tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post468901241792274637..comments2024-03-25T06:50:31.379-05:00Comments on The War Movie Buff: CLASSIC or ANTIQUE: Reach for the Sky (1956)War Movie Buffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-77082847443869942212015-03-28T10:11:09.264-05:002015-03-28T10:11:09.264-05:00Good stuff. Thanks.Good stuff. Thanks.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-49204472887323715442015-03-26T21:44:01.166-05:002015-03-26T21:44:01.166-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02261339408253319279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-6694655241569645872015-03-26T17:57:58.643-05:002015-03-26T17:57:58.643-05:00I also was surprised with the revelation that he m...I also was surprised with the revelation that he may have been the victim of friendly fire, but it seems to have some merit. Andy Saunders wrote a book entitled "Bader's Last Flight" which was made into a documentary on BBC. His research pointed to a fellow RAF pilot named "Buck" Casson mistaking Bader for a Bf-109. This fits with the fact that Bader was separated from his squadron and was trailing a German formation. Casson mentioned that his victim had trouble getting out of his cockpit which matches Bader's struggle because his leg was caught. Bader had to remove one of his artificial legs in order to bail out. Adolf Galland himself looked into the shoot down and was unable to confirm that any German pilot (including Meyer) was responsible. The evidence for the friendly fire theory is circumstantial, but strong.<br /><br />This seems like a good opportunity to mention that having artificial legs had some fortunate effects on Bader's career. Without being able to remove a caught leg, he would have gone down with his plane. Also, since fighter pilots are in danger of blacking out during high G turns, Bader did not have this problem because blood would not pool in his lower limbs. Ironic.<br /><br />I agree with your comments that it is better to be boring than false and anyone who frequents this blog knows I put a high premium on historically accuracy in my war movies. However, I think in this case the screenwriters took a potentially exciting story and instead turned it into a typical 1950s biopic. The cookie cutter blending of romance and overcoming the odds was dynamite at the box office, but removed two thirds of the compelling elements of Bader's life. I am referring to the Battle of Britain and the prisoner of war experience (with his numerous escape attempts). Perhaps his life story needs a mini-series. In fact, it definitely does!War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-996092147898054652015-03-24T13:41:00.669-05:002015-03-24T13:41:00.669-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02261339408253319279noreply@blogger.com