Movie Producer hat on …

[Mark Allen M]

What Second World War aviation theme/subject/topic/event would make for the creation of a great movie if only you had the following options.

- No CGI.
- Only one or two Warbirds either in Air or on Ground.
- Must show some sort of accurate Combat flying.
- Must be Historically Accurate.
- Willing to negotiate other options and ideas lol.

I can think of a couple fine movies that either have been made or could be made.

Ideas?

[Stoney]

I liked the flying in Catch 22, but the movie sucked in my opinion, but I'm prejudice.

[lucky52]

Hollywood would not want to comply with your five conditions.

[Mark Allen M]

Hollywood would not want to comply with your five conditions.

Quite to the contrary. My conditions are much cheaper. They would just need to be entertaining and grasp the interest of non-historians and non-aviation enthusiasts as well. That’s the tricky part.

[old iron]

I can think of a couple fine movies that either have been made or could be made.

Ideas?

Frank Luke.

[oscardeuce]

Lady Be Good Saga

[Craig59]

Lady Be Good Saga

Agreed. I’ve always thought the book, Lady’s Men, could be turned into a worthwhile film.

[Mark Allen M]

How about “Murphy’s War”

Not too bad!

[JohnB]

How about a movie about the young guys flying B-25s for the original Catch 22?
Use outtakes for the mass formation and aerial shots, use an ex-Catch 22 Mitchell, repainted in its film markings for close up scenes with the actors.

With the right script, you could have a fun film for not much money.

[kalamazookid]

How about a movie about an L-bird pilot? Perhaps turn Julian William Cummings' memoir, "Grasshopper Pilot" into a biopic?

[Mark Allen M]

I'd like to see a PBY type movie.

[Paul Stroud]

I'd like to see a PBY type movie.

Good call, I immediately thought of F/O John Cruickshank, an RAF Cat pilot awarded the Victoria Cross for his attack on a U-Boat and who then insisted on remaining at the controls despite being hit 72 times by bullets and shrapnel. Not only did he survive that, but is still alive at 102 years old.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/john-ale ... ckshank-vc

[Spitty]

How about some RAAF action..

"Pilot Officer Bruce Little (403521) in Spitfire A58-81 (BS199, ZP-S) accompanied F/Lt Philip Herbert Watson DFC (402267), and P/O Ian Sutherland Morse (403358), F/Sgt Arthur Evan Batchelor (411729) and F/Sgt R. Watson were in the other three Spitfires.

They intercepted nine Japanese Zeros. During the combat that followed, P/O Little's Spitfire was damaged in the elevators and he returned to land at Millingimbi Airfield. After landing on the East West runway, P/O Little noticed three Japanese Zeros in V formation strafing the North South runway of the airfield. He took off again and engaged one of the Japanese aircraft in a general dog fight at about 200 feet for approximately 10 minutes.

During a steep turn at about 0945 hours, P/O Little was unable to maintain height and his Spitfire struck the ground at approximately 160 miles per hour, somersaulted several times, severely damaging the aircraft.

P/O Little received injuries to both legs and arms and above one eye. Despite this he was able to walk three miles back to Millingimbi Airfield where he received medical attention. He returned to his unit by aircraft arriving at 2100 hours.During his first engagement with an enemy fighter P/O Little's trim was damaged, and he returned to base. While rolling along the runway he saw three Zekes approaching, and, opening everything up, he took off and circled, caught up with the last of the three Zekes, which were in line and strafing the runway. A dog-fight then followed with the last Zeke and P/O Little. It lasted for ten minutes, and consisted of a series of climbing turns from 100 feet to 300 feet above the aerodrome. During one manoeuvre, and whilst at low level, P/O Little took his eyes off the enemy aircraft, and found himself approaching the ground, which he struck at 160 mph with the air-scoop of his aircraft, somersaulting three times and rolled, losing tail unit, both wings and the airscrew. The Zeke fired around the wreckage, and when the enemy had departed P/O Little climbed out with abrasions to both elbows, scalp and forehead, and walked two or three miles back to the aerodrome. The enemy aircraft was reported to have a damaged motor, but it was not seen to crash near the island, although an explosion was heard in the direction whence it departed."

[Malo 1]

Aug.1st. Tidal Wave.

[Mark Sampson]

In the book "Flying American Combat Aircraft of WWII" is a story told by the pilot, of ferrying a Lockheed C-60 Lodestar from Miami to Teheran, Persia, in early 1942. Going trans-Atlantic in those days was big deal... especially in an aircraft without sufficient range.
No combat (if you don't count fighting the weather) but the story is well-told in a light and humorous manner... and a good story is what you need most here.