To me it was entertainment and passable at that, but it was not very accurate and therefore it will only be entertainment.
movie "Flyboys"
- Thread starter Aggie08
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Soundbreaker Welch?
Tech Sergeant
Bummer.
mkloby
Senior Master Sergeant
Nonsense. Shearing enemy birds' wings off with your landing gear is a long time honored method of air-to-air combat.
Nonsense. Shearing enemy birds' wings off with your landing gear is a long time honored method of air-to-air combat.
Right up there with looping and then shooting the guy with a pistol. Don't they still teach that one as a viable combat tactic at Pensacola?
evangilder
"Shooter"
When in doubt, keep a cup full of pennies in the cockpit. Let the enemy get close, then open the canopy and lob out a handful of pennies to FOD his engine. 
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Right up there with looping and then shooting the guy with a pistol. Don't they still teach that one as a viable combat tactic at Pensacola?
Actually that was how the first air to air kills were recorded in WW1. The first aircraft were not fighters but rather Recon aircraft and they carried pistols obviously encase they crashed. When they saw another aircraft they would sometimes engage it with there pistol.
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
Evan, saw those pics on your website and I am absolutely envious of what you've done with pics and planes. You've got some great stories along with them.
That DrI was in the movie or just a promo?
That DrI was in the movie or just a promo?
evangilder
"Shooter"
Thanks Njaco. That particular DR.1 was used for testing the Sony Genesis camera. They mounted the camera on the bottom of a Stearman and the Fokker buzzed around and did some dogfight maneuvering with the Stearman to test the camera and train the camera operators (of whom, all got airsick at one time or another). I flew in the same Stearman for the photo shoot of that same Fokker.
More good stuff coming. I will be shooting the fight for China Commemoration next weekend (P-40 and A6M) and the Collings Foundation (B-17, B-24, B-25) as well. Both things are on the same day at Camarillo! Now, if I can get some air-to-air shooting in with either of those....
More good stuff coming. I will be shooting the fight for China Commemoration next weekend (P-40 and A6M) and the Collings Foundation (B-17, B-24, B-25) as well. Both things are on the same day at Camarillo! Now, if I can get some air-to-air shooting in with either of those....
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
Hell yea, air to air... Hope u get that lucky Eric...
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Very cool Eric!!!!!
evangilder
"Shooter"
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Dude - that looks like it should be on the nose of a B-25! 
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
No sh!t.... Amazing lens...
evangilder
"Shooter"
There is a reason for it, besides having the further reach. I am a little ahead of schedule on profits this year for the photo biz. The only way to keep from paying hefty business taxes (You know how it is Dan), is to re-invest in the business. So it's a real shame. I was looking originally at the Nikkor 80-400mm, but after reading the specs and reviews on the Sigma, I knew I had the lens I was looking for. The real fun part about this one is if I put a 2x multiplier on it, I could take a picture of you flying in Colorado, Joe!
Edit: The huge benefit of the lens is the weight. Even though it's 50-500, it's only about 4.5 pounds. If you look at the beast in my hands in my sig, that one tips the scales at 7.5 pounds. While that doesn't sound like much, try holding it in front of you while twisting a zoom ring all day long.
I was looking originally at the Nikkor 80-400mm, but after reading the specs and reviews on the Sigma, I knew I had the lens I was looking for. The real fun part about this one is if I put a 2x multiplier on it, I could take a picture of you flying in Colorado, Joe! Edit: The huge benefit of the lens is the weight. Even though it's 50-500, it's only about 4.5 pounds. If you look at the beast in my hands in my sig, that one tips the scales at 7.5 pounds. While that doesn't sound like much, try holding it in front of you while twisting a zoom ring all day long.
