Best Naval Aviation movies

[Max the Mad Russian]

There are a few hysterical scenes with a Dauntless doing some stuff it probably couldn’t do.

Do you mean tailslide? Maybe so, but at Feb 1st, 1942 - I'm pretty sure this depicts Taroa airfield strike - there was something similar:

"During pull out the planes were immediately engaged by what must have been a low level fighter patrol, and defensive maneuvering prevented rendezvous. Action broke up into individual dog fights... In most cases break off was accomplished by a nose high pull out and turn away, which, to well trained free gunners should prove a "sitter" - that's from here

 

[Griz882]

Just so long as it's not Pearl Harbor Part Deux . . .??

I don't think it will. While there are wives, they seem to be (at least from the previews) in support roles. No fighter pilots become bomber pilots and interestingly the movie appears to center on dive bomber and torpedo crews (meaning Ens. Gay is featured in the story). Yes, you do get to see some Zeros flying between palm trees at Pearl Harbor and I think there is a scene where a SBD gunner shoots down what I imagine is a Betty from the deck of a carrier. From this short brush I think the CGI aircraft (especially the Japanese) are a bit off (bombers too thin, look too much like Ju-88's) but the broader story is about the intelligence effort to bring the fleet to victory. I think it will be good, but not especially accurate with reference to aircraft.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

No fighter pilots become bomber pilots

Richard Best as an example. And C. W. McClusky too. Actually, 4th June was his first battle sortie as a bomber pilot.

 

[Griz882]

Do you mean tailslide? Maybe so, but at Feb 1st, 1942 - I'm pretty sure this depicts Taroa airfield strike - there was something similar:

"During pull out the planes were immediately engaged by what must have been a low level fighter patrol, and defensive maneuvering prevented rendezvous. Action broke up into individual dog fights... In most cases break off was accomplished by a nose high pull out and turn away, which, to well trained free gunners should prove a "sitter" - that's from here

Very interesting...good find! That may even be the scene they are replicating.

 

[Pags]

And C. W. McClusky too. Actually, 4th June was his first battle sortie as a bomber pilot.

Seeing as how the war was only 6mo old, Enterprise had only been involved in two other actions (Marshall island raid and Doolittle raid), and McClusky had become CAG in APR42 after having been CO of VF-6 that's not too surprising.

I think there is a scene where a SBD gunner shoots down what I imagine is a Betty from the deck of a carrier. From this short brush I think the CGI aircraft (especially the Japanese) are a bit off (bombers too thin, look too much like Ju-88's) but the broader story is about the intelligence effort to bring the fleet to victory. I think it will be good, but not especially accurate with reference to aircraft.

That actually happened at least once during the war that I could quickly verify:

Toughness: Aviation Machinist Mate First Class (AMM1/C) Bruno Peter Gaido | The Sextant

Editor’s note: The following is part of NHHC Director Sam Cox’s larger “H-gram” series. Inspired by Admiral Zumwalt’s series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today’s...

usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil

 

[Flash]

That actually happened at least once during the war that I could quickly verify:

Toughness: Aviation Machinist Mate First Class (AMM1/C) Bruno Peter Gaido | The Sextant

Editor’s note: The following is part of NHHC Director Sam Cox’s larger “H-gram” series. Inspired by Admiral Zumwalt’s series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today’s...

usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil

Beat me to the punch! I have read about that particular incident several times, shows that the writers did a little bit of actual research for the movie.

 

[Griz882]

Seeing as how the war was only 6mo old, Enterprise had only been involved in two other actions (Marshall island raid and Doolittle raid), and McClusky had become CAG in APR42 after having been CO of VF-6 that's not too surprising.

That actually happened at least once during the war that I could quickly verify:

Toughness: Aviation Machinist Mate First Class (AMM1/C) Bruno Peter Gaido | The Sextant

Editor’s note: The following is part of NHHC Director Sam Cox’s larger “H-gram” series. Inspired by Admiral Zumwalt’s series of Z-grams used to communicate with Sailors throughout the Navy, H-grams are an avenue by which NHHC provides significant historical context to aid today’s...

usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil

Like @Max the Mad Russian, excellent find! I need to stop being so lazy. I have more confidence now that the writer stitched together a number of true events to tell a good story.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

shows that the writers did a little bit of actual research for the movie.

Seems that Lt. Nakai's G3M wasn't at all in so steep right wing drop as it shown. Otherwise the Nell would hit the deck and not slip away "a foot from the deck"

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

Seeing as how the war was only 6mo old, Enterprise had only been involved in two other actions (Marshall island raid and Doolittle raid), and McClusky had become CAG in APR42 after having been CO of VF-6 that's not too surprising.

CYAG Cdr Oskar Pedersen had been fighter pilot too but found his indispensable role as FDO. VF-3 CO Jimmy Tatch before being fighter was seaplane pilot on a cruiser. That time showed quite tolerate attitude: one has to know how to start the engine (or two, or four) , make blind check of the cockpit instruments, know some speed limits and... Good luck.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I was watching “The Right Stuff” again tonight. It holds up amazingly well almost 40 years on. If you were going to reboot it, who would you cast?

 

[Brett327]

Ed Harris as Gene Cernan, and Bryan Cranston as LBJ.

 

[Reg-A-Muffin0716]

I was watching “The Right Stuff” again tonight. It holds up amazingly well almost 40 years on. If you were going to reboot it, who would you cast?

Toby Stephens = Chuck Yeager
Sullivan Stapleton = Alan Shepard
Sam Worthington = Gus Grissom
Brian Stann = John Glenn
Armie Hammer = Gordon Cooper
Josh Lucas = Scott Carpenter
Joel Edgerton = Walter Schirra
Bill Hader = Deke Slayton

 

[Jim123]

I was watching “The Right Stuff” again tonight. It holds up amazingly well almost 40 years on. If you were going to reboot it, who would you cast?

The quote in that movie about naval aviators is what made me want to join the Navy to fly.

 

[Griz882]

The quote in that movie about naval aviators is what made me want to join the Navy to fly.

I have always liked this one from the book:

The combat frequency was to be kept clear of all but strategically essential messages, and all unenlightening comments were regarded as evidence of funk, of the wrong stuff. A Navy pilot (in legend, at any rate) began shouting, “I’ve got a MiG at zero! A MiG at zero!”—meaning that it had maneuvered in behind him and was locked in on his tail. An irritated voice cut in and said, “Shut up and die like an aviator.” One had to be a Navy pilot to appreciate the final nuance. A good Navy pilot was a real aviator; in the Air Force they merely had pilots and not precisely the proper stuff.”

 

[Griz882]

Midway is out in theaters

I went to see it last evening and it is pretty darn good. The writers and researchers put a lot of work into historical accuracy. There is, of course, a great deal of "Hollywood" in some of the flying stunts and some minor fouls in terms of historical timing (my wife was gripping my arm during a dive bomber attack and said "You better not fly like that!" I asked her, "Well, how will I land then?" It has all the right aviation players. Wildcat, Dauntless, Devastator, B-25, and even the B-26 makes appearances (but way too many from my recollection). The full range of Japanese aircraft are shown and the CGI isn't as bad as I thought it might be. The actors aren't too overblown and Woody actually does a decent job as Nimitz. The best part if you are into pop culture stuff...the movie ends exactly like the 1970's version with Yamamoto's quote about waking a sleeping giant.

In short, I recommend the movie. It is worth the cost of admission.