Red Tails

Yes, they're were times when I thought of Star Wars when I watched this, especially the title sequence, but I thought it was good. As for accuracy, did the 332nd cover the Anzio landing? I don't know if they did. They did shoot up a lot of rolling stock and ground targets. I also recall some years back when I saw an interview of the man who shot up the German destroyer, telling on how his third pass, he thought he'd hit the magazine, since the tin can went up with quite a fireball.

We also know that the 15th Air Force didn't fly missions to Berlin, as the movie had, and I'm not sure how the 332nd men got those 262s. But I thought this was a good flick.

Also, we got Daniela Ruah, the "NCIS:Los Angeles" butt-kicking girl in there. Not bad.

 

ColHessler,

IIRC, it was the 99th Fighter Squadron, flying as part of the 79th Fighter Group, that was at Anzio. This was before the 99th FS became part of the 332nd FG in May, 1944.

Also, you are incorrect about the 15th AF not flying missions to Berlin. March 24th, 1945, the 15th Air Force raided Berlin, and the 332nd went along providing escort, and it was on this mission that they scored their three ME-262 kills. For this mission, the 332nd won it's only Distinguished Unit Citation, and the 99th Fighter Squadron would earn it's third DUC.

 

My mistake. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

Not smokin much of anything. Just listening to the voices in my head, and various other non-history buffs and the movies they've mentioned and remember. "Flags" was a good movie, but just "good"...there was simply no way to put all the emotion of the book into a 2-hour movie, so I didn't mention it in the post. "Letters" still grossed, whether it be local or overseas, and quite a few of the "redneck truckers" I work with have seen it and actually learned from it (learned enough to ask questions, anyway). "Amistad"....never seen it, didn't really have any burning desires to see it. And there have been other WW2 movies that were not "financial successes". I only listed a few that I knew were popular with the mainstream. That was my point....they were popular with the public at large, causing a rise in interest in WW2. I never mentioned their financial profits/losses, because I didn't know them and didn't care to look them up, just that they brought this small segment of history back into the public view, same way that "Interview With a Vampire" seemed to bring a rise in popularity of vampire-movies, and the spin-off of zombie-related stuff. Now...as long as the P-51's don't sparkle, we'll be good.

So, anyway, that's where I was coming from. Now, off to order a pizza...!

 

I'd like to think this would have still gotten the attention it got anyway, but there was a Tuskegee Airman living in the area who passed away last week, which made headlines and the release of this movie was noted in the article about his death.

Member of WWII Tuskegee Airmen dies in Springfield - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

Even while I know it is true, it still amazes me when I am reminded of the heroes who quietly live among us. God bless Lyman Hubbard Sr. He served our country well.

 

I don't know about "Muskogee Airmen" but I'm proud to be a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and I served 25 years in the US Army - does that make me a "Muscogee Soldier"?

 

Did anyone notice that Cuba Gooding, Jr. is both movies about the Tuskegee Airmen? HBO's The Tuskegee Airmen from 1995 and now Red Tails. The former is the better movie from all I've read. I won't see Red Tails just because of the "We Fight" scene from the trailers. I doubt very seriously WW2 pilots stood around in a circle and chanted ala Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens.

 

What are the odds that you would ever find a fighter escort pilot who flew with you on a combat mission? They are great, but it can happen and did.

[video=youtube;agwnwqCdwl8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agwnwqCdwl8[/video]

 

So aside from the fact everyone is pissed that they couldn't fit 3 years of history into a 2 hour movie and that Hollywood got (GASP) some historical facts wrong....HOW WAS THE DAMNED MOVIE

 

It was good. Nice shoot 'em up entertainment.