RTE: "The German"

[I Will Yeah]

Hi there,

On Monday night last, RTE showed a short film just 10 minutes long called "The German", it's still available on RTE Player. It's set during the Battle of Britain and has great CGI but it's the twist at the end that got me!
Brill!!!!!!

It was made in 2008 but I'd never heard of it before. I'd recommend anyone with an interest in aviation to watch it and if you've seen it, don't give away the twist!!!!

IWY

[Ascot 1960]

 Hi IWY,
   Excellent stuff, didn’t expect that ending, nice find and well done that man.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=1132502

[aw139]

Ya i didnt expect that at the end my self....Great film say it would be brilliant in 3d..



Regards aw139

[Tony Kearns]

Hi there,
. It's set during the Battle of Britain and has great CGI but it's the twist at the end that got

IWY

Dont think so IWY, The Spitfire is a Mark Vc (cannon armed), the Messerschmidt seems to be correct though,
 an Emil.
Ascot, you are slowing up, thought that you would have noticed! tut tut

Tony K

[I Will Yeah]

Hi there,
. It's set during the Battle of Britain and has great CGI but it's the twist at the end that got

IWY

Dont think so IWY, The Spitfire is a Mark Vc (cannon armed), the Messerschmidt seems to be correct though,
 an Emil.
Ascot, you are slowing up, thought that you would have noticed! tut tut

Tony K

It is set in the Battle of Britain, right at the tail end, November 1940. The Messerschmitt bf109 is indeed an Emil, the Spitfire is a cannon armed mk1b as used in the battle.

IWY

[Tony Kearns]

Tell me if I am wrong IWY, No 19 Sqn RAF got 30  cannon armed Spitfires in June 1939 but suffered persistant stoppages when used in the Battle of Britain and got rid of them mid way. That Bf109 sure has some range to get where it crashed , didn't want to say where and spoil it. Great video though.

Ascot, Mr Kearns was my father, I am Tony.

Tony K

[I Will Yeah]

Tony is right 
The squadron's (19) first combat experience came during the collapse of France, covering the Dunkirk evacuation. It was one of the first squadrons to test out the cannon-armed Spitfire, but in 1940 the 20mm cannon was not really ready for combat, and the cannon armed aircraft were withdrawn.

No.

19 Squadron received their improved mk1b Spitfires, armed with cannons, in August 1940.
The yellow nosed 109's presumably depict Adolph Galland's JG26 the famous Abbeville Boys, whose aircraft could indeed reach Ireland on a one way trip.

The film is excellent and depicts the correct aircraft for the battle.

[I Will Yeah]

Hi again,

I'd never heard of the film maker Nick Ryan until the other day, but his "The German" caught my attention.
Apparently it isn't his first aviation themed short film, I found this as well. It's called "A Lonely Sky", and is also excellent.

This time it's 1947 and the Bell X-1 is trying to break the sound barrier.........

http://vimeo.com/30230876

[Tony Kearns]

I saw that one also IWY and it too is excellent.
Some questions, Did JG26 not operate from Audembert I Gruppe, Marquise-Ost II Gruppe, and Cartiers III Gruppe  during the Battle of Britain moving to Abbeville early December?
With a range of 400 miles it does not stand up geographically that a Bf109 would operate so far west unless it had no intention of returning. It is depicted as escorting bombers ( weaving,high fuel consumption) then high speed combat (very high fuel consumption) and hoping to return to base?
Bf109 operated I believe as far west as Portsmouth on occasions, otherwise they operated over Eastern UK.
There was never a single engined Luftwaffe fighter sighted over Ireland let alone crash.

My understanding is that 19 Sqn got rid of their cannon armed Spitfires in September 1940, too troublesome.

I caught a glance of the Spitfire control column, it had the circular firing button, if cannon armed it should also have had the rocker switch on the stick to operate the cannon.
I don't want to be critical but I think that they could have done with a Spitfire/Bf109 historian.
It is nevertheless an excellent piece of cinema
Tony K

[I Will Yeah]

I saw that one also IWY and it too is excellent.
Some questions, Did JG26 not operate from Audembert I Gruppe, Marquise-Ost II Gruppe, and Cartiers III Gruppe  during the Battle of Britain moving to Abbeville early December?
With a range of 400 miles it does not stand up geographically that a Bf109 would operate so far west unless it had no intention of returning. It is depicted as escorting bombers ( weaving,high fuel consumption) then high speed combat (very high fuel consumption) and hoping to return to base?
Bf109 operated I believe as far west as Portsmouth on occasions, otherwise they operated over Eastern UK.
There was never a single engined Luftwaffe fighter sighted over