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evangilder said:
I had an opportunity to meet Bob Stempfels a few years ago who was also on the Ploesti raid. What a super guy!
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I once heard in the 1970s there was a plan to make a movie about Ploesti, but the USAF caught wind of this and pressured the producers not do do it. Comments?!?
 
It seemed it was going to really piss off the USAF, sought of an embarrassment as they were supposedly going to show all the ignored intelligence prior to the raid.
 
Inteligents yes, but that raid had to go off. Now the first raid was in 1942, with 12 planes from normal hight. If they would have taken the 178 from 25, or 20k feet a few more might have lived.

As for the film, I have seen some tv programs on it, but a film? I would not hold my breath. Hollywood would mess it up. But then we could see some B-24s again
 

It was in the 1970s when this rumour was circulating. After Viet Nam I think Hollywood would do anything to make the military look bad
 
Yep - for awhile Hollywood was on the "horrors or war" bandwagon and the "honor of the WWll veteran" bandwagon (which is not a bad thing) but in actually they are clueless. I heard that when the movie Peal Harbor was being made Ben Affleck constantly abused the real aircraft used on the film and said "if they're worth so much, why aren't they in a museum."
 
And to think I spent money too see that movie! Another real idiot is Mr. Baldwin - I almost threw my shoe at the movie screen when they had him playing Jimmy Doolittle.
 
Good flick, entertaining, you could poke fun at all the techincal things that got screwed up, good looking women, and about 10 real life people rolled into 2 characters. They portrayed Ben Affleck as the hot P-40 pilot that couldn't read!! I think the latter may be true
 
Baldwin's Doolittle part was either written by someone who knew nothing about Doolittle, or he played him very poorly. He was not a foul-mouthed hothead, as they portrayed him. He was actually a very calculating guy that almost never cursed. A good example of this is when the carburettor expert showed up after they were experiencing widely varied fuel economy with the B-25:
During the time it was necessary to call for help from civilian concerns a carburetor expert was sent from the Bendix factory to pressure check the carburetors of each airplane as well as to make such other adjustments that might be necessary.

The expert arrived and one of the pilots picked him up at Pensacola to bring him to Eglin Field. Immediately after landing some time was spent looking for Lt. Col. Doolittle for the sake of instructions and introductions. The expert was a small, irritable and cocky individual, apparently bored with the assignment. As soon as the Colonel was located, he was properly introduced. Before Doolittle could say anything further than "Glad to meet you," the so called expert blurted out-

"Now just what is it that you want, bub? I understand you want some carburetors pressure checked! I can tell you now that they have been checked before they left the factory – as a matter of fact we just don't send out equipment that is not in perfect condition – furthermore…"

Doolittle stopped him short with his famous fierce scowl – "Hold it, son!" he warned, "what did the factory send? An expert or a salesman? If you're a salesman, go home, we have plenty of carburetors. If you're an expert, stick around, we need you!" He turned on his heel and left the surprised little carburetor man who, incidentally, stuck around!

Source: http://www.doolittleraider.com/first_joint_action.htm
 
His grand son Lives in the Antelope Valley, north of LA - hes a kick, retired AF, he hangs around Fox airfield. He always says "I'm really a rotten pilot, all I ever wanted to do is be a carpenter."

But Evan you're right, Baldwin playing Doolittle?!? They should of gotten Madona!
 
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