Warbird Information Exchange

Who plans to see it over the holiday period? I think we will check it out tomorrow.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

We'll wait with baited breath for your review! Lol

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A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

I'm reading the book right now. What an incredible story! I'll be looking forward to seeing the film.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Movie reviews are so so.

Duane

Saw it today- a family tradition to go to the movies together on Christmas.

No real spoilers below:

Movie was good, not great. I give it a B. Undoubtedly a great true story about a great man, but the movie was a little slow for me. My early 20's daughters and wife liked it more than me and my son. Guess we guys like more action, the ladies appreciated the story...

Very good acting. Great cinema photography.

As for the warbird angle, about 25 minutes of B-24 action. Lots of interior shots with a very good mockup, period uniforms, equipment, etc. Good flying action. Realistic. Well done CG animation for formation and combat action. Not over done computer animation like Pearl Harbor/Red Tails. I was very pleased with that angle, and perhaps like other WIX'ers went in looking for aviation faults, but came out happy with most of that. No over the top cheesy characters unlike many other period pieces (again Pearl Harbor/Red Tails).

A movie more about determination, survival, grit, character- not so much a warbird movie. No major complaints, and will likely grow on me, but I just felt it a bit slow. Not a bomb by any means. I won't say it is a must see like Private Ryan or something, but I'd say go, and take your significant other.

I really enjoyed the book. I hope I like the movie as well.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I saw the movie Christmas eve, several Warbird observations:
The beginning scenes of and in the B-24 are the best ever on modern film. The whole movie is worth seeing just for the beginning scenes of the B-24.
The bullets go right through the plane when it was attacked, very realistic.
The lost of Hydraulics and controls again very true.
The crash due to faulty engines and break up, again very true.
Only thing I noted was there are NO turrets on the B-24 front or back. I thought the bombardier was also a gunner? in the movie, another crewmember takes over the guns in the front.

Anybody know where they got/made the B-24 mock-up AND where is it now?

it was either a LB-30 or a D model, there would not be a nose turret, and no tail turret on a LB-30.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook

Trojan, the B-24 had a whole host of gun/turret arrangements depending on the variant/model, manufacturer, and even this changed at times with upgrades, field mods etc. Nose and tail turrets did not come until later The greenhouse nose and manual single 50 cal in the nose and tail is correct for early variants, like a B-24D, in the Pacific, and correct for the movie. Agree the mockup used in the movie was top notch.

The Liberator is probably most remembered as having nose, ball and tail turrets from the well recorded action in Europe, but many served without them, or some combination of turrets. The movie model is correct.

It wasn't a correct model because it was supposed to be a D. Other than the tail gun it was fairly accurate except for the tail turret. That was straight off of an A model or LB-30.

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Brad

I think Zamperinni' s B-24 had a field modified handheld open tail gun position. Whoever built the mockup probably used photos of Diamond Lil as a guide. Not strictly accurate for a D-model, but close enough for a movie.

SN

Seen it last nite and is a very good film. The flying scenes and equipment , very well done. Great story of survival.
Did notice their lack of facial hair after their long raft journey, and how did he keep his ring ? Seems the guards would
have taken it, considering how they weren't shy about beating the S%*& out of him. Found out the pilot ,Phillips, was
raised and lived in a neighboring town, LaPorte, Indiana. So many veterans pass away and for reasons of their own
never talked about their service to this great nation, heroes all. I had an uncle pass and didn't know he was a Seabee in the Pacific.

Australia, just can't remember what town. I can find out as a friend of mine worked on the mock up. He is a huge warbird fan and was perfect for the job.

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Better is the enemy of Good.

I will see it but wanted to see American Sniper 1st, which was showing in Dallas with long lines...

Actually depending on how you look at the plane, from the front it is a D model, from the rear it is a LB-30, and the cockpit it is a J model as it has electric turbo controls.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook