The Great WWII Aviation Movie Thread

MDFrench · Oct 10, 2004

Hey Guys -

Thought we could compile our knowledge of films and airplanes and get a good list going of flicks, both old and new, that feature warbirds in good detail.

I'll start with a few that give a good look at the RAF -

Battle of Britain - (a whole fleet of planes! they'll never do this again - the whole film is UNREAL as far as planes go)

Piece of Cake - (six beautiful Spitfires for a whole mini-series)

Dark Blue World - (beautiful Spitfire footage)

Mosquito Squadron

633 Squadron - (more Mosquitos)

OK, Paddy, I could name a bunch of Mighty Eighth films, but I'm leaving that up to you!

MK · Oct 11, 2004

Those are great.......but you forgot the best aviation movie of all time.....

......Iron Eagle!

LOL

Matt Deckard · Oct 11, 2004

Actually MK it was Iron Eagle 3!

PADDY · Oct 11, 2004

Gauntlet has been picked up on Air Corps movies...

Yes, there is a whole pile of movies on the USAAF, but I think I'll just list the ones that put a smile on my face, rather than a big listing...

TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH (movie and series)
THE WAR LOVER (Steve McQueen)
A GUY NAMED JOE (Spencer Tracy)
30 minutes over Tokyo (Spencer again)
FLYNG LEATHERNECKS (I know, USMC..! and The Duke!)

By the way, talkng of RAF movies, I do like that "Dark Blue World" on the Czech volunteers! a really nice little budget movie that works so well!

Oooops ..Bells gone, and times out!!

Who do I pass this relay baton to now...????? lol

MK · Oct 11, 2004

Those are great.......but you forgot the best aviation movie of all time.....

......Iron Eagle!

LOL

MDFrench · Oct 11, 2004

MK,

I am laughing uncontrollably, and by goodness I needed that after the news of Chris Reeve's death.

Thanks,
Mike

Continuing the thread:

Memphis Belle - both the war film AND the feature film!

RAAF · Oct 11, 2004

Dark Blue World footage

if you have the DVD set for the movie, the behind the scenes segments show that a fair amount of the aerial footage used was outtakes from the 1969 epic "Battle of Britain". the BoB footage was digitally touched up to remove squadron codes and also any additional aircraft beyond the pair shown in most scenes. cool movie though!

Quigley Brown · Oct 11, 2004

The Dam Busters, Tora, Tora, Tora, 12 O'Clock High...

Wild Root · Oct 11, 2004

Tora, Tora, Tora, is a good film! I however do not like that the 70's fashion snuck it's way into the womens hair and clothes in some parts of that flick. But, other then that, it was a super film!

I like Flying Tigers, Memphis Belle, Midway, A Guy Named Joe, Test Pilot, and so on.

Root.

MDFrench · Oct 11, 2004

What's nice about that Dark Blue World footage is that it takes the Battle of Britain aerial footage and digitally cleans and manipulates it in such a way that it makes the footage fresh, exciting, and more detailed without creating fake digital airplanes. Tracers and debris are added, but there is still the benefit of real planes, unlike the "Sky Captaining" that Michael Bay did to the P-40s in Pearl Harbor - Ugh.

In short, leave comic book flying and digital whiz-bang to comic book films like Sky Captain and keep historic pieces respectable with a subtle mix of real and digital. Just my humble opinion.

Continuing the thread: What's up with Iron Eagle III? Great planes, lousy flick.

MikeyB17 · Oct 12, 2004

A few more...

Some of my favourites not yet mentioned:-

Catch-22 (B-25's and beautiful A-2s)
The Way to the Stars (both RAF and 8th AAF, and some nice rare aircraft like Avro Ansons and A-20 Havocs-Bostons in this case)
Appointment in London (Dirk Bogarde and Lancasters)
Stalag 17 (no aircraft but crawling with flight jackets)
The Tuskegee Airmen
Empire of the Sun (Love the strafing scene with the P-51's-the flight jacket Christian Bale wears is a repro though!)

Might think of a few more later!

Daniel Riser · Oct 27, 2004

Pearl Harbor. HAHAHAHAHAH Ok ok, hey hey, no no put those down, wait you don't wanna do that *BANG BANG

and the moronic film goer was...no more

Cienfuegos · Oct 28, 2004

I believe that one of the best movies on the aviation during the WW II is TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH
This one shows us with enough realism of the diurnal missions of bombardment.
also there is a movie that I like much, though it does not treat of WW II that it is THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER

Halliburton · Oct 28, 2004

There are some good flying scenes in the last episode of "Foyle's War" first season.

Anyone say "1941" yet?

"Bridge Too Far"
"The English Patient"

MikeyB17 · Oct 28, 2004

More nautical than aviation, but notable for probably the only cinematic appearance of a Grumman Duck, is 'Murphy's War'.
Must be more, must be more...'Flying Tigers', of course. And there's a B-25 in 'Forever Young' (Mel Gibson chick flick). Oh yes of course-'The Dambusters', and 'The Right Stuff'! Bound to be others.

Tommy-VF51 · Sep 27, 2016

Just finished watching Red Tails (2012) and thought I'd revive this thread.

Since seeing The Tuskegee Airmen(1995) as a teen, I've been fascinated by the 332nd. Growing up Irish in a small English community, after having moved from the relatively diverse London the film struck a cord with me. While I've never made achievements to the level of the men of this unit, I could understand the experience as something of an outsider.

Because of my love of the earlier TV Movie, I'd been expected a big budget remake. Despite stemming from the same subject matter, it is it's own story. The film was actually been in development for around 23 years, predating the TV version. Placed side by side, the script of Red Tails is clunkier than a handful of loose bolts under the engine hood. It does not have the depth or the resonance of it's compainion. However this actually seems deliberate? New York Times Critic Stephen Holden noted "In structure and tone, Red Tails proudly harks back to the 1940s and ’50s, when good guys were good, and bad guys bad.". Lucas is known for his love of Golden Years Hollywood, so this rings true to me.

While the film obviously takes liberties with its subject matter and history, its worth noting than John Chapman of Good Wear and Eastman supplied uniform. This at least adding something to a film that to be honest lacks any real depth. However, the ensemble cast do their best with a script cheesier than an explosion in a cheddar production line. For me, this isn't a film I'd regularly return to, despite its charms, but it was an enjoyable couple of hours viewing.

MisterCairo · Sep 27, 2016

The Dam Busters.

MisterCairo · Sep 27, 2016

Captains of the Clouds.

Tommy-VF51 · Sep 28, 2016

Having watched Red Tails, I thought it was time to return to The Tuskegee Airmen. Only a few minutes in and it feels more authentic, however as a minor aside I have noticed that a majority of characters seem to be wearing Goatskin Jackets. In terms of the script, characterization and acting it is a different position altogether. Much darker and rawer, the predacious faced by these Pilots much clearer. While there is some dramatic licence taken at times, it is nothing that seems unbelievable.

Considering the millions of pounds difference in funding production, that this film was a HBO TV Movie with significantly lower production values- it is by any estimation the better film. Red Tails is a an enjoyable throwaway, The Tuskegee Airmen a picture of note, regardless of which one was made for the big screen.

Harp · Sep 28, 2016

A Piece of Cake. First saw on Alister Cooke's PBS and so hooked read the book. RAF spitfire squadron detailed to France and later back to UK and Battle of Britain.
Outstanding flight scenes back up a credible story outline.

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