Point well made. The original guys did bang away at each other with everything from Shotguns to pistols. Some crazy russian even had a grappling hook and line of rope hanging from his aircraft trying to grab the other aircraft. I think he ended up ramming them with his undercarriage while trying to get the hook to work. Lanoe Hawker (Von Richtoffen's 10th kill?) got his first kills by rigging a carbine at 45 degrees from his line of flight (to avoid the prop) and shooting a couple of aircraft down that way (using a Bristol Scout). So there was a historical presedence for the act.
But the scene in the movie was rough to watch. German on our hero's tail, our hero loops and shoots the German through the head with his trusty service revolver. All this requires the German to go from being ace of the skies to idiot of the world in less time than it takes our hero to do his loop (seeing as he was sitting there fat, dumb and happy when our hero shoots), some incredible accuracy for our hero to fire across the space between the two airplanes (both moving at odd speeds over rough air) and hit the German with one shot (very economical on ammunition).
Dear Hollywood, I understand the "willing suspention of disbelief" is a requirment in a movie. But I'd have to be a moron to believe some of the stuff (not all but some) in that movie was accurate. In short, you're killing me!
Does anybody have any information about Lt Harlou P Neibling who received a DSC? I know he shot down a plane with .45 pistol, but can't find any specifics. I believe he was in a balloon which was attacked.
EDIT - found his citation, but no mention of the Fokker being shot-down:
NEIBLING, HARLOU P.
First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army
Observer, 2d Balloon Squadron (Attached), A, Air Service, A.E.F.
Date of Action: September 2, 1918
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harlou P. Neibling, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action at Brouville, France, September 2, 1918, and near Fort Du Marre, France, September 26, 1918. While Lieutenant Neibling was making an aerial reconnaissance from a balloon, he was repeatedly attacked by enemy planes, two of which dived at the balloon and opened fire with incendiary bullets. With great coolness he fired at one of them with his pistol and took a picture of the plane with his camera. When the balloon took fire he was forced to jump, but he took two more pictures on the way down in spite of being fired upon. He re-ascended as soon as a new balloon could be inflated. On September 26 this officer was again attacked while conducting a reglage, but hanging from the basket with one arm he fired his pistol at one of the enemy planes and jumped only when his balloon burst into flames. He immediately continued his mission in another balloon.
General Orders No. 46, W.D., 1919
Birth: Huron, SD
Home Town: Minneapolis, MN
EDIT - found his citation, but no mention of the Fokker being shot-down:
NEIBLING, HARLOU P.
First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army
Observer, 2d Balloon Squadron (Attached), A, Air Service, A.E.F.
Date of Action: September 2, 1918
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harlou P. Neibling, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action at Brouville, France, September 2, 1918, and near Fort Du Marre, France, September 26, 1918. While Lieutenant Neibling was making an aerial reconnaissance from a balloon, he was repeatedly attacked by enemy planes, two of which dived at the balloon and opened fire with incendiary bullets. With great coolness he fired at one of them with his pistol and took a picture of the plane with his camera. When the balloon took fire he was forced to jump, but he took two more pictures on the way down in spite of being fired upon. He re-ascended as soon as a new balloon could be inflated. On September 26 this officer was again attacked while conducting a reglage, but hanging from the basket with one arm he fired his pistol at one of the enemy planes and jumped only when his balloon burst into flames. He immediately continued his mission in another balloon.
General Orders No. 46, W.D., 1919
Birth: Huron, SD
Home Town: Minneapolis, MN
Negative Creep
Staff Sergeant
I tihnk the best way to treat the film is as a Boy's Own adventure. Forget notions of realistic situations or physics, don't worry about the talky bits, enjoy the flying scenes.
Now, if only someone would do a WW2 version. And not involve anyone who was in any way connected with Pearl Harbour
Now, if only someone would do a WW2 version. And not involve anyone who was in any way connected with Pearl Harbour
mkloby
Senior Master Sergeant
Can we still have a scene with a dramatic main landing gear attack???
evangilder
"Shooter"
You seem to really like that scene, Matt. Don't you go trying that with any of those taxpayer paid for machines you have been parking your butt in, Marine.
