Spielbergs new series - good watch
fine rendition of NO NAY NEVER sang in the bar in episode 1

'Masters of the Air'

Some strong Burnley connections in this one too. Elliott Warren who plays Lieutenant James Douglass is my cousin.

And my son in law is an extra ,on screen for a couple of seconds in the bar!

Where can we view it?

TopCat wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:52 am

Where can we view it?

Apple+ TV ... waiting for all episodes then use free trial to binge watch it

Been fairly disappointed with this so far. Very repetitive.

I’ve watched the first 6 episodes of this and I’m failing to connect with any of the characters. The anti British sentiment is hard to swallow also. Every British man featured so far is painted to be an arrogant, stuck up snob. I know some probably were but all of them?
Spoiler alert:

There is a scene in ep.6 where the American aircrew are paraded through a German town that had been bombed by the allies and many civilians killed. The producers made sure that the Americans weren’t blamed by getting one of the characters to say it was the RAF that had done it.
American bombs only killed military personnel obviously.

RAF Bomber Command are portrayed as incompetent pompous prats, whilst the British women are swooning all over the swashbuckling handsome American heroes.

Spoiler alert:

There is a scene in ep.6 where the American aircrew are paraded through a German town that had been bombed by the allies and many civilians killed. The producers made sure that the Americans weren’t blamed by getting one of the characters to say it was the RAF that had done it.
American bombs only killed military personnel obviously.
[/quote]

It was worse than that….he actually said “So the RAF finally managed to hit something”

If Spielberg remade The Battle of Britain it would be the Yanks that won it.

Haven’t watched it yet, but it’ll take some doing to be better than Band of Brothers, which is a masterpiece.

I’m sure at one point in ep. 6 they even had an English member of the WAAF ridiculing the British pilots during the “ over sexed over paid over here” speech.

I can see why HBO ended up passing on this one.

It's pants.

The anti Brit stuff is standard banter between the forces. It still exists today. I’m enjoying it. The repetitiveness is because life was like that for Bomber squadrons. All they did was go on horrendous missions constantly.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:08 am

The anti Brit stuff is standard banter between the forces. It still exists today. I’m enjoying it. The repetitiveness is because life was like that for Bomber squadrons. All they did was go on horrendous missions constantly.

Yes I get that, but it doesn’t exactly make for compelling viewing. Each episode is pretty much like the last.

Has Austen Butler managed to shake off his " Elvis " accent yet, or does he start saying " Thank you, thank you very much ! " when he gets his flight directions from the Navigator ??

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:45 am

Yes I get that, but it doesn’t exactly make for compelling viewing. Each episode is pretty much like the last.

That’s part of the reason I’m enjoying it I guess. It’s the relentlessness of it. Mind you, I did spend the majority of my 26 year RAF career on bomber squadrons. Slightly different during my time though! .

In terms of the American sentiment towards RAF bomber command I think this is done fairly well.

Bomber Command at the time were shown to be the terrorist bombers and American's just hit military targets*

Even in Churchill's speech after the war he mentions every branch of the armed services and where they served except for bomber command. Bomber Command didn't receive a memorial in London until 2012.

*America only hitting military targets is complete lies. They brought out this way of thinking after the Dresden bombings. In fact an American crew mis identified their drop so much during the Dresden raid that they bombed Prague.

its a good watch - apple doing a few good bits

Another to watch is Contellation - watched the first 3 at weekend

Enjoying Constellation,a bit of quantum physics going on.Yet to watch Masters of the sky but slow horses is excellent with Gary Oldman.
There’s a free 2 months available for Apple TV on the link.They are always popping up.We are currently on a 6 month freebie.

https://redeem.services.apple/en-gb/messi-sp-emeia-2024

claretburns wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:57 pm

In terms of the American sentiment towards RAF bomber command I think this is done fairly well.

Bomber Command at the time were shown to be the terrorist bombers and American's just hit military targets*

Even in Churchill's speech after the war he mentions every branch of the armed services and where they served except for bomber command. Bomber Command didn't receive a memorial in London until 2012.

*America only hitting military targets is complete lies. They brought out this way of thinking after the Dresden bombings. In fact an American crew mis identified their drop so much during the Dresden raid that they bombed Prague.

