[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Steve1971

I think they changed it so as not to be impartial to the rest of the other groups who flew the 51' in Europe. I mean no disrespect but if you made an episode about the BBB you would have to do episodes on the 4th and 357th Groups as well as others. I think the History Channel has this epiosode to honor all the fly boys who flew the Stallion of the skies. In my book the 2 most talked about FG's in Europe were the 357th and the BBB and its not fair really because there WERE other groups who did just as well. Like the 4th FG? They hardly are ever mentioned and they were there from the very beginning along with the 56th FG.

So relax. I dont think its personal at all

It would be nice if THC could devote an entire program/segment to all the illustrious FGs you mentioned above. I couldn't agree more with your praise of the 4th FG....wink, wink.

[mikeb1958]

Originally Posted by wmosner

season 2 premiere shows Kamikaze on my cable

Wow! Saw this last night and I thought it was great! 2 hour special. Looking forward to each and every episode of these!

[VMF115]

Originally Posted by mikeb1958

Wow! Saw this last night and I thought it was great! 2 hour special. Looking forward to each and every episode of these!

I agree it rockes!!!


When they showed how the USS Laffey was being hit by kamikazes and then wild cats and then the Corsairs showed up to save the day, I was cheering in my seat.

[STARMAN 352ND]

I thought the show was pretty wild myself...Being a Corsair pilot going after a Kamikazes like that in the line of fire from that ship is amazing and heroic...
Also I have never seen a Bf 109 sliced a B-24 like that.
JP

[VMF115]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

I thought the show was pretty wild myself...I have never seen a Bf 109 sliced a B-24 like that.
JP

I also thought that was wicked too, and the pilot lived to tell about it too,,,that’s just insane

[VMF115]

here are some pics of the USS Laffey in last night dog fights show on the HC

http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/724.htm

[Kaptin_Kirk]

I saw the entire 2 hour show and enjoyed it.

[skysurfer808]

The Dogfight's show is getting better, no doubt about it, the CGI sequences of the Laffey were definately top notch. The accuracy issues were also there, with footage from the original William Wyler color Memphis Belle film being used in the Sonderkommando Elbe sequence showing the B-17 that landed after losing its rudder. Aside from that and some stock footage of early model Bf 109s flying, the only other thing that jumped out at me was an airfield scene showing Savoia Marchetti Sparvieros at an Italian airfield while the narrator was talking about the Luftwaffe's last days. Still, this is one of my favorite shows, and I'm only harping on it because I want it to live up to its hype. Surely there are enough of us out there with enough interest to comb through the relevant archives and piece together something even better.

Skysurfer808

[parsig9]

I watched too and I enjoy the show and agree with much of what has been said, but I usually think fighter vs. fighter = Dogfight.

The show certainly started like that and then the Bismark episode last year and the Leyte Gulf one seemed to change course. I think they are great stories and I guess I'm glad they were told in that way, which is new, but surely there must be enough true dogfight stories to keep the show on track. What's the one where the pilot (Johnson?) brought the P-47 home full of holes after running out of ammo and having his rival FW-190 pull up and salute him b4 trying to finish him off in one final coup des gras...
Come on Hist. CH!

Are they just trying to honor/include different services? Do you think that available interviews plays a major role? Some of the participants in the really amazing dogfights we've all read about are, ahem, not available for comment.

[Black 6]

[quote=parsig9;54680] which is new, but surely there must be enough true dogfight stories to keep the show on track. What's the one where the pilot (Johnson?) brought the P-47 home full of holes after running out of ammo and having his rival FW-190 pull up and salute him b4 trying to finish him off in one final coup des gras...
[quote]

Not meaning to be off topic, but as an aside, I recently purchased a copy of the book "Thunderbolt" written by Robert Johnson and Martin Caidin (this particular paperback was published in 1959 and originally cost 50 cents!). Johnson gives a great account of this particular incident in which the Luftwaffe pilot made several passes at him, each time coming alongside him to check him out before trying to shoot him down again. Johnson could only hunker-down behind his armor plate and hope for the best as he could not control his plane much beyond straight and level flight. Can you imagine what he must have felt as those shells torn into his plane and cockpit?

This is a great book if you can find it. Not very long, but very well done.