This film ive never seen before but it sure is graphic, showing attacks by USAAF and Luftwaffe planes… many showing massive amounts of metal falling off their targets… and behind each target was a human…sometimes people forget this and only focus on the plane.
A very well documented mission coverage is done and shows P-47, P-38 and P-51 forming a daisy chain escorting B-17s into Germany.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GGyCdie96Q&feature=plcp
Warbirds are nowadays flown to remember the sacrifices made by such people from whatever background they flew, in times of war.
Imagine for one fleeting moment you were one of the people been attacked as shown in the film – what and how would you feel knowing your life could be milliseconds away from death?
By: Augsburgeagle - 21st August 2012 at 17:22
I think I can see some of those guncam frames in this photo set, much better detail on here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kemon01/sets/72157624920630336/with/6327978306/
I would absolutely love to see the original gun camera frames in the flesh, the detail must be quite something
By: hampden98 - 21st August 2012 at 13:00
About twelve years ago or so, I spent a very enjoyable day with a couple of friends touring the museums at Hawkinge, Manston and Capel Le Ferne (with lunch at the Jackdaw Inn). The reason for our trip was to give a veteran a day out around his old base at Manston and it was a very memorable day. His name was Sqdn/Ldr Gerald Scott, and he flew Lysanders from Manston, and then Hurricane IId’s in the Western Desert and then PR Mustangs over Europe. The stories he had were fantastic (not to mention the photo album he brought along for the day!), and one day was not enough to hear them all.
Whilst sitting atop the cliffs at Capel Le Ferne, he related a story where he and some colleagues were on the coast somewhere near Manston watching a Lysander at low level being pursued by a Bf-109. He said they were all cheering the pilot of the Lysander on, hoping he would shake off his attacker. Unfortunately, they watched as the aircraft was hit and it’s wing clipped the sea and crashed. He said they were all quite upset as they knew the pilot flying the Lysander. It was then that he said that the event had been filmed, and I have always assumed that he referred to the film you mentioned. Whether this is fact or not, I’m afraid I can’t say.
Sqdn/Ldr Scott was also responsible for “capturing” the Bf-109E now at Hendon. Apparently, after the aircraft force landed, he rugby tackled the pilot before he could fire off a flare into the cockpit. After the war, Scott and Wolfgang Teumer corresponded for many years…and he still had Teumer’s flying helmet and schwim vest that he liberated after capturing the aircraft.
A top bloke and a great day out! Sadly, Gerald King Scott is no longer with us. RIP Gerald.
Regards;
Steve
Interesting. I guess that would explain why it was filmed. Thanks for posting.
By: Bomberboy - 21st August 2012 at 11:50
For sheer emotional impact, you cannot beat this piece put together by funtimesteve.
Just so moving
Mike Pannell
Erm, not quite sure it’s that emotional as it appears to be mostly clips taken from the wartime Memphis Belle film with some different music to it!
By: mikeeepannell - 21st August 2012 at 04:21
8th airforce movie tribute
For sheer emotional impact, you cannot beat this piece put together by funtimesteve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiBZ8P0yfN4
Just so moving
Mike Pannell
By: baberair - 21st August 2012 at 02:24
At 11.31 the aircraft turning upside down is a Dewotine, rare footage of a captured one? The large aircraft spinning in looks like a Condor, theres one straffed a few seconds later, maybe the same base and caught one on approach too.
By: Bomberboy - 20th August 2012 at 12:20
It is a great piece of film.
I remember buying it about 30 years ago as a VHS video tape (which I still have somewhere along with a Night Bombers VHS video).
It was packaged as the second film of a two film video with the wartime Memphis Belle film.
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August 18, 2012 at 8:22 am