Latest News on "Dambusters" remake

Judging by the blatant Americanising of other WW2 movies how many B17s will we be seeing flying with 617 squadren?

I think the inclusion of historically accurate names (Nigger) will play second fiddle to the aircraft if Spielbergs Private Ryan is anything to go by. Despite the British Army landing a considerable number of men on the beaches of Normandy on D Day you only get to see a handful of British Tommies wondering around.

An interesting BBC article can be found online, recounting the experiences of someone involved in the development of the bouncing bomb prototypes…

Thank you En830 for that.

I seem to remember seing something in a modelling magasine that showed a Mossie being converted to carry 2 Highballs. Im guessing thats wrong there and they only carried 1.

Do an “easy” quick scan of the intraweb and I think you’ll find that a Mosquito could be adapted to carry two

A still taken from an official film of Highball tests and this is a scan taken from Allied Secret Weapons a Purnell’s History of the World Wars Special – Phoebus – 1975 – (No ISBN) and credited to: Vickers Ltd.

Of course that may be footage of the Highball tests.

I seem to remember seing something in a modelling magasine that showed a Mossie being converted to carry 2 Highballs. Im guessing thats wrong there and they only carried 1.

Think you have quite a bit to learn about how movies are made even before the cgi bit.

Lets just see what is actually going to happen rather than imposing impossible wish lists on a scenario that is pre-planned and going to unfold anyway.

I think I was posting about general duties such mock-ups might be made to perform – you’ll notice I said close-ups, although I should have perhaps said that only parts of the aircraft would be needed for that….

I do understand something of how a movie is made… :rolleyes:

Taxiing, static, close-ups, interior shots….

Think you have quite a bit to learn about how movies are made even before the cgi bit.

Lets just see what is actually going to happen rather than imposing impossible wish lists on a scenario that is pre-planned and going to unfold anyway.

Please read my earlier post :rolleyes: They have not commenced construction of these ‘replicas’. They will be for a movie, these will be movie props to perform specific movie functions and not necessarily, made of metal, be full size, be powered by Merlins etc.

Taxiing, static, close-ups, interior shots….

I find it somewhat hard to believe that they could keep six replicas a secret..(are there 24 Merlins available?) what are your opinions about this rumor??

Please read my earlier post :rolleyes: They have not commenced construction of these ‘replicas’. They will be for a movie, these will be movie props to perform specific movie functions and not necessarily, made of metal, be full size, be powered by Merlins etc.

All I can say is it will certainly be a really interesting Classic Fighters next Easter for their film-themed airshow if they have six Lancasters sitting on the airfield, eh!

An acquaintance just returned from NZ and reported that a good source said that Jackson is building 6 full size Lancaster mock-ups for the remake—

It sounds like a job for our very own Dave Homewood to check out. 😀

Dave, you seem to know what’s going on down there…I find it somewhat hard to believe that they could keep six replicas a secret..(are there 24 Merlins available?) what are your opinions about this rumor??

Lancs at low level fighting off the 109,s

I was in contact with one of the survivors, Bert Dowty, he sadly died a little while ago. From his account there was very little fighting off the 109’s, they basically shot the Lancasters to bits. He and his crew were lucky to escape the crash landing and made their way to Vichy France where they were captured and turned over to the authorities.

Right up until his death Bert would return to Beaumont le Roger to pay his respects to the two crews (his friends) who are interred there. On the 60th anniversary of the raid the town turned out in strength to honour the men who had fallen all those years before, it was a very emmotional event, at which I had the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of the people of Jersey.

44 (Rhodisia) Sqn was unique in having 2 VC holders on strength at one time.

I’ve seen (genuine) footage of bouncing bombs being dropped by a Mosquito.

Of course that may be footage of the Highball tests.

Why would you want a flying Mosquito in a DB remake?

You would need one if you wanted to tell the end of the story with the death of Guy Gibson…

I just noticed.. As somoene else has already posted :rolleyes:

I agree with Airgage – take notice of BeaufighterVI’s post. Anyone dismissing the possibility off a DB re-make is likely to be proven wrong in the not to distant future.

Also spare a thought to the magnitude of movie funding compared to what we are used to in the world of historic aircraft. If six full size replica Lancs are needed the film set dressing world will produce these in double quick time I assure you. I agree that flyable reproductions are a big further step and would anticipate a combination of large and full size replica static/trundling replicas coupled with CGI and the use of one or two of the flyable aircraft. Movie makers are very adept at using highly convincing combinations of effects to get the images they need, some of which can be really quite simple but effective as anyone who saw the ‘flat’ Dakotas at North Weald (and then saw them in the completed footage) during the making of ‘Band of Brothers’ will testify.

Start to think about the technical aspects of this project from the viewpoint of a 21st century film-maker such as Peter Jackson, rather than a historic aircraft enthusiast and you will begin to see what may be possible.

Here, here!

Re. #66 above. One connection might be that Gibson of course later died in a Pathfinder Mossie.

I agree with Airgage – take notice of BeaufighterVI’s post. Anyone dismissing the possibility off a DB re-make is likely to be proven wrong in the not to distant future.

Also spare a thought to the magnitude of movie funding compared to what we are used to in the world of historic aircraft. If six full size replica Lancs are needed the film set dressing world will produce these in double quick time I assure you. I agree that flyable reproductions are a big further step and would anticipate a combination of large and full size replica static/trundling replicas coupled with CGI and the use of one or two of the flyable aircraft. Movie makers are very adept at using highly convincing combinations of effects to get the images they need, some of which can be really quite simple but effective as anyone who saw the ‘flat’ Dakotas at North Weald (and then saw them in the completed footage) during the making of ‘Band of Brothers’ will testify.

Start to think about the technical aspects of this project from the viewpoint of a 21st century film-maker such as Peter Jackson, rather than a historic aircraft enthusiast and you will begin to see what may be possible.

Well it’s about bloody time I paid attention then … 😮

Ah yes of course. Thanks for that Dave (and Ollie). I’ve seen (genuine) footage of bouncing bombs being dropped by a Mosquito, can’t recall any similar (genuine not the film) of a Wellington – but can fully believe it. cheers

some of the footage in the original DB was the original test drops of the half size dummy prototypes

martin

Ah yes of course. Thanks for that Dave (and Ollie). I’ve seen (genuine) footage of bouncing bombs being dropped by a Mosquito, can’t recall any similar (genuine not the film) of a Wellington – but can fully believe it. cheers

And Barnes Wallace designed the Wellington. I always remember the line in the film where Wallace is asked how he would get a Wellington for the testing and he replies ‘Tell them i designed them’.