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Best Naval Aviation movies

S

SlickAg

Registered User
pilot
nittany03 said:
George Gay was the only VT-8 aviator to survive Midway.
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Only survivor of the squadron members who launched in TBDs from the Hornet; a VT-8 pilot and aircrewman who were flying TBFs from Midway survived as well. George Gay’s autobiography is titled Sole Survivor; I was lucky enough to get a signed copy from Amazon a few years back.

https://m.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2017-06/torpedo-eights-celebrated-survivor

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/19951
 
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Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
nittany03 said:
George Gay was the only VT-8 aviator to survive Midway.
Click to expand...
SlickAg said:
Only survivor of the squadron members who launched in TBDs from the Hornet; a VT-8 pilot and aircrewman who were flying TBFs from Midway survived as well.
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The VTs got absolutely slaughtered at Midway. The three squadrons began with 42 TBDs and 6 TBFs. They had a grand total of six servicable aircraft between them at the end of the battle. Turns out going in low and slow against an effective CAP didn’t work out so well.

Going by the characters listed, looks like the movie will also depict William Brockman and Nautilus. They attempted an attack on Kaga on the first day of the battle but were held down by a Japanese destroyer. It was that destroyer that Wade McClusky subsequently spotted and decided to follow, intuiting correctly that she was racing to catch up with the main body.
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
bucka said:
Yep, and NOLF Goliad. Rockport less, as they're a little mad about the latest belly landing. T-44's use Cabaniss.
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T-44...Ouch! I though Cabaniss was totally closed. Thanks for the info.
 
A

ATIS

Well-Known Member
The movie will be FOD if it’s made in the same manner as that POS Pearl Harbor movie. Guess that’s what brings folks into the theaters these days, so again I hope I’m wrong and the movie is not over the top throw up drama.

ATIS
 
Max the Mad Russian

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Interestingly if it would eventually come to a story of Chief Machinist Smith from VT-6 - an experienced 40-years old enlisted pilot who not only launched a torpedo at Kaga from proper distance (probably the only really dangerous drop for this carrier) but also outmaneuvered all fighter attacks (since the guns of his rear gunner were fully jammed after first burst) and then landed awfully peppered TBD on Enterprise. One of the real Midway hero.
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Max the Mad Russian said:
Interestingly if it would eventually come to a story of Chief Machinist Smith from VT-6 - an experienced 40-years old enlisted pilot who not only launched a torpedo at Kaga from proper distance (probably the only really dangerous drop for this carrier) but also outmaneuvered all fighter attacks (since the guns of his rear gunner were fully jammed after first burst) and then landed awfully peppered TBD on Enterprise. One of the real Midway hero.
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I think close to every member of VT-6 got a Navy Cross for that attack. Chief Smith certainly did.
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Austin-Powers said:
I'm just afraid the movie will be CGI...Also, WTFO why Woody Harrelson?
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With reference CGI, it might be a bit necessary...TBD Devastator’s are hard to come by - as are IJN carriers.

As for Woody, why not? It’s up to the director to get him to “act” like Nimitz but I can’t think of another actor who looks the role.


F56C78B1-5B5A-469C-8B25-BB5DFAA1822C.jpeg944058D4-CE85-40B5-96F9-F5316B072C09.jpeg
 
Max the Mad Russian

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Griz882 said:
I think close to every member of VT-6 got a Navy Cross for that attack. Chief Smith certainly did.
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At least they all deserved it. What about Smith - he was as close to a Navy Cross as to a jail: after landing he decided to tell his thoughts about fighter escort directly to VF-6 CO Lt. Grey and supposedly only Marines guarding VF-6 RR prevented the angry boxing between them, which certainly could be evaluated as misconduct from the Smith's side... Everlasting behaviour of an old enlisted guys...
 
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