Red Tails Movie

[TheMustangRider]

I pretty much agree with the majority of members here:
- It wont be a perfect movie in terms of accuracy.
- It probably wont have a great impact on the average viewer outside our relatively small community.
- Since it's a WWII movie and a dedicated aviation movie; it's worth taking a look at it.

I'm looking forward to see B-17s escorted by P-51s on the big screen, it might be years or decades before another WWII aviation movie can make it to the big screen.

 

[Trebor]

I, personally would like to see a movie abou the battle of Y49

 

[pbfoot]

Not familiar with y 49 ?

 

[Erich]

Pb

he probably means Y-29 at Asch with the 352nd fg against JG 11 on 1-1-45

 

[Trebor]

right, Y-29. my mistake. lol but yeah, I saw that on dogfights, and I believe it was one of the greatest battles the Blue nosed Bastards of Bodney fought

 

[Njaco]

Like Erich, I cringed at the trailer. I've seen better CGI on "Call of Duty".

 

[bobbysocks]

i cant say honestly that hollywood's reluctance to back it was race. there have been many all african american cast movies that have done exceedingly well....granted, none were WW2 based. But remember were already several red tail movies....nightfighter 1994, the tuskeegee airmen 1995 2003. it would be like making the same movie or event ( not a sequel ) for the 4th the time in under 20 years....when have you seen that happen? so from the stand point of its already been done and not too long ago i can see why they really had to be sold on the idea. from the trailers, like erich said, the flight models that they have are just too fantastic. a 262 out rolling a red bull racer...a 51 flipping on a dime in a stall to take out a 109. what gets me is they have the looks of the planes down pat....why ruin it with dramatics. they had the PLANES too....they could have very easily wired them up and recorded their actual flight characteristics...but what where would the sensationalism be in that. the long and the short is its not really about the planes or the war. its selling a underdog placed in a bad situation who must rise above all conflicts and save the day or be victorious...its the same story line as say Rocky. please i am not trying to cast any bad light or diminish anything of what these men did. they went and fought and died for their country and deserve all the respect and honor for that sacrifice....the same as any other joe that was there.

 

[tbfighterpilot]

George Lucas said that if the first movie is a success that he has a prequel and sequel planned that will be better than the first.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Now that's interesting.

 

[Crimea_River]

George Lucas said that if the first movie is a success that he has a prequel and sequel planned that will be better than the first.

Easy to say when he knows it'll be out on DVD within 3 weeks of release.

 

[mikewint]

Have not seen the movie but the trailers are far from reality. There was an interview with one of the original pilots on the news and I loved his comment. The TV news guy asked about the reality aspects of the movie: "Well I'd say about 90% hollywood and 10% reality" As has been said it's all about money.
Last comment: Lucas tends to do things in trilogy format, i.e. Star Wars, a trilogy of trilogys.

 

[tbfighterpilot]

Last comment: Lucas tends to do things in trilogy format, i.e. Star Wars, a trilogy of trilogys.

Yes, but George Lucas also said he was retiring.
George Lucas retiring from blockbusters after 'Red Tails?' | al.com
And I saw the movie yesterday,and for anyone who hasn't seen it, this could spoil it,but it did add to the legend of them never losing a bomber.

 

[Erich]

it really is crime and a shame that Lucas and his team would not try hard to get reality into play - colors/markings of A/C, combat techniques and the ever continuing falsehood of the unit never losing a Bomber

 

[bobbysocks]

so what did you think of it, tbfighterpilot ???

 

[TheMustangRider]

And I saw the movie yesterday,and for anyone who hasn't seen it, this could spoil it,but it did add to the legend of them never losing a bomber.

Well, it is Hollywood we are dealing after all.
I might go see it tomorrow and I'm quite excited about it, not because of the movie but because my brother got us free entrance passes, sweet!

 

[oldcrowcv63]

here's something interesting: George Lucas: Hollywood Didn't Want To Fund 'Red Tails' Because Of Its Black Cast (VIDEO)

Once again, Hollywood fails a history test. Big surprise. The clip shown by John Stewart contains the quote by a Red Tail aviator to another, "Congratulations, You are the first negro to shoot down a Jerry." Now, if ever that comment was made in reality, its believable because so much of US Black history was lost to us all, but especially to blacks wrt to military matters. However, if fictional, the statement shouldn't have been made unless it included the caveat, "since the First World War." I recall seeing a film a few years ago entitled Flyboys. I was surprised to see a black aviator among the squadron's members named Eugene Skinner, at the time (and to my own discredit), I scoffed and believed it was just Hollywood being politically correct although the prospect of an american pioneer black aviator was certainly a compelling and attractive notion (I mean what could be more Horatio Alger!!!). Subsequently I came across the account of Eugene Bullard, reputed to be a fine american pilot, known during his service as "the black swallow of death", and credited with shooting down a number of "Jerries". Here was an original member of the Lafayette Escadrille who also happened to be black. I was happy that Hollywood in this rare case had gotten at least that much right and appalled that another element of our country's rich aviation history had been nearly lost. While appropriately lauded in France for his daring and skill, use of his talents were rejected when he volunteered for US army service and on his eventual return to the US he was unheralded and died in obscurity as an elevator operator at Rockafella Center. He was also a resistence fighter in France during WWII.

Eugene Bullard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To Eugene Bullard, Pioneer aviator and skilled fighter pilot

 

[vikingBerserker]

Good point. The National Museum of the USAF actually had a nice blurb about him in a write up. Apparently has was also the only black fighter pilot in WW1 (I didn't know that either).

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070319-145.pdf

 

[tbfighterpilot]

so what did you think of it, tbfighterpilot ???

It was a good movie, entertaining, but as many of you have said, it had incorrect information. The closest thing to losing a bomber only came when Me-262s came, and a B-17 lost 1 engine. I also noticed that there were no Fw-190s, or B-24s.

 

[pbfoot]

Good point. The National Museum of the USAF actually had a nice blurb about him in a write up. Apparently has was also the only black fighter pilot in WW1 (I didn't know that either).

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070319-145.pdf

Only black American I believe the RFC had a few can't speak for the French or other participants. I just read about a RAF guy doing his training in Florida in WW2 who was almost washed out for talking to a black server in the mess

 

[oldcrowcv63]

Good point. The National Museum of the USAF actually had a nice blurb about him in a write up. Apparently has was also the only black fighter pilot in WW1 (I didn't know that either).
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070319-145.pdf

Thanks Vik!, I still teach occasionally at a nearby Historically Black University (Elizabeth City State University) This is good motivational stuff I can share with my students! Incidently, their sports teams are the ECSU Vikings, don't ask me why. I haven't quite figured that out except there is a lot of water around here.

They have an aviation program on campus that is one of the schools most popular curriculums. The girls are crazy about it too. You get an opportunity to learn to fly. A very hands on program.