First World War from the Air

Shortcomings ????? I thought it was just excellent.

Planemike

I liked it too!
Jim

Despite its shortcomings, it was still the best bit of tele of the week, certainly until last night’s episode of Spooks

If you really don’t like Fergal Keane you’ll be delighted with the shots of him hanging on in terror-stricken panic to the turret-ring of the Brisfit.

Moggy

I agree totally Moggy…which is a sad reflection on the quality of the rest of the tv progs :rolleyes:
Quite an interesting programme,but as others have said…could have been so much better.
The Airship footage (what little we saw of it :rolleyes:) was fascinating…and I also giggled at FK hanging on to the scarff ring 🙂

Despite its shortcomings, it was still the best bit of tele of the week, certainly until last night’s episode of Spooks.

Moggy

Is this a compliment or insult!
I cant stand Spooks as you might guess.
Richard

Well, I saw it and survived FK’s turgid, cliche-ridden delivery but that apart I was disappointed to see so little of the the airship footage and the old plates. There was the potential for a fascinatingly different view of the war but it was missed. And I was close to throwing something at the TV if FK mentioned the name of the airship pilot just one more time……..

BBC iPlayer

Missed it… but heard alot about it,anywhere I can watch it ?

Have to agree with Chris B, I was looking forward to this, but was most disappointed. The only bits worth seeing could easily have been condensed into a 15 minute short. And the “white knuckle” ride could enliven a comedy programme

My main beef with the prog was that it didn’t do what it said on the tin.

Only a very few minutes – repeated several times – of what looks to be a fascinating 78 minute film of the post war airship flight over the front line. .

And as for the misinformation
The tank Fray Bentos was NOT a ‘tadpole’ as shown.
The Messine mines were NOT intentionally set off from North to South – the idea was to set them off at the same time but there was an unintended 19 or so second delay from the first to last.
The golf course lakes were NOT originally mine craters.
The observer would NOT have been hanging over the side holding a camera except possibly early in the war. The camera was usually fixed to the side of the fuselage and the observer changed the glass plate.

All in all a disappointing effort.

Chris

Moggy (re Post #13)
I, too, am allergic to the sight/sound of Fergal Keane. But I did giggle at his impersonation of The White Knuckle Airlines at Shuttleworth!!!!
Seriously, though, there was enough stuff shown for 3, or 4, additional programs. And I thought (as a KOS) that the CGI was rather good. But, then, I’m only a KOS Met Man!
Resmoroh

I thought the CGI was terrible, the shot of the A/C flying to France was not only Bad CGI it was of the wrong A/C!!! Dont they know it was a BE2 that was first to arrive in France!!!!:diablo: Yes i know that some 504’s went but they were’t the majority as dipicted in some very bad CGI.
I to thought it was a good programe but not as good as it could have been, i would like to have seen more of the original film and more of those aerial photo’s.

Moggy (re Post #13)
I, too, am allergic to the sight/sound of Fergal Keane. But I did giggle at his impersonation of The White Knuckle Airlines at Shuttleworth!!!!
Seriously, though, there was enough stuff shown for 3, or 4, additional programs. And I thought (as a KOS) that the CGI was rather good. But, then, I’m only a KOS Met Man!
Resmoroh

Can’t wait.;) It’s lined up for tonight in the barren waste which is the BBC and ITV schedules tonight.

If you really don’t like Fergal Keane you’ll be delighted with the shots of him hanging on in terror-stricken panic to the turret-ring of the Brisfit.

Moggy

I think it depends on what you were expecting… It was certainly a program on WW1 from an interesting perspective, but the needle on my WW1 clicheometer jumped to “max” far too often. Then again, I’ve spent a bit of time reading up on WW1, so I’ve heard them all before…

However, it was most definitely not a program about the film, or the negative collection, which is what it was billed as.

I would LOVE to see the Biggles Biplane in something better. You should come and fly over Port Meadow as a tribute to the RFC!

Adrian

Interesting how far apart the range of views are. I’m going to have to put up with FK and take a look at it……….

Shortcomings ????? I thought it was just excellent.

Planemike

Despite its shortcomings, it was still the best bit of tele of the week, certainly until last night’s episode of Spooks.

Moggy

I sadly agree. it was an opportunity missed.

Maybe we can do something better once we get ‘Biggles Biplane’ up and running? :diablo:

it was a bit boring and repetitive with that same piece of airship film

i flicked between that and something else but that was so good i cannot remember what it was, must have been good eh

they didn’t even mention the name of the mine crater lochnagar iirc

I saw the programme too – it certainly gave a new aspect to the stories of the trenches we hear about.
I still find it hard to comprehend the numbers of men and the slaughter of a generation. The phrase “total war” used really summed it up.

Sounds as though I didn’t miss much after all…and, as you say, another lost opportunity.