. Its been a year since he posted with no update. I hope its not in the 'can'.


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## vikingBerserker (Jan 1, 2012)

Just noticed it was an old post. I did a quick internet search and absed on what I found below it supposedly is in production.

Guru.com - Print Profile


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## Njaco (Jan 2, 2012)

Corporate exec with Haliburton?  Good to see hes making a go of it.


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## StevenSmith (May 1, 2016)

Russell Longnecker, now deceased, was my older cousin. I guess it is journalistic license but the way he was portrayed in the script was nothing like Russ. This was more of a composite of many young pilots and factually it is wrong in many ways -- Russ did not crash and was one of only a few pilots to make it all the way back to Benghazi after the raid. He did not lose his leg, that was another pilot (Lt. John Palm) and is well documented. Anyway, this character is not Russ, who was a measured and cool under pressure man and a skilled and meticulous pilot who spent a lifetime flying planes (his own crop dusting firm in Skagit Valley, WA after the war.)


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## Marcel (May 2, 2016)

StevenSmith said:


> Russell Longnecker, now deceased, was my older cousin. I guess it is journalistic license but the way he was portrayed in the script was nothing like Russ. This was more of a composite of many young pilots and factually it is wrong in many ways


I think the topic starter mentiones this




> A copy of the script is attached. As with all movies, characters are often composites of more than one person. I wanted to be a purist but scripts and the audience can only handle so much. What I think we have accomplished is an exciting story, strong characters and loads of action—a real action movie with real action heroes.


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## Capt. Vick (May 2, 2016)

I have a feeling that this story is now being wrapped up into the Spielberg/Hanks "The Mighty Eight" HBO mini-series, and will not be a stand alone movie.

IIRC B-24's where borrowed from the 8th for the raid.


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## StevenSmith (May 22, 2016)

Bill,
I understand what you are saying. I read the script prior to writing previous post. I think what you say works if you are not dealing with a historical event that includes real people with reputations. But since Russ was a real person, who was no question about it a war hero, a reference I saw as to his being the worst pilot in the air force is insulting. Also, the bumbling actions you have him taking, throughout the script, fall in that category as well.

As you know being an authority, and it was a combination of luck and skill I am sure, he completed the Ploesti mission and was one of a few pilots who landed back at Benghazi, without crew casualties. This is a man who spent the rest of his life flying planes professionally, very successful Skagit Valley, WA crop dusting firm, until he died of a heart attack in 1989. He had both legs for all of his life, never lost one and he never met royalty after crashing a plane.

He was a good guy and much respected by other survivors of the raid. The following comments were posted at another WWII B-24 themed site by the nephew of Joe Avendano. Joseph Avendano Duran, has spent years studying his well-known pilot uncle's life and his death. Joseph Avendano Duran wrote: "Steve, it was great to see your post on Russell Longnecker. My uncle Joe Avendano flew many of the same missions with the 93rd BG. After the low level Ploiesti mission, my uncle Joe would become the operation officer for the 328th squadron and Russell Longnecker would take over my uncles 93rd 328th squadron -- the Dogpatch raiders a/c and crew. Russell was known for his great flying ability as a pilot!"

So, if you plan to make up a composite character, I suggest you make one up with a fictitious name (movie goers would never know you made up a pilot name) vs. besmirching a real person who served his country well and was a hero. I am sure that Russell's son and daughter, both of whom are very much alive, would much appreciate your not portraying their late dad as inept.. Thanks for the consideration, since this script involves real people with living family members.
Steve


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## GrauGeist (May 22, 2016)

Capt. Vick said:


> I have a feeling that this story is now being wrapped up into the Spielberg/Hanks "The Mighty Eight" HBO mini-series, and will not be a stand alone movie.
> 
> IIRC B-24's where borrowed from the 8th for the raid.


Not borrowed, but assigned. They were:
44th BG
93rd BG
398th BG


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## tlcopp (Jun 10, 2016)

GrauGeist said:


> Not borrowed, but assigned. They were:
> 44th BG
> 93rd BG
> 398th BG



HI, not the 398th; the 98th, the Pyramidiers. The 376th also flew Ploesti with them. My grandfather flew Ploesti, and before that flew with the Mighty Eighth - 448th Bomb Group. I've gathered about 30,000 photographs of the mission reports of both bomb groups and extensive research on Ploesti that I have collected since 2009 at the National Archives. it is here, and free to anyone as part of the way I honor his memory: 

www.taracopp.com


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## fubar57 (Jun 10, 2016)

Thank you for the link Tara and to your grandfather...







Geo


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## Capt. Vick (Jun 10, 2016)

Excellent tribute


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## GrauGeist (Jun 10, 2016)

tlcopp said:


> HI, not the 398th; the 98th, the Pyramidiers. The 376th also flew Ploesti with them. My grandfather flew Ploesti, and before that flew with the Mighty Eighth - 448th Bomb Group. I've gathered about 30,000 photographs of the mission reports of both bomb groups and extensive research on Ploesti that I have collected since 2009 at the National Archives. it is here, and free to anyone as part of the way I honor his memory:
> 
> www.taracopp.com


Oops, my error, that is supposed to be the 389th (Sky Scorpions). The three I listed (44th, 93rd and 389th), were 8th AF. 

The 98th and 376th were, of course, 9th AF.

If you jump back to my original post, you'll see those three were posted in response to a question about being loaned for the mission from the 8th AF.


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## Pops (Jun 7, 2018)

As the 75th anniversary of Tidal Wave nears, I skimmed through the prospective movie script (cue crickets on the movie status) and there is a lot of good work in it, a great start but agree that a composite character misrepresenting a true person is inappropriate. And I think the public can take a dose of reality with regard to the variety of personalities that planned and then carried out the raid in the five groups involved. Some of the details are disappointing and need better refinement, with constant reference to green ships - what about the "Pink Ladies" in the 98th BG and 376th BG? Teggie Ann was a pink ship, not a green ship, and Addison Baker didn't lead the mission and not in that ship either (script page 69). His reputation is not honored acribing navigational errors to him in leading the mission. Would have had a lot more drama with Ent and Compton in pink Teggie Ann and IMHO not overcomplicated the story by closer tracking to reality. And what more fantastic military aircraft visual contrast can you get than a god's eye view of pink ladies roaring low over the verdant Romanian countryside? And another example, with the German 20mm flakvierling (script page 76), cutting fuzes on 20mm ammo? Don't know enough about the ammo for light flak but with a contact fuze in the nose and self destruct at some point in flight, what fuze is there to cut? A good start 7 and 1/2 years ago but still needs work.


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