Warbird documentaries

I seem to find myself getting corrected a lot on my warbird knowledge(which i have ABSOLUTELY no problem with as my quest for ww2 warbird knowledge never ends!) A lot of what i think i know comes from countless warbird and ww2 documentaries that i have been amassing for quite some time now. Are a lot of these mainstream documentaries bogus? I just wanna learn good hard facts about the greatest generation that ever lived and the magnificent planes they flew....am i barking up the wrong tree? Any insight is greatly and humbly appreciated!

P.S.
I do understand that facts can be embellished even by the ones who actually fought the battles!

Tony

Try to find and read some of the sources posted in some of the threads. Many of the members in this forum will find one or more accurate sources to back up a statement or claim. There's a great book called "Bloody Shambles" that documents aerial combat in the Pacific. Some people try to call this work "revisionist" but the authors did a great job in their research and finding documented proof to back up any of their claims or facts.

And yes, a lot of mainstream documentaries and older books are bogus. Osprey books have nice pretty pictures, but a lot of trash in them. Don't trust the author Martin Cadin. Very entertaining but very exaggerating.

Nothing beats genuine research, and someone like me has a distinct advantage over most in other countries (especially the size of the U.S.,) since I'm only a 45 minute drive from the U.K. National Archives, in London. It's something of an eye-opener to see how often official paperwork contradicts long-held beliefs, or can, at times, confirm them. We have a blanket ban on any files being opened for, at least, 25 years, which means that nobody has seen many of them until the late 1970s (a few, obviously very sensitive, files are closed for 150 years.)
As an example of what can be found, there have, on here, been some very deprecating remarks about the continuation of the Hurricane production long after its usefulness, as a fighter, was over. The files show that it was never envisaged as a fighter, after April, 1941, and was to be used only for ground attack, hence the bomb, rocket, and 40mm cannon variants. This all came about because the Typhoon was delayed by engine troubles, and the Whirlwind couldn't do all of the tasks that the Hurricane managed (try hanging 2 x 40mm cannon on a small twin-engined fighter.)

Like flyboyj said a lot of the older books are erroneous. research back then was done via regular mail, or phone calls... a long and arduous task...and sadly some information evaded authors for lack of being found. the internet has been a double edged sword. information is more available now than ever giving research more of the ability to be more thorough and encompassing. but there is also a lot of bad info out there...any jabroonie with a website can post facts right or wrong. you will find most of the more learned guys here will steer you in the right direction. they are after what happened not trying to prove only what they think. as for tv or history channel stuff....its a good place to start research but i wouldnt base too much on them.

bobbysocks said:

Like flyboyj said a lot of the older books are erroneous. research back then was done via regular mail, or phone calls... a long and arduous task...and sadly some information evaded authors for lack of being found. the internet has been a double edged sword. information is more available now than ever giving research more of the ability to be more thorough and encompassing. but there is also a lot of bad info out there...any jabroonie with a website can post facts right or wrong. you will find most of the more learned guys here will steer you in the right direction. they are after what happened not trying to prove only what they think. as for tv or history channel stuff....its a good place to start research but i wouldnt base too much on them.

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I guess sometimes i forget that the info found in a dvd can be influenced by its maker.....i always liked the dogfights collection from the history channel but will be a little more skeptical from now on! Like i always say....u learn from your fellow man every day.