Masters of the Air teaser

[wuzak]

View: https://youtu.be/2RWohylGm3c?si=Bnj6cKJlSQkF5njc

There is one glaring inaccuracy in the teaser, considering that the documentary is supposedly following the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (aka "the Bloody Hundredth").


A review of the teaser with regard to historical accuracy.


View: https://youtu.be/Kv5yt215jIg?si=cTNfsfIaY_z_NGxc

 

[DrumBob]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Red Tails didn't escort 8th AAF bombers at any time.

 

[Barrett]

There's a lot of internet commentary about the convoluted mix of 8th and 15th AF units. It's possible that the script follows parallel story lines but nobody has confirmed that. (Besides, there have been at least two prior RT movies, made for TV in 95 and the 2012 offering. I never bought a ticket for the latter but recall the earlier one as semi-adequate.)

Apparently there is a Tuskegees exhibit at the 8AF museum in Savannah. Yes, it's absurd but that's the way it is...

 

[GrauGeist]

From what I understand, the 477th BG will be involved at some point, too.

The 477th was the all black B-25 group that was training for the Pacific, but never deployed.

Not sure how that fits into the 8th AF in Europe, though.

 

[wuzak]

The book "Masters of the Air", by Donald L. Miller, mentions the Tuskegee Airmen once, in relation to how black Americans were treated in the USAAF in Britain.

I don't suppose the series will look into that, or the roles that these men filled.

The people I have seen discussing on videos seem to be of the opinion that the series focuses on the "Bloody Hundredth", the 100th BG.

 

[wuzak]

View: https://youtu.be/mig_Hm-KTfE?si=LOQbiKx4wJWT_9qr

 

[wuzak]

Soviet Spitfires?

Were they used when the 8th AF flew relay missions to the USSR?

Did the 8th AF fly relay missions to the USSR?

 

[Deleted member 68059]

I`d like to be feeling optimistic but:

 

[Gnomey]

Will be interesting to see what it's like.

 

[wuzak]

View: https://youtu.be/lA-1JCRguZ0?si=SQ09xVQBskDMnhrt

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Did the 8th AF fly relay missions to the USSR?

At least one that I have read of, which was escorted by P-51s.

 

[wuzak]

View: https://youtu.be/aLQWyRgn-OI?si=rP6gUFtaZ1QnEEEc

 

[VintageIron]

I hope I'm wrong, but noting the trend in the Entertainment Industry that tends to be over the top, and create spectacles rather than quality, and from the trailers seen so far, I'm not expecting another Band of Brothers or Pacific, especially since it's an Apple TV production. Will I watch it? Of course, hey they built B-17's mock ups and there is Sally B, so it won' be 100% CGI.

 

[Airframes]

At the end of the above trailer, there's a frame showing other videos, one of which " The Making of .Masters of the Air", is a presentation and discussion featuring the main author, who's book is the primary basis for the screenplay, and a member of the production company.
It is made very clear, both during the discussion / presentation, and during the Q&A session, that the production team, from Hanks / Speilberg down, were adamant that total authenticity must be maintained throughout, be it the key characters, on which the series is based, or the aircraft, airfield and other locations.
To this end, four very large location "plots" have been used, including the former RAF airfield at Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, UK, now an Army camp ( and I believe at least one other airfield also), and a complete re-creation of a German PoW camp - the entire camp, not just a section. The main areas of Thorpe Abbotts airfield have also been re-created, built as sets, including the control tower area, and accommodation areas, with help and advice from the 100th BG Museum at the real Thorpe Abbotts (the series features the 100th Bomb Group).
I also have some photos of one of the fully restored re-fuelling tankers obtained for and used in the series, and it really looks very authentic (can't post the pics due to Copyright).
Although the aerial sequences are all CGI, the art department built two, full-size replicas of B-17s, which "work" in as much as props turn, they can move etc, and the internal details are totally accurate. These are used for "ground scenes", but one was actually suspended from a crane for a landing scene.

I'll admit I'm slightly dubious about the CGI aerial scenes and, although I accept that some very slight inaccuracies are unavoidable in order to bring the "action" to the screen in an understandable manner, I also understand that was has been shown so far are very short clips and it hopefully will look fine in the overall context of the series.
I'm almost finished reading the other book used as part of the basis for the series, "On a Wing and a Prayer", by Harry Crosby, who was Lead navigator of the 100t BG, and, from what I've learned of the series to date, it matches very accurately with his accounts.