"the Red Baron & the Wings of Death"

[Barry Hickson]

G'day All!
I recently watched this History Channel offering from the Series- Man, Moment & Machine & must admit it was pretty good in my opinion.
It included Archival moving & Still pics, Clips from early B & W films, Interviews & comments from Aviation Historians, Authors, History Professors etc including John Guttman.
There were also reinactments & computer generated bits including Aircraft Profiles.

It is a shame the German Film makers who made the recent movie on the Red Baron did not watch this first as it covered MvR's duel with Lanoe Hawker very well with computer generated Albatross D11 & a DH2 meshed with live actors & Hawker looked just like his pics although MvR did not.

The DVD concentrates on MvR, his very successful Red Albatross D111 & "Bloody April" but also gives an overview of his career, the influence of Bolcke & how the British slowly took control of the Air War with better Aircraft. They also cover the structual problems of the D111, the introduction of the Sopwith Triplane & Fok Dr1.
There is a sequence filmed at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome with their great DVa flying.

Alltogether a well produced work & one I think all forumites would enjoy.
I gave it 4 & 1/2 stars out of 5.

[JFM]

How long did they say MvR/Hawker fought?

[Gregvan]

Hi Barry,

We covered this in some detail back when it was first going to be broadcast on the US History Channel. The producers contacted me for an interview when they were working on this segment, but it really wasn't workable since I live in the boonies. I did put them in touch with Jon Guttman and Jack Herris, who did very well as interviewees - much better than the others! In fact, it was largely Jack (and Jon) who convinced them they should also cover the MvR/Hawker duel, as a lead-in to the day at the end of Bloody April when MvR shot down four airplanes. The cheezy re-enactors in ill-fitting uniforms - I could have done without that.

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/mo...t-machine.html

[Barry Hickson]

Originally Posted by JFM

How long did they say MvR/Hawker fought?

Cant remember if they gave a time (?) They did say MvR thought it would be an easy victory but found he was being out Flown & Hawker did manouvers MvR had not seen before. It was only when Hawker made a run for his lines due to low fuel that MvR finally shot him down after having to unjam his Spandaus.

[Barry Hickson]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Hi Barry,

We covered this in some detail back when it was first going to be broadcast on the US History Channel. The producers contacted me for an interview when they were working on this segment, but it really wasn't workable since I live in the boonies. I did put them in touch with Jon Guttman and Jack Herris, who did very well as interviewees - much better than the others! In fact, it was largely Jack (and Jon) who convinced them they should also cover the MvR/Hawker duel, as a lead-in to the day at the end of Bloody April when MvR shot down four airplanes. The cheezy re-enactors in ill-fitting uniforms - I could have done without that.

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/mo...t-machine.html

Thanks for that insight Greg!
I thought they must have had some input from good historians who knew their stuff by how the segment was put together.
Agree about the Actors & uniforms. MvR had a terrible facial expression when flying but I thought Hawker looked fairly "Cool".

[stevedrew]

I had to cancel my subscription to the History channel when I moved last, as Foxtel refused to run a cable to the rear of the premises.

Did anyone copy it to a DVD?

[Barry Hickson]

Originally Posted by stevedrew

I had to cancel my subscription to the History channel when I moved last, as Foxtel refused to run a cable to the rear of the premises.

Did anyone copy it to a DVD?

G'day Steve!
I brought my DVD from Amazon US & from memory it was pretty cheap.
I think you would enjoy it.
Sorry I have no way of producing a copy for you.

[Barry Hickson]

Originally Posted by stevedrew

I had to cancel my subscription to the History channel when I moved last, as Foxtel refused to run a cable to the rear of the premises.

Did anyone copy it to a DVD?

Just Had a thought Steve.
My next door neighbour has Austar which supply via a Sattellite Dish & he can get a package that includes History Channel, National Geographic etc.
Could be an option for you?

[Epee]

On first viewing I was very critical and turned it off early on. Later, desperate for SOMETHING to watch, I viewed it all the way through. All in all it was pretty good.

[bristol scout]

I know THAT feeling Epee

Dave.