"Red Tails", The Tuskegee Airmen story * MUST SEE Movie *

[Old No7]

My son knows that I love "anything with P51 Mustangs" as my late father worked on those back in WWII at Debden, England (with the red-nosed 4th Fighter Group -- the highest-scoring group of the war).

Anyway, he said I HAD to check out this movie trailer about the challenges and exploits of the famed Tuskegee Airmen -- also flying red-nosed Mustangs -- but with red tails too. Wow, it sure looks awesome! Yeah, the 'Stangs, ME109s, FW190s and B17s are largely computerized, but it looks pretty cool to me! Even the "whine" of the ME109s sounds right too! (As they used real ones in "The Battle of Britain", and I've probably watched that 100 times or more...) And they've got some ME262 jets in the mix too! It stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard.

Check it out at Red Tails movie trailer, there are 3 trailers on that site.

Can't wait to see this one!

Tight groups,

Old No7

[Ben_Rumson]

Hey this looks like an interesting flick....
I'm not big on CGI but they definitely excel when it comes to giving us authentic looking a/c rather than model airplanes or doctored up real a/c (like AT6s modified to look like A6M3s or 5s) used in the older movies.
Just Sayin... the 109s in the BATTLE OF BRITAIN movie were Spanish license built HA 1112s & used the RR Merlin engines..
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8 ... 1112&type=

[olyinaz]

I dunno, I'm getting tired of WWII movies that are preachy and/or over wrought (Saving Private Ryan has not aged well in my view) so I'm going to be very cautious with this one. If they simply lay down the facts it will be good (it is an interesting story after all), but if they get mired in over-acting as they so often do it's going to blow. Or suck. Time will tell...

Oly

[gak]

Definitely one I'd like to see. One of the problems of a lot of CGI air scenes I've noticed is exaggerated movement. Whether it's been limitations of technology to date or ignorance I don't know, but hopefully they've at least got real pilot-consultants on board these days

[Grizzly Adams]

Looks like a great flix! Thanks.

[Rusty]

A while back an older fellow came into the farm supply store where Jr. works. He needed some fencing materials, but had no way to get them home. Someone was going to build the fence for him but he had to get the materials. He asked Jr if he would be willing to deliver the stuff for him after work to which he agreed. After he delivered the fencing he was talking to the gentleman and found out that in WWII he had been one of the mechanics for the Tuskegee Airmen.

[1894c]

wow--can't wait

[Canuck Bob]

Wonderful piece of American history. They were outstanding combat pilots. My Dad worked the Alaska highway during the war as he was too young to enlist. He worked with many black GIs as they worked hard on the highway. He cut line with a cat train and they followed to do the road construction. He always laughed because the southern lads hated our weather and everyone hated the bugs!

[w30wcf]

Neat! can't wait.

Cuba Gooding Jr. was in the 1995 movie Tuskegee Airmen. Great movie!
Your local movie rental may have it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvYvQcppaU4

w30wcf

[kimwcook]

It sends me into orbit when men are treated differently because of the color of their skin. I'd better stop for the potential of this post being locked. Looks like a good movie anyway.

[Tumbleweeds II]

I used to work with one of those pilots. He was from Texas, went to Marquette to get a law degree after the war, and was an administrative law judge in Kansas City when I worked there. He was a good old boy, a hard worker (a lot harder worker than he had to be), and a hero who didn't act like one. Name is/was Harvey McCormick - he retired in 1995, at the age of about 80 years, and I don't know if he's still around.

Kim, I agree with you about discrimination. But we'll let it go for now.

Anyway, thanks to No. 7 for the referral to the movie. I'll have to make a point of seeing it.

[Old No7]

Wow! . . . Wow!! . . . Wow!!!

Just saw Red Tails this afternoon and it is AWESOME!!!

From my original post, you'd know I'd like it because of the mighty red-nosed (and red tailed) P51s, but in all honesty, those planes played a supporting role in an outstanding cast.

This movie was very well written, with excellent/realistic sets (from all I've read and how my late father described life on an airbase during WWII), with period-correct music and costumes and the acting was superb! Not only were Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. terrific in their roles, they were able supported by an outstanding cast of lesser-known actors. My wife remarked that it was because she "didn't know" those actors, that it made it so easy to believe them in their roles. It truly was a great ensemble cast!

The renditions of the fighters -- from the obsolete P40 Warhawks to the newest ME262 that Germany had to offer -- with loads of B17 bombers, ME109s and P51Bs ("razorbacks")and P51Ds ("bubbletops") thrown in, were really well done. I think I missed a little of the "whine" from the 109s like you'd hear so well in "The Battle of Britain" movie from many decades ago, but I got lumps in my throat when the mighty Mustangs started up and did the fly bys. Yes, several of the aeronautics were a little over the top in terms of the speed or ease of a loop or other maneuvers, but they did that to fit the action on a big screen and overall it was really well done.

