WWII Air Force Expert Rates 8 Dogfights In Movies | How Real Is It? | Insider
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2023
- Pilot and Air Force officer Lt. Col. Matt Ziemann rates eight World War II dogfight scenes in movies for realism.
He discusses the accuracy of real World War II-era dogfights portrayed in Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" (2017), starring Tom Hardy; Michael Bay's "Pearl Harbor" (2001), starring Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett; and "Battle of Britain" (1969), starring Michael Caine. He also comments on the realism of certain fighting tactics and the physics of flight in "Red Tails" (2012), starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard; "Unbroken" (2014), starring Domhnall Gleeson; "Midway" (2019), featuring Woody Harrelson and Patrick Wilson; "Memphis Belle" (1990), starring Matthew Modine; and "The Eternal Zero" (2013), starring Junichi Okada.
Lt. Col. Matt Ziemann is an instructor at the Air Force's Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. He teaches 'Leadership and Air Power.' He has been a pilot for 26 years and has experience flying WWII-era planes.
You can find more information about Air University here: www.airuniversity.af.edu
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WWII Air Force Expert Rates 8 Dogfights In Movies | How Real Is It? | Insider
I love how in Red Tails a human being hit by 30mm rounds apparently is like being shot with a small calibre pistol.
My favourite thing about the Dunkirk dogfights was the sound design. I had seen a lot of dogfights before that movie but the clear sounds of the Spitfire's engine and air frame constantly straining against every turn and maneuver was something really new that I hadn't heard before in a battle scene.
It's amazing how "The Battle of Britian" was made in 1969 and is still one of the best movies at showing aerial combat. Even with all our technology today, sometimes realism requires reality to make it work.
One of the coolest touches in Dunkirk was to have Michael Caine on the radio (
the Dunkirk plane scenes were absolutely mindblowing in IMAX
Something I've noticed in these - it appears that the older films have all been rated the most realistic.
Finally an air combat video shows the Battle of Britain. Not only were they flying real aircraft, many of them were piloted by veterans too. In the credits they list a large number of pilots from both sides as advisors which undoubtedly helped with the authenticity. The camera aircraft was a medium bomber, and the biggest challenge was making sure that the aircraft didn’t fly into it, so it was painted in weird bright colours
When I worked at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, I was directly involved with the American Fighter Aces Association and got to hear many stories about aerial combat from the aces themselves. One such story was from Robin Olds at one of their annual reunions regarding him actually shooting down more than four enemy planes during Vietnam, but didn't claim a fifth and sixth plane as they would have sent him home, so he let his squadron mates claim them. I was lucky to meet aces such as Joe Foss, Gabby Gabreski, Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson along with many other aces.
As I recall Red Tails also depicted at least one main character killed in flight training. The number of WWII aviators killed in training is almost universally ignored in movies. Another important story this movie at least touched on.
The Spitfire Mk.Ia doing the glide in the Dunkirk movie is N3200/QV-I which did crash on the beach. It was recovered in 1986, restored to flying condition and did fly for the movie "Dunkirk". It was based at RAF Duxford in 1940 and now flys again from RAF/IWM Duxford.
Dunkirk was by far the most accurate aerial combat on a movie in YEARS. The lack of cgi was a huge relief
Really says something that Battle of Britain still holds up the best. That movie was the inspiration for the dogfights in Star Wars, btw. Geroge Lucas made a reel himself to show the guys at ILM (which he had just founded) and told them that's the dynamic he wanted. Not only did they deliver for the X-Wings vs TIE Fighter fights, there is even a shot when the TIEs attack the Millennium Falcon which is an exact mirror of a Spitfire vs Heinkel bomber run from Battle of Britain, camera positions and everything.
Totally agree, Battle of Britain is on a different level. It’s like a ballet with planes, no cgi, real planes in the sky
I'm really surprised the air to air combat scenes in Tora Tora Tora wasn't covered. I loved the detail of the condensation coming off the wingtip's of the P40's. I also loved the scenes out of Dunkirk which showed just how short the machine gun bursts in a WWII dogfight actually was.
It’s crazy to see one of my previous commander’s on one of these videos! Lt Col Ziemann is one of the best commander’s I’ve had in my military career. Very knowledgeable, a great pilot and a great leader that takes care of his people! Good to see you again sir!
I am a big fan of Battle of Britain. As a civilian pilot, I thought the flying scenes were very realistic. The LOW strafing run of the French airfield by the 109's at the beginning of the movie was terrific. Some of the special effects were not up to the flying standards but this was before computer animation. All-in-all, the movie describes the valor and sacrifice of many young men.
"Battle of Britain" is my favorite war movie of all time. I almost wish it would have been about a half hour longer. The flight scenes were excellent and both sides (British and German) were portrayed. No CGI - mostly real aircraft used, although some RC models were used. There were no airworthy Stukas in 1969.
'Battle of Britain' ruined camping for me....i was a kid on my 1st holiday under canvas in 1968(?).
The guy’s pretty good: doesn’t waste time in long explanation yet exhaustive, always on point, and fairly balanced
I loved when I heard Michael Caine's voice as Fortis Leader. He also has the best line in "The Battle of Britain" as Squadron Leader Canfield