Warbird Information Exchange

An epic film about "The Few" from the director who gave us Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator?

Yes, please ..

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/8 ... y-scrapped

Aside from the obvious improvements regarding aircraft (if nothing else, many more warbirds flying today...and of course CGI) it will be interesting to see how the subject is handled by a younger generation.
The 1969 film was the product of members of the generation who lived it...the "original cast" if you will.

Will it be as reverential as the older film or will it challenge the usual history/mythology?
Having lived in the UK (being married to a Brit) and being a frequent visitor, I'm not sure the average American appreciates how much the war, and the BoB in particular, plays in the country's self image.
Rather like the American frontier spirit or manifest destiny, but 100 or 75 years later.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

They had access to what 30+ CASA 2.111 and 25+ HA-1112's...there are significantly fewer warbirds flying today then 1969.

Considering the use of CGI when it comes to aviation themed movies, IMO the bar has started quite low. Other than the random YouTube Japanese clips of CGI aircraft (quite impressive) that I have seen, there’s not been a movie or series that holds a candle to the real thing such as the 60’s BofB and Tora films. I’ve always wondered just how convincing CGI could be used if someone (programmers) had just a small amount of aeronautical knowledge and historical background of the aviation history they are trying to convey. Yeah I know! ….. being a little “rivety” on the subject, but I can’t be the only hard core critic who was a bit disappointed in most of the CGI generated aviation films the past few decades. In fact I can’t recall off hand any film or series using CGI that was convincing.

But that’s just me. Hopefully if this new film is indeed made, we could see a first.

I was referring to Spitfires and Hurricanes...since I'm assuming the story will be told from the English perspective, they'll be the "stars". There are many more available now than then, but of course not all are early models which would be authentic to the film.

Any real German aircraft would be nice to have but probably won't be seen much except in combat. Given the nonexistent nature of airworthy Do-17s, Ju-87s and 88s, and He-111s, it's reasonable to think most of the German fleet will be CGI.
And while there certainly isn't the Spanish air force with their 25+ HA-1112s, there are a number of authentic looking Bf-109/Buchons out there that the original film did not have.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

It's always with some trepidation that one hears announcements such as this; too many times we've expected much but instead been presented with real clunkers.

I just about remember the original "Battle of Britain" when it was released; my brother was allowed to go and brought back a souvenir programme, which I was very jealous of. On first seeing the film I was impressed but over the years my views have changed. Yes they had access to "Bf.109s" and "He.111s", but they never did look right with Merlin engines and so I'd welcome the ability to exploit airworthy DB-engined 109s and a few FW.190s thrown in too possibly. I'd imagine Ridley Scott would also understand the importance of getting the bombers right, so instead of faux Heinkels we might look forward to not only correct-looking CGI He.111s but also Do.17s for example.

Also some of the original movie's scenes could be done so much better: the Stuka crashing into the Chain Home radar site would be one example, and the woeful destruction of one of Duxford's hangars never did look as good on screen as it should have, given the ultimate cost to our heritage.

It's also worth noting that many of the characters in the original BoB film were generic; only the 'top brass' were really identified specifically while the people further down the line were often composites of different key players. Thus there should be a great chance to bring in key named airmen and women on all sides and go into their part in the overall story; maybe put names to some of the fallen on both sides too.

So fingers crossed. There is a real opportunity (not unrealistic) to make something truly epic here.

Taking into account the long time Hollywood trope of making movies "inspired" by real events and then jiggering them to nonsense, I'd trust Ridley Scott to make a movie closer to actual events than, say, Michael Bey. For instance: "Blackhawk Down" and "The Last Duel". Not all his movies were smash hits but they've mostly been well made and entertaining.

Sir Ridley Scott is 87 years old and lived through the events of the Battle of Britain as a small boy in England while his father was away serving in the Royal Engineers. Screenwriter Joe Penhall is 57 years old, born in London and raised in Australia. Whatever they create, it won't be from the perspective of Gen Z Americans. Of course, I hear Gladiator 2 featured ancient Romans reading newspapers, so maybe anything is possible!

And of course good large-scale radio-controlled models. They looked fine in The Aviator, and that was years ago.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

(*cough-cough*) "U-571" (*cough-cough*)

And Dunkirk as well!

I would hold to Your position with one little caveat. In my opinion it is problematic to shoot realistic air combat scenes in any attractive way. You have to squeeze everything together to get expressive frames and maybe make everything a little bit faster. I can live with that.

When I had the opportunity to get the feeling of being inside B-17 box in Red Tails, that was so cool. The scenes looked the way they looked, but the feeling was great. Surely expect better with Mr Scott at the helm, but what I hope for most is a good movie. I wouldn't like history to be raped, but still I don't expect a movie to be a history study for scholars. I am exited for this BoB project, as Scott's job is usually quality.

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