Aviation Books that would make good films?

LOL,i was actually given a copy of that 2 weeks ago,very strange watching little dorothy whilst listening to P/Floyd,wierd LOL

To go totally off-topic there’s a whole chunk about the Wizard of Oz / Dark Side of the Moon thing on Wikipedia which lists the alleged coincidences.

Almost on topic I’d love to see a visualisation of the scene from “Grey Eagles” where eight Me-109s fly by an airshow unannounced including one of the pilots wearing a gorilla mask.

R/K

(Can you tell I’m one of those idiots who listed to “The Dark Side of the Moon” at the same time as watching “The Wizard of Oz” because of an alleged connection? (-: )

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Rob/Kansan

LOL,i was actually given a copy of that 2 weeks ago,very strange watching little dorothy whilst listening to P/Floyd,wierd LOL

Heavens to Murgatroyd! I sit corrected – I’m sorry to have doubted you there, Daz. 🙂 Now that you come to mention it, is there a scene in “Aces High” when the hero is, erm, about to get in the sack with a Mam’selle and isn’t *that* the piece of dialogue which is lifted from Saggitarius Rising?

(Can you tell I’m one of those idiots who listed to “The Dark Side of the Moon” at the same time as watching “The Wizard of Oz” because of an alleged connection? (-: )

Nitpickers and Hairsplitters union comment about “Grey Eagles” – It’s set in 1976 (so say) but the USAF invesitgator sings along to one of the tracks from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” which wasn’t released until 1979 or thereabouts. Picky, Picky. It *would* make a pretty good movie.

Rob/Kansan

No problem, Rob.

Funny, I’ve heard that urban legend about The Dark Side of the Moon – there’s a link on the net to it somewhere…

Hmm… well, I just looked at the credits of “Aces High” from the DVD itself, and there it says:

Based on R.C. Sherriff’s play “Journey’s End”
and additional material from
“Saggitarius Rising” by Cecil Lewis

Heavens to Murgatroyd! I sit corrected – I’m sorry to have doubted you there, Daz. 🙂 Now that you come to mention it, is there a scene in “Aces High” when the hero is, erm, about to get in the sack with a Mam’selle and isn’t *that* the piece of dialogue which is lifted from Saggitarius Rising?

(Can you tell I’m one of those idiots who listed to “The Dark Side of the Moon” at the same time as watching “The Wizard of Oz” because of an alleged connection? (-: )

Nitpickers and Hairsplitters union comment about “Grey Eagles” – It’s set in 1976 (so say) but the USAF invesitgator sings along to one of the tracks from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” which wasn’t released until 1979 or thereabouts. Picky, Picky. It *would* make a pretty good movie.

Rob/Kansan

Clostermann’s history in fact has been turned into a movie in the late 40’s – it’s French and called “Le Grande Cirque” – it has, however, never been published……

I have the book “Grey Eagles” at home and will post the ISB tonight.

It’s Bf-109G’s against P-51’s

Martin

Don’t forget the old RAF pilot in Gray Eagles who flies a Spitfire V 🙂

It had a certain Iron Eagle III feel to it, as in not that good in my opinion anyway

Dan

on thwt note what about all the follow on books to 633 sqaudron!

I think I read most of them, and they weren’t as good as the original 🙁

Clostermann’s history in fact has been turned into a movie in the late 40’s – it’s French and called “Le Grande Cirque” – it has, however, never been published……

I have the book “Grey Eagles” at home and will post the ISB tonight.

It’s Bf-109G’s against P-51’s

Martin

I always thought Craig Thomas’s Firefox Down would have made a good follow-up to the Firefox movie.

on thwt note what about all the follow on books to 633 sqaudron!

I always thought Craig Thomas’s Firefox Down would have made a good follow-up to the Firefox movie.

What about Goshhawk Squadron by Derek Robinson for WW1 and for WW2
Scramble by Bob Braham

Dave

Daz
Nope.

“Aces High” (1976) was R.C. Sherriff’s 1928 play “Journey’s End” (set in the trenches) “transferred” to an RFC setting. The plot is almost identical and the dialogue is word-for-word in parts. IMDB says “based on…’ and gives Sherriff (1896-1975) a writing credit.
Rob/Kansan

Hmm… well, I just looked at the credits of “Aces High” from the DVD itself, and there it says:

Based on R.C. Sherriff’s play “Journey’s End”
and additional material from
“Saggitarius Rising” by Cecil Lewis

What about any WW1 books? apart from “Biggles” that is

😀 Winged victory by V M Yeates

Hi,
Thats the one, had a few interesting bits and a few twist in the plot as i remember, more I think it would make a good film.

The other book i recall a bit less aviation tho’ was called ‘dancing dodo’ ?
Something to do with a crashed SS b-26 in kent & aviation archaelogy & rift valley fever, but the memory of it is a bit hazy.
Cheers
Jerry

I have that in paperback around here somewhere. Kids discover the wreck of the B26 with the remains of the crew, although it’s not really the crew and there are mysterious bits inside the plane etc. People start getting sick….seeing ghosts of ‘dead’ airmen poking around.

A bit of chemical warefare involved and solving the mystery. It was a good read

Dan

Originally Posted by kev35
I would like to see Sagittarius Rising on screen.
Regards,
kev35

Wasn’t “Aces High” based on that slightly?

Daz
Nope.

“Aces High” (1976) was R.C. Sherriff’s 1928 play “Journey’s End” (set in the trenches) “transferred” to an RFC setting. The plot is almost identical and the dialogue is word-for-word in parts. IMDB says “based on…’ and gives Sherriff (1896-1975) a writing credit.

“Saggitarius Rising” is a whole different kettle of fish. Terrific book but a nightmare to film, I would think. I love the idea of “Shooting Script” or “KG200” “KG 200” especially would fool the American Moviegoer and for that reason probably wouldn’t get made. (-;

Rob/Kansan

What about any WW1 books? apart from “Biggles” that is

How about “The Shepard” (by Frederick Forsythe?) as a shorter film?

I’ve started on alone in the sky by Jean Batten – that’d be quite good too – and the real aircraft could also be used. (as with Flight of the Mew Gull)

I read a book many years ago called “the sudden sky ” by B Milchelaard,story of 2 brothers that fought throughout the ww2 era.
Wonder if anyone else read it,what did they think,would it make a film?

Gavin Lyall, “Shooting Script”, read it a few years ago and have just pulled it off the book shelf and flicked through the pages. From memory a good read, must have been if i read it!!!, bit of Korea, bit of Vampire’s and then flying around the Caribbean in a DH Dove and a B25!!

I’d vote for Robert Radcliffe’s superb 8th AF saga Under an English Heaven.

This would enable a comfortable mix of airborne action and East Anglian based plot development.

Agreed, a great book that could make a very good film.

109’s I think.

Yes,the Germans rebuilt the 109’s and the allies flew P51’S i think.I will have to look for it again,i’ve googled but no luck.