Online Vids: 354FG Mustang Aces, Predatory P-47s, Gable’s B-17s & more

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Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-In May 2007 Newsletter

You’re invited to drop by Zeno’s Drive-In www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com and sample this month’s outstanding lineup of World War 2 plane videos playing live online.

As always, every film on our web site is showing for free.

This month “At the Matinee,” you’ll see a new film premier, “354th Fighter Group Color Scrapbook,“ featuring top P-51 aces in living color; “Thunderbolt” (color) the rock ‘em sock ‘em P-47 fighter/bomber classic; ”Combat America,” (color) Clark Gable’s tribute to the B-17 crews of the 351st BG; and “Bombers over North Africa,” where B-17s and B-25s of the 97th & 321st BGs” strike the retreating Afrika Korps.

If you haven’t stopped by Zeno’s Drive-In before, we also show videos of 1940-45 vintage WWII Army & Navy films and pilot’s manuals on how to fly the F4U, F6F, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-61, TBF/TBM, AT-6/SNJ, B-17, B-24, B-25, A-20, A-26, B-26, B-29, and Stearman N2S . Alert! – Alert! There’s just been an F-86 sighted over Zeno’s Drive-In!

“354th Fighter Group Color Scrapbook” Drive-In Premier -- Exclusive!
Rare color film of the legendary 354 Fighter Group, with over 700 Kills, the highest scoring American unit in Europe. You’ll see great aces like G. T. Eagleston and the amazing B.W. Carr at work and at play in their newly captured base in Germany in Spring, 1945. Nice scenes with the group’s well known P-51Ds too, including “Margie Maru” and “Angel’s Playmate.” This was the first group to fly P-51s in the ETO, so they were known as “the Mustang Pioneers.”

“Thunderbolt!” A Drive-In favorite! This exciting film chronicles the exploits of the P-47 Thunderbolt pilots of the “Fighting Gamecocks,” 65th Fighter squadron, 57th Fighter Group. Based on the island of Corsica off the northwest coast of the Italian boot, they flew from behind the enemy’s flank. As part of “Operation Strangle,” they attacked highways, bridges, ammo dumps, railroads and just about anything that moved. This film not only features one-of-a-kind P-47 combat footage, it also shows day-to-day life on a MTO forward airbase, including vintage pilot slang. “This has to be finest combination of great photography, a hard bitten, realistic script, stirring music, powerful narration and full bore Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp radial engine roar I have seen or heard in a World War II documentary. Truly memorable and highly recommended.” Zeno

“Clark Gable’s Combat America” This warm hearted documentary was produced, written, directed, and narrated by movie star Clark Gable while he was on assignment with the 8th Air Force, developing a gunnery training film. Though it contains plenty of combat footage and doesn’t flinch in showing the high cost of war, in many ways, it’s more of a Kodachrome album than a “war information film.” Gable chronicles the experiences of the men of the 351 Bombardment Group from the morning mists of Colorado to the frigid skies over Germany. His affection and admiration for these men comes through loud and clear. Though he doesn’t mention it (and generally keeps in the background) Gable flew combat missions with the Group until he was ordered to stop by “the brass.” He was 42 and a Hollywood star, but he felt he couldn’t accurately portray the air war unless he shared the experiences of the men who fought it. He did. It shows.

“Bombers Over North Africa” This is a rare look at early war US Air Operations in North Africa. B-25 and B-17 bombers of the 321st and 97th Bomb Group help cut off Rommel’s retreat from Tunisia. Part of the “North West African Strategic Air Force,” these groups were initially tasked with preventing men and material from reaching the Afrika Korps, and later with preventing them from escaping. The missions for the day of this film were to strike from bases in Algeria at the junction at Manouba and the air field at Sidi Ahmed, where a large number of JU 52 transports were based, a vital element in German evacuation plans. This film is notable for it’s “up close and personal” look at the aircrews. You’ll see real pre-mission and after action debriefing sessions with the men who flew them, including one B-17 crew’s account of an FW 190 shoot down and the water ditching of a heavily damaged B-25.

That’s over 14 hours of rockin’ World War II props for free viewing over the Internet!

Zeno

Zeno’s Warbird Video Drive-In
World War II Aviation Videos Playing Online 24/7
http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com