You’ve missed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:26 pm

You’ve missed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

True and also the bombing of Tokyo, I was just referring in my post to America's bombing campaign in Europe.

Seen all the episodes now and thoroughly enjoyed it. Had something in my eye at the end! Will have a look at the documentary tied to the series as well. As I only live 25 miles from their base I’ll be cycling down to the museum for a look one weekend. Incredible what those crews endured.

Thought it was brilliant and it took me a while to realise which of the characters were narrating the episodes as well. Thoroughly enjoyed.

TopCat wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:52 am

Where can we view it?

https://fbox.to/tv/masters-of-the-air-61wk4/1-1

Going on daylight precision raids must have been horrendous especially when the Luftwaffe was still strong enough to put up fighter screens in strength.

The scenes where they are being attacked I think are very realistic unlike in other films when the Gunner tracks the fighter for ages as he engages it. In reality they were in and out at high speed with little opportunity to lock on.

Both RAF Bomber Command and the US Army Air Force suffered horrendous casualties and getting into the aircraft time and time again must have taken incredible mental fortitude.

The Bravest Generation.

I grew into The Pacific and I'm growing into this more.
Does make you wonder how far they can take this kind of thing. I would love to see it become a repeat thing for all the remarkable stories in the war. Including Naval ones.

JohnMac wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 19, 2024 6:49 pm

Going on daylight precision raids must have been horrendous especially when the Luftwaffe was still strong enough to put up fighter screens in strength.

The scenes where they are being attacked I think are very realistic unlike in other films when the Gunner tracks the fighter for ages as he engages it. In reality they were in and out at high speed with little opportunity to lock on.

Both RAF Bomber Command and the US Army Air Force suffered horrendous casualties and getting into the aircraft time and time again must have taken incredible mental fortitude.

The Bravest Generation.

Many years ago, a friend of mine ( a notoriously bad flier ) went to a friends engagement party, and was introduced to the bride-to-be's Father. He was a short dapper gentleman, very quietly spoken with a great sense of humour ...

A couple of days later, my friend met his mate, who told him that he'd mentioned his fear of flying to his prospective in-law, who'd smiled wryly. He went on to explain that " Fred " had been a rear runner in Lancasters during the war, strapped in an unheated and unpressurized turret, protected only by Perspex. This was done at up to 30,000 ft and often with 15,000 lbs of bombs sitting 30 feet away, whilst dodging Ack-Ack guns, and shooting at German fighters. His Father in law had flown two tours of 25 missions, and was preparing for his 51st when the bombing raids were discontinued ..

My friend has been far more relaxed about flying ever since ...

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 20, 2024 2:48 pm

Many years ago, a friend of mine ( a notoriously bad flier ) went to a friends engagement party, and was introduced to the bride-to-be's Father. He was a short dapper gentleman, very quietly spoken with a great sense of humour ...

A couple of days later, my friend met his mate, who told him that he'd mentioned his fear of flying to his prospective in-law, who'd smiled wryly. He went on to explain that " Fred " had been a rear runner in Lancasters during the war, strapped in an unheated and unpressurized turret, protected only by Perspex. This was done at up to 30,000 ft and often with 15,000 lbs of bombs sitting 30 feet away, whilst dodging Ack-Ack guns, and shooting at German fighters. His Father in law had flown two tours of 25 missions, and was preparing for his 51st when the bombing raids were discontinued ..

My friend has been far more relaxed about flying ever since ...

The rear gunner had a heated suit but it sometimes didn't work. He also did not wear his parachute as there was no room for it in the turret. It was hung in the fuselage behind the turret. To get at it he would have to feel round his back to try and open the two sliding doors at the back of his turret, then reach round to where the 'chute was hooked on the side, then put it on, then get out, probably by turning the turret side ways and falling out backwards. If the plane was out of control all this would be difficult if not impossible because of the forces of gravity (G forces).

Finished this off last week. Couldn’t really get too engaged with it to be honest. No connection to the characters and I thought the aerial fight scenes were very samey. It definitely improves in the second half with the behind enemy lines and POW camp storylines, but I found it a bit of a drag unfortunately.