None of us can change what was done yesterday, never mind what happened 67+ years ago, but it really was a shame the way those men were treated by their comrades in arms back then. Yes, I do realize that was a long time ago and a much different "time" in this country. That part of the real story alone makes this movie a "must see" for the younger members of our families, in my humble opinion.

If you like airplanes and war movies, DON'T WAIT to see this on a small TV screen -- even if it is a 42" or 56"+ "big screen", do yourself a favor and go see this movie on the BIG screen and you'll really enjoy it.

So as the son of a late "ground pounder" from the 4th Fighter Group, I tip my hat to the Tuskegee Airmen. Well done men!

Enjoy!

Old No7

[tomtex]

Do you think its meant to be true?

[AJMD429]

It sends me into orbit when men are treated differently because of the color of their skin.

Yep. I'd have been one of Lysander Spooner's buddies.

The only 'good' that came of such things was that such men rose to the (unfair) challenge, and proved to the world that they could prevail.

[Ysabel Kid]

As soon as i saw the trailer I wanted to see it. Can't wait. Y2K's excited too!

[Hobie]

We had a pilot from Staunton who passed several years ago. I was honored to command the Color Guard at the dedication of his memorial in the park across the street from my house.


LT William Greene Jr.

[cowboykell]

Another "Dances with Wolves", just a different color.

[KWK]

From the trailer: "I need pilots who'll put the bombers ahead of themselves." I've read a few histories of the air war, and this line strikes me as rubbish. It's one thing to laud the efforts of the black pilots; it's another to denigrate the efforts of the whites who preceded them in combat. I'll catch the DVD when the rental price drops to a dollar.

[Rusty]

Even my wife saw the trailer on TV and wants to go see it now.

[2571]

"It sends me into orbit when men are treated differently because of the color of their skin. I'd better stop for the potential of this post being locked."

AND

Another "Dances with Wolves", just a different color.

I knew it was coming.
_______________
Wavoka was right.

[Tumbleweeds II]

The Tuskogee Airmen did have the highest casualty rate in the AAF.

I'm not about to knock the white men who went to Europe and put Hitler back in Hell whence he came. My father was one of them. But facts are facts.

Thanks to Old No. 7 for pointing us to an excellent movie. My wife picked the last movie I saw, so it's my turn - and it won't be "Descendants" this time.

[grouse]

Yes "Red Tails" is a great flick! The wife & I saw it Sat. night its been selling out every night they say. This movie grabs from the start and never lets go.

This movie has to be seen on the bigest screen you can find, the air combat scenes are breathtaking! Yeah you can wait for DVD. But don't that to yourself.

[Rafe Covington]

I will pass, another politically correct movie.

Rafe

[1894]

I'm looking forward to seeing this movie , sounds like a great tribute to some American Heroes that have slipped under the radar of history.

[Old No7]

"I will pass, another politically correct movie."

With all due respect, it is historically correct on the facts and the issues presented.

Sure, some editorial license was taken with the dialog and the "love story" they threw in for the ladies; but then, every WWII movie made after 1946 had some made up dialog and story lines.

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Watch it, or don't... It is your choice...

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But it is wrong to disparage the service of those fine young AMERICANS who died so that we would have the right to exchange these comments in English -- not in German!

Respectfully submitted,

Old No7

[big bear]

"I will pass, another politically correct movie."

With all due respect, it is historically correct on the facts and the issues presented.

Sure, some editorial license was taken with the dialog and the "love story" they threw in for the ladies; but then, every WWII movie made after 1946 had some made up dialog and story lines.

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Watch it, or don't... It is your choice...

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But it is wrong to disparage the service of those fine young AMERICANS who died so that we would have the right to exchange these comments in English -- not in German!

Respectfully submitted,

Old No7

THANK YOU, SIR!

[Rafe Covington]

It sure is nice I have your permission to not go see it, never realized the only military fighting the Germans were African-American. I guess my DAD and uncles were there on vacation. They sure didn't talk about it like it was vacation.

Rafe

[gak]

I just saw it yesterday--last day on a nice big screen (at this particular venue)...as someone said, a must! I agree, incredible movie. Cuba Gooding Jr. was great as the squadron commander, and Howard as Wing honcho. I felt more tolerant of the otherwise mostly excellent CGI taking some artistic liberties with the exaggerated aircraft movement--for the sake of a great story. I'm starting (?) To come to terms with the reality of CGI; not a whole lot of choice as real ME109s and B-17s not growing on trees any more I'm (mostly) just thankful these days the newer technology means such historical accounts can be made without restriction as the real planes (and tanks and ships) become more scarce or impossible to get. Good show!

[Rube Burrows]

We are going to see it tonight.

[Rube Burrows]

Well....went and seen it. I thought it was good. The acting was less than great at times but overall it was not a bad movie.

[Rusty]

The wife and I went to see it Sat. afternoon. We all thought it was a good movie. There is no way I could get the sound effect at home they did at the theater with the massive speakers they had in their sound system.

[tomtex]

This move like some others ,would have been one of the best of its type. If it told the true store, Fear, sacrifice, bravery, tears and blood ,of those airmen .