Warbird Information Exchange

Seriously?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Sure, of course not.

I remember reading a profile of Joseph Heller a long time ago (I think it was the NYT Magazine) where the author went to a 340th BG reunion and interviewed men who had served with him during the war. Not sure if the article's author tried to represent both sides or not, but the guys he quoted hated the book, hated the movie, and all but said they hated Heller. The feeling was that he had smeared the character of their service, even if the book was fiction.

I'll give you that there were some great stunts and special effects back in the day, but todays movies are nothing if they are not blowing things up and destroying whole planets as an integral part of the story. Just more story and dialogue back then as a rule.
My uncle claimed to have served in the same group as Heller and always said the book was very loosely about them. He left the service with a great deal of pride in his missions, his service, the men he served with, but with very little love for the military "machine".
I did notice that in his later years his stories got more dramatic so some of the historical facts I took with a grain of salt...
He was an unofficial group photographer and had albums full of photos. He also went to all the reunions as long as health allowed.

Just like the 8th AF project HBO says they're in eternal pre-production, it was always a given that CGI would create most of the needed airplanes.
"Unbroken" did a very good job with a mockup and CGI, I thought. As long as the production is done like that, it should be okay.
I just get so tired of CGI prop planes acting like F-16s at an airshow. Pilots react quick, planes don't react nearly as fast as CGI likes to show.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Speaking of Star Wars, I just got around to seeing EP#8 The Last Jedi. The opening battle feature the Rebel's attack on a first order "Dreadnought". After Poe in his X-wing takes out the guns (AKA Flak Towers ?) they send in the "Bombers". I thought it was pretty cool and a nod to the WW2 movies. The bombers featured bomb bay doors, racks and bombs marked up with sayings. Also the crewmen in the bomb bay walking around wearing an O2 mask and full pressure get up. Nice touch.

Yeah, but it was annoying to me as well. Gravity issues notwithstanding in regards to the bomb loads (I get artificial gravity on the ships, but why did gravity work outside that, as if they were dropping on a planet?), it was the insanely slow speed with which they approached.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

According to the Official Guidebook for TLJ, the bombs are released using “sequenced electromagnetic plates" and rely on magnetism to speed towards the target.

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

The truth is, it just looked cool.

Richard

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I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.

For those who don't know what we're talking about....The bomber attack begins at 2:10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9seFVJuzRSM