Best War Film Part 2

[Professor Brensec]

Regarding the movie "We Were Soldiers".

After Mel declares "broken arrow" and planes come in from wherever, there is one particular propellor driven plane that comes in and drops napalm along with the jets. Can anyone tell me what type of plane that was (in 1965-66)?

Thanks  ;D

[Oz]

A-1H Skyraider. Theres a skyraider for fs and cfs2 here at Simviation. The skyraider was also used during Korea before serving in nam

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/VNAF_A-1H[1].jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/TC043[1].jpg[/img]

[BFMF]

I was wondering the same thing, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out

Brensec, did you enjoy that movie? I sure did

[Professor Brensec]

A-1H Skyraider. Theres a skyraider for fs and cfs2 here at Simviation. The skyraider was also used during Korea before serving in nam

Thanks mate, I'll download one and have a fly.

[HawkerTempest5]

[quote]Finally, something new has come up on the History channel. Sounds good too!

New weekly series called "Aces High".
According to the promo's, it going to be about WWI and WWII planes and aces. Supposed to go right into the "nitty gritty" of certain victories, famous engagements etc and of course the people and planes.

Has anyone seen or heard of it (I seem to get the impreesion that our Fox Cable is a bit behind th US and UK)?

Anyway, if not, it' starts Thursday next (10/04) so I'll report what I see if it's of any interest.

[Professor Brensec]

Well Hawker, and others interested,

here is the report on the "Aces High" series on the History Channel that I mentioned earlier.

It would seem that it was a "local" invention by Foxtel. Bit of a ripoff really.
I originally got the impression that it was to be a weekly installment of programs regarding the subjects discussed ie, planes, pilots, notable engagements etc.

However, what we were treated to was three days (Thursday night to Sunday night) of virtually all the Doco's that have been featured over the last couple of years or so and unfortunately there was nothing new.
In fact, there were a few that had to stretch a little to be considered "relevant" to the aviation in war subject.

The repeat doco's that I recall offhand are:

Biographies of Goering, Red Baron and Johannes Steinhoff.
Aircraft Doco's of the Spitfire, Thunderbolt, ME262, Corsair and P51.
General Doco's about Jet engines, RAF Fighter Command and Spitfire Squadron.
Also there was a special USAAC sanctioned film made in 1944 by a group of cameramen stationed with a Thunderbolt Squadron in Europe called "Conquest of the Reich"

So, other than a welcome look at some interesting footage and a reminder of some old facts, pretty much "old hat".
One thing I am particularly disappointed about is the fact that there was no repeat of the "Lancaster" Battle Stations Doco, which I am yet to see.
Now that I look, there was nothing on bombers at all.

Obviously intended as an overall special look at the Fighter/Fighter Pilot, as the "ACES HIGH" moniker would suggest.

Ah Well!!  ;D

[BFMF]

Just heard that there is gonna be a doco on the Bismark on Tuesday night. Will try to watch it

[Professor Brensec]

Just heard that there is gonna be a doco on the Bismark on Tuesday night. Will try to watch it

I've seen all the "big German ship ones". You'll enjoy it. They have a good deal of first hand reports from the survivors, and some good footage too.
The best one (overall British/German) was the Hood. Just 3 survivors, and they were just so overwhelmingly lucky to have survived. (I'll tell you how if you interested).
There are also good ones about the (don't know proper spelling and it's too late to look it up - I'm tired)
The Scharnhorst, The Prince Oygen, The Tirpitz.

[Woodlouse2002]

I've seen all the "big German ship ones". You'll enjoy it. They have a good deal of first hand reports from the survivors, and some good footage too.
The best one (overall British/German) was the Hood. Just 3 survivors, and they were just so overwhelmingly lucky to have survived. (I'll tell you how if you interested).
There are also good ones about the (don't know proper spelling and it's too late to look it up - I'm tired)
The Scharnhorst, The Prince Oygen, The Tirpitz.

Prinz Eugen, Brensec.

I seem to know the names of all major WWII german warships. Except one of the pocket battleships... There was the Lutzow, Graf Spee and the Admiral Sheer I think... Any Ideas? And what of the Gneisenau? Is there a program on her?


For those that care here is the demise of the German navy.
Graf Spee: Scuttled off monte video in 1939 after the battle of the river plate.
Bismark: Sunk in Bay of Biscay by King George V, Rodney and Dorsetshire in 1941 (I think).
Tirpitz: Sunk by 617and 9 squadron RAF in 1944.
Lutzow: Sunk by 617 squadron in 1945.
Scharnorst: Sunk 1945 (I think) in the North sea by HMS's Duke of york, Belfast and Jamaica.
Prinz Eugen: Sunk of bikini island after having 2 atomic bombs dropped on her.
Gneisenau: Used as a block ship (scuttled) in 1945.

Of the Admiral Sheer and Deutshland I do not know what became of them... If they survived the war then chances are they was used as atomic bomb targets.

[HawkerTempest5]

I'm impressed with your German Naval knowledge  Woody pal!
Discovery channel recently showed a 2 hour program about the Bismark with James Cameron and a couple of German survivors. Some superb underwater photography of the wreck. They took a good look around the ship and showed where all the big 16" shells from Rodney had gone through the Bismarks armour belt.
They also showed where the Dorsetshire's torpedos had gone through the outer hull but not through the inner armour posing the question as to weather it was sunk or scuttled.
It also showed the crippled rudder caused by a single torpedo hit from a Swordfish. The ruddrer was smashed and with that one lucky hit, the most awsome fighting ship then afoat was doomed.

[Woodlouse2002]

Thank you Tempest! I could also tell you an equally large amount of pointless infomation on the Royal Navy about what ships were sank where etc... But that can wait. I know practically nothing of the American navy after pearl harbour... But then they wern't that great after all!

[BFMF]

Hey, be nice!

[Professor Brensec]

Hey Woody,

While having a quick look for your missing "pocket battleship", I came across this site.
Seems to have anything there is to know about all Navies at any given time.

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/index.html

Can't help with the missing name though. They don't seem to call them "pocket battleships". The German Navy seems to have had a lot a different classes of each size ship.
Maybe you can weed through and find it.

Always struck me as a bit unusual that the Germans during WWII didn't seem to have much of a Navy in terms of numbers.
I know their geographical position and the Nazi plans for conquest and occupation didn't require much Naval power in terms of territory to gain superiority in and maintain. Still you can count the "notable" ships on one hand. (Almost)
Also, my limited naval knowledge leads me to believe that they never seemed to be able to get out of their little part of the world...........lol.  ;D

[BFMF]

[quote], my limited naval knowledge leads me to believe that they never seemed to be able to get out of their little part of the world...........lol.

[HawkerTempest5]

What do you mean? The Germans attacked, and harrassed shipping lanes all over the Atlantic

I think what brensec means is that all the big surface raiders spent lots of time blockaded in various ports in occupied Europe. Terpitz spent most of it's life at port and Bismark only sailed in anger once.
In the early years some pocket battleships caused a bit of bother, but it was the U-Boat force that did the real damage and caused most concern.