[stalag8611]

If you're a P-47 fan you'll love this one: Fighter Squadron.

Made in 1948 it stars Edmond O'Brien and Robert Stack. Mainly about long range escort sorties into Germany.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by stalag8611

If you're a P-47 fan you'll love this one: Fighter Squadron.

Made in 1948 it stars Edmond O'Brien and Robert Stack. Mainly about long range escort sorties into Germany.

I'm waiting for this one to be out in DVD hopefully before the year is out.

[parsig9]

This is a great list so far. I've never heard of most of these.

Can't wait to start hunting for them.

[jim]

I have a video called P47 Thunderbolt sold by Artsmagic Ltd. It was distributed by Castle communications Plc.
It is the story of a group of P47 pilots experiences fighting in Italy during operation Strangle. It is not a fictional film it is a documentary record.
It was made by a cameraman following the pilots and recording their everyday lives.
It gives a sometimes graphic account the way of life and harsh conditions the pilots lived,(and died) under.
It is all authentic film and contain some excellent gun camera footage.

If you can locate the video I promise you its worth getting. Its one film in my collection (of over 100 aviation videos ) that I watch again and again.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by stalag8611

If you're a P-47 fan you'll love this one: Fighter Squadron.

Made in 1948 it stars Edmond O'Brien and Robert Stack. Mainly about long range escort sorties into Germany.

I'm going to have to find it as well in a DVD when it comes out.
I was told before it was a good movie.
JP

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by jim

I have a video called P47 Thunderbolt sold by Artsmagic Ltd. It was distributed by Castle communications Plc.
It is the story of a group of P47 pilots experiences fighting in Italy during operation Strangle. It is not a fictional film it is a documentary record.
It was made by a cameraman following the pilots and recording their everyday lives.
It gives a sometimes graphic account the way of life and harsh conditions the pilots lived,(and died) under.
It is all authentic film and contain some excellent gun camera footage.

If you can locate the video I promise you its worth getting. Its one film in my collection (of over 100 aviation videos ) that I watch again and again.

Yup, this documentary is highly recommend! My favorite P-47 livery is in it as well - "Hun Hunter XVI" of the 65th FS, 57th FG "Fighting Gamecocks"


Thunderbolt! (Color, 1944, 45:00)
Chronicles the exploits of the P-47 Thunderbolt pilots of the "Fighting Gamecocks" of the 65th Fighter squadron, 57th Fighter Group. Based on the island of Corsica off the northwest coast of the Italian boot, they flew from behind the enemy's flank. As part of "Operation Strangle," they continuously attacked highways, bridges, ammo dumps, railroads and just about anything that moved to choke off the flow of supplies to the Axis front line. This film not only features one-of-a-kind P-47 combat footage, it also shows day-to-day life on a MTO forward air base, including vintage pilot slang.
"This has to be finest combination of great photography, a hard bitten, realistic script, stirring music, powerful narration and full bore Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp radial engine roar I have seen or heard in a World War II documentary.

[jim]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

Yup, this documentary is highly recommend! My favorite P-47 livery is in it as well - "Hun Hunter XVI" of the 65th FS, 57th FG "Fighting Gamecocks"


Thunderbolt! (Color, 1944, 45:00)
Chronicles the exploits of the P-47 Thunderbolt pilots of the "Fighting Gamecocks" of the 65th Fighter squadron, 57th Fighter Group. Based on the island of Corsica off the northwest coast of the Italian boot, they flew from behind the enemy's flank. As part of "Operation Strangle," they continuously attacked highways, bridges, ammo dumps, railroads and just about anything that moved to choke off the flow of supplies to the Axis front line. This film not only features one-of-a-kind P-47 combat footage, it also shows day-to-day life on a MTO forward air base, including vintage pilot slang.
"This has to be finest combination of great photography, a hard bitten, realistic script, stirring music, powerful narration and full bore Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp radial engine roar I have seen or heard in a World War II documentary.

Hi Flyxwire, I particularly enjoyed the somewhat tongue in cheek way the narrator talked about having a look in those old barns to see if anything might be in there. As the P47s fire bursts into one barn after another he says no nothing in that one nor that one and then they hit one and the whole barn goes up into orbit.

The film shows the power and menace of the P47s in all their glory. Those guys really knew how to shoot straight.

[flyXwire]

I hear you, Jim. I really like the way they talk in those days, though the spoken sequences could come across as staged and corny, it is also a good example of World War II "rally-around-the-flag" wartime propaganda and it's very typical of other war film documentaries made in that period. You should get Combat America which is narrated by the actor - Clark Gable, which himself served as a gunner in a B-17 and flew some 5 missions with the 8th AF. He made that film under orders from General 'Hap' Arnold and had done an excellent job narrating in it. The film follows the daily lives of the men of the 351st Bomb Group based in England and follows the men into the air. Btw, the film is shot in color as well.

[jim]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

I hear you, Jim. I really like the way they talk in those days, though the spoken sequences could come across as staged and corny, it is also a good example of World War II "rally-around-the-flag" wartime propaganda and it's very typical of other war film documentaries made in that period. You should get Combat America which is narrated by the actor - Clark Gable, which himself served as a gunner in a B-17 and flew some 5 missions with the 8th AF. He made that film under orders from General 'Hap' Arnold and had done an excellent job narrating in it. The film follows the daily lives of the men of the 351st Bomb Group based in England and follows the men into the air. Btw, the film is shot in color as well.

Hi , You prompted me to look through my collection and see what I have that is similar. I have the original film of the Memphis Belle but I must have missed the one you speak of.
I shall have a look around for Combat America.
I like these types of films, they portray life as it really was rather than the over inflated glamour aspect. The voice over on the P47 film seems strange today but it was absolutely right for the times and adds an atmosphere to the film that gets you into the action.

Life was often tough and very basic for pilots particularly in the Pacific arena of conflict.
I have just finished a book about P40 pilots in the MT and it was grim to say the least. 2 pints of water a day to wash drink and shave!!! Sand fly fever ,ticks and bugs , and on top of all that they risked their lives many times each day.
Just imagine being twenty years old and being the senoir guy leading a flight into battle!

One problem I have is that nearly all my films are in video format and of course now everything is on DVD.
What do i do when my video recorder wears out???
It would take forever to put them all onto DVD. Tut TUt.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by jim

One problem I have is that nearly all my films are in video format and of course now everything is on DVD.
What do i do when my video recorder wears out???
It would take forever to put them all onto DVD. Tut TUt.

Hi Jim,
What do you do when your video recorder wears out...buy another one of course! Seriously though, a lot of the stuff that were released on tapes (VHS) a century ago
have now made they're way into DVD format. And the best part is they're alot cheaper and can be found in bargain bins priced for under $10 (you get multiple sets to boot) on some
discount video b & n stores. The films' images, which have degraded and shown alot of worn overtime, have been digitally restored on some, and can be viewed enjoyably. I've taken
pictures (see below) of the DVD sets I've acquired not too long ago. I highly recommend these titles if you are building a collection for your aviation library.