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Jager · 10-02-06, 11:24 AM

PLEASE NOTE: I refer to some scenes in the movie and it might spoil it for those who have not seen it yet. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

I went to see the movie a week ago and I had high hopes. I was not completely disappointed however as it was the first WW1 movie in a long time. I thought, when I went to see the movie, that it would be historically accurate...well the Escadrille Lafayette is on the mark but what about the Germans ? They began in 1916 (presumably April 1916 when they talked about the "new Nieuport 17"). After the starting scenes and such it advanced one month and to the new pilots first sortie over the lines. They encountered Fokker Dr I 's ?!?! That in itself is historically INACCURATE as the British didn't even field the Sopwith Triplane until June 1916 (Sopwith Triplane was copied by the Germans and fielded as the Fokker DR I as early as late August 1917). The planes they should have encoutered in mid 1916 were the Eindeckers and Halberstadt D II's with the possbile Albatros D I's but did we see any in that movie ? Later in the movie, the mentioned that the American government declared war (April 1917) but still five months short of the first Fokker DR I appearing on the Western front. That being the first thing I noticed, I also noted when the German pilot fell out of his aeroplane that he didn't pull his chute (maybe just waiting to get away from the plane prehaps) as almost all German pilots were equipped with parchuates unlike their allied counterparts. But, on the other hand, it turned my stomach to think of any pilot, esspeically the allied ones in the bombers, falling from that height to their doom. Another thing that was noted was that all the triplanes were red but I assuming they ran into the same Jasta each time. The air battles were pretty good though but some of the manouvers the planes were pulling would result in the plane ripping its wing off (especially the dive made by the lead actor during the first sortie) but its hollywood. The one scene that was off in my mind by a large % was the end scene between the lead character and the German ace, how can you pull a manouver like he did, end up perfecly side by side, same speed and such and pop two shots with a pistol into him ? If you think about the very brave early aviators who had to fight this way when machine guns weren't even on aeroplanes it makes it look like a walk in the park. And what about the large amount of German tanks in 1916-1917 ? I was warned, when I went to the theatre, that there would be alot of historical elements that would be twisted or changed to suit Hollywood but I accepted them knowing I would atleast get to see a WW1 movie. Amazing how a few weeks before, i sat in the cockpit of a Fokker DR I at an airshow not far from my house so I could not resist the temptation of missing Fly Boys. I just hope next time they will stick more to history but still add that flare that makes a movie good...thats the real challenge. BTW I also heard during the commerials, that the movie was in the theatres only ? Or is it actually coming out on DVD ?

10-02-06, 11:24 AM	#10
Jager Loader Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land of "Freezing my rear off" Posts: 89 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	PLEASE NOTE: I refer to some scenes in the movie and it might spoil it for those who have not seen it yet. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! I went to see the movie a week ago and I had high hopes. I was not completely disappointed however as it was the first WW1 movie in a long time. I thought, when I went to see the movie, that it would be historically accurate...well the Escadrille Lafayette is on the mark but what about the Germans ? They began in 1916 (presumably April 1916 when they talked about the "new Nieuport 17"). After the starting scenes and such it advanced one month and to the new pilots first sortie over the lines. They encountered Fokker Dr I 's ?!?! That in itself is historically INACCURATE as the British didn't even field the Sopwith Triplane until June 1916 (Sopwith Triplane was copied by the Germans and fielded as the Fokker DR I as early as late August 1917). The planes they should have encoutered in mid 1916 were the Eindeckers and Halberstadt D II's with the possbile Albatros D I's but did we see any in that movie ? Later in the movie, the mentioned that the American government declared war (April 1917) but still five months short of the first Fokker DR I appearing on the Western front. That being the first thing I noticed, I also noted when the German pilot fell out of his aeroplane that he didn't pull his chute (maybe just waiting to get away from the plane prehaps) as almost all German pilots were equipped with parchuates unlike their allied counterparts. But, on the other hand, it turned my stomach to think of any pilot, esspeically the allied ones in the bombers, falling from that height to their doom. Another thing that was noted was that all the triplanes were red but I assuming they ran into the same Jasta each time. The air battles were pretty good though but some of the manouvers the planes were pulling would result in the plane ripping its wing off (especially the dive made by the lead actor during the first sortie) but its hollywood. The one scene that was off in my mind by a large % was the end scene between the lead character and the German ace, how can you pull a manouver like he did, end up perfecly side by side, same speed and such and pop two shots with a pistol into him ? If you think about the very brave early aviators who had to fight this way when machine guns weren't even on aeroplanes it makes it look like a walk in the park. And what about the large amount of German tanks in 1916-1917 ? I was warned, when I went to the theatre, that there would be alot of historical elements that would be twisted or changed to suit Hollywood but I accepted them knowing I would atleast get to see a WW1 movie. Amazing how a few weeks before, i sat in the cockpit of a Fokker DR I at an airshow not far from my house so I could not resist the temptation of missing Fly Boys. I just hope next time they will stick more to history but still add that flare that makes a movie good...thats the real challenge. BTW I also heard during the commerials, that the movie was in the theatres only ? Or is it actually coming out on DVD ? __________________ Last edited by Jager; 10-02-06 at 11:44 AM.