Band of Brothers - C-47 take off scene in episode 1

[Jesper]

Just been watching 'Band of Brothers' Episode 1. And the C-47 take off scene - the taxiing, the line up on the runway, the faces of the soldiers in the planes and on the ground, the whole thing - made me goosey all over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQRCHOJ17n4&feature=related

(I will never, never be able to truly understand how it was to be there. Never. No matter how many books I read on the subject. And I can't help thinking of the grandiosity of Operation Overlord and what a tremendous feat it was)

The filming must have been a not inconsiderable task of it self. I was wondering if any members of the WIX board have more info and stories of the take of scene? Eg. I like the detail with the hand painted invasion stripes on the C-47 wing in the very beginning of the clip. I assume they were done so deliberately?

How many DC-3/C-47 was used in total?
Was it really a 'mass take of'? (It looks real to me from 3:32 to 3:45?) Like the B-25's in 'Catch 22'? Or are the two scenes incomparable?
How much was CGI? (The planes 'forming up' in the distance at around 3:58 clearly is? But what about the taxiing and the line up on the runway?)

Can't wait until next Sunday to see the next episode!

Take care

J

[P51Mstg]

Catch 22 was real.... BOB was done in a computer. Slight difference. Pay close attention to P-51s doing flybys in opening credits, seems like they had a small technical error........

Mark H

[TonyM]

Catch 22 was real....

Mark H

When my brother comes over, he always asks to see the mass B-25 take-off from Catch-22 on the big screen.

We never get tired of seeing all of those B-25s taking off.
I think I'll watch it today.
TonyM.

[Steve Nelson]

I seem to remember hearing that they used five C-47s in BoB. I liked the attention to detail in getting the markings correct (although they still didn't get the insignias proportioned quite right.) As for the CGI aircraft flyovers, I can cut them a bit of slack there. It wasn't an aviation-based story, and they were working on a budget.

Of course, while incredible to watch, the Catch 22 mass takeoff was highly dangerous and completely inaccurate from a historical and military perspective (still an awesome bit of footage though!) Still, I find it interesting that the movie is so well-liked here..of course we all love the airplane scenes, but the story itself is extremely anti-military.

SN

[Coert Munk]

Dakotas used in BoB are mentioned in the following link:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=52416

Filming was done at North Weald UK
Kind regards, C

[Dave Smith]

DZ Normandy tells the story in a factual way but that sequence from BoB must be close to what it was really like to be involved. Deeply moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECyPQ2lmQdQ

[the330thbg]

agreed., awesome scene.., CGI or not.., the feeling is there! I am not sure being there you would really realize the magnitude of what you were witnessing.

Being a first hand witness to the first plane going into the North Tower on Sept 11, i can relate more clearly. During all that was happening, it never occurred to me that i was witnessing 'history'. I was just trying to survive and ensure my family and co-workers were safe. I did not have a camera that first day. On the second day I was able to get back into our building across the street and take photos for history purposes.

Everytime I watch BOB I am in awe at the rally scene on the runway. As I am with Private Ryan when they hit the beach. The bullets wizzing by make me duck in my seat.

[Pathfinder]

Don't forget the subtle historical point that the E/506 flight began taking off from England shortly before 11 pm on June 5. Even considering they were utilizing British Double Summer Time it was not a anywhere close to that bright during the take-off. The link to DZ Normandy showing actual take-offs is an accurate depiction of the light conditions at the airfields at the time of take-off.

Average interval between lift offs has been established at between 10 and 20 seconds.

[Steve Nelson]

I can chalk the daylight discrepancy up to a bit of artistic license. Also, there's probably a safety factor involved..I doubt they'd want to stage those kind of close-interval takeoffs after dark.

SN

[Lynn Allen]

Greatest show ever just wished they had taken the Dave Clarks off for takeoff.

[Obergrafeter]

Close take offs after dark???????????? I don't think the computer would mind. The least they could have done was change the number on the C-47. L4 on everyone of em.

[Coert Munk]

L4 is the squadron code, not the aircraft code

[Pathfinder]

L4 represents 91st Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group flying Serial 12.

Serials 11 and 12 transported 1st and 2nd Bn 506 plus elements of 101st Div HQ.

Leading Serial 11 was Col. Charles Young flying "Argonia" 43-15159. The C-47 at the Airborne Museum in Ste. Mere Eglise is painted to represent Argonia, but is actually 42-100825.

"825" was factually (ironically) Chalk #49 in Serial 12, eighteen aircraft in front of the Winters plane (Chalk 67).

Fairly good maps of the individual aircraft drop points can be found in RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY. However as relates to the Winters plane (67), the map maker misread the penciled original map location for plane 61 and typeset TWO drop points for plane 67. Winters landed just east of Ste Mere Eglise, the "other" Plane 67 point nearer the beach is Plane 61.

The producers did a good job in historically presenting the C-47s of this flight. Particularly they got the tail numbers right for the "Meehan plane" 42-93095. Somewhere on the net years ago I saw a photo of one of the flyers being washed down of its "095" paint job, with the historical film tail number still evident.

[Jesper]

Thank you for you inputs gentlemen.

Especially 'the330thbg' words

. . . . I am not sure being there you would really realize the magnitude of what you were witnessing . .

and

. . . During all that was happening, it never occurred to me that I was witnessing 'history'. . .

really 'hit home'

Take care

J

[the330thbg]

For another really great C-47 take-off scene, try A Bridge To Far! They used close to a dozen C-47s and no CGI!!!