Victory Films | Army Air Force Combat Weekly Digests 21-25
Reviewed by Floyd S. Werner, Jr.
The latest from Victory Films continues the series of Army Air Force Weekly Digests from 13 Mar 1944 to 10 April 1944. These are the only way that the folks back home got there news back then. We take for granted the news sources today but the weekly newsreels were the only way to see what was happening. Victory Films has transferred original 16mm and 35mm film directly to DVD. This ensures the best reproduction for you the viewer.
Combat Weekly 21 starts off with C-87, the cargo version of the B-24, flying over the Humps. The C-46s are carrying fuel and bombs to the front line. It is interesting how they transfer the items to the trucks. 80th Fighter Group P-40Ns are in the next piece. Doesn´t sound neat but it really is. These P-40s are armed with depth charges, not bombs. That is right depth charges with contact fuses. The P-40s carry three of the depth charges for a very different look. A-20s with shark mouths are shown on a bombing mission. B-24s bomb Rabual escorted by F6F Hellcats and Corsairs. This reminded me of the Baa Baa Black Sheep episode, Trouble at Ft Apache. J4 Cubs are seen on a very short field where C-47s resupply the airfield by parachute. From there natives carry the supplies to the airfield.
Weekly 22 starts off with the Ledo Road, a single lane resupply route. J4 Cubs do recons above the way. There is a USO show with a mix of blacks and whites sitting together. I found this interesting considering the time frame. The clearing of the road is made more interesting by seeing the bulldozers precariously perched on the verge of cliff faces.
The B-24 Blue Streak from the Liberandos is seen starting its War Bond tour after finishing 110 missions. The markings all along the fuselage make this aircraft particularly interesting. The markings include maps, mission data, as well as, kill markings.
A P-40 from the 80th Fighter Group complete with skull cowling with battle damage will be particularly helpful for the modeler. There are small and large holes from flak and fighters. The weathering will also aid the model builder.
Weekly 23 features the first USAAF raid on Berlin. You can tell from the video that the bombing results were not very accurate. The flak is really heavy and close to the cameras. Interestingly it mentions that Our planes had their share of casualties.
More L4s and L5s, including one landing with General Stilwell, are seen landing in a very confined area. This forward area is then resupplied by air with C-47s. The low level drops are very accurate and impressive. Some B-24s are seen modified with strike cameras all over the aircraft.
Sometimes the neatest things are not in the air. There is a unique Studebaker tug/truck that is built up from junk and actually quite versatile. It is Yankee engineering at its finest. Then there is the little go-kart jalopy.
Some P-40s from the 79th FG are seen during bomb runs. It is quite exciting footage.
Weekly 24 shows General Stilwell at a field hospital where L4s are seen with stretchers being loaded and unloaded. These amount to some of the earliest MASH efforts.
For a the Japanese fan, there is a segment on a crashed Zero but it actually an Oscar that includes a lot of walk around information. The camouflage alone is noteworthy.
Some crew member body armor is shown that makes the bomber crew look like a medieval knight. This armor would have been nice in the following sequence which features another raid on Berlin. The crash landing of a B-17 with one wheel down is quite exciting and reminded me of the opening sequence from the movie ´Memphis Belle´.
The final weekly shows a crashed Oscar but what is really neat is the PBY that is used to get to it. The camouflage is what caught my eye. It is not the same blue as there is a definite camouflage pattern.
The harmonization of a P-51A is really interesting. There are some really good closeups of the guns and the aircraft. This sequence is followed up by a bit about salvage operations. There are some really good shots of B-25s, P-38s and B-17s.
The final sequence deals with a B-26s on a two mission day. There is some great video of the formation and individual aircraft. The nose art is interesting. During the missions the flak is really close and you can feel the aircraft get buffeted. A crash landing sequence is interesting in that the perfectly executed landing is done by a 19 year old pilot. The Typhoon escort is also something that is unique for me.
There you have it. A little bit of something for everyone. Japanese aircraft, bombers, ground equipment, detail shots, and just some interesting information. This DVD is as good as the rest of the Victory Films videos. There is video in here that you will not find anywhere else. Victory Films are historical records of a time long gone. If you like World War II these DVDs are for you. You will not find better value for your money.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Victory Films for the review copy.
You can obtain your copy of this and any other Victory Films through Wade Meyers Studio at http://www.wademeyersart.com/id69.html . Please tell them you heard about it here.
© Floyd S. Werner, Jr.
This review was published on Saturday, July 02 2011; Last modified on Wednesday, May 18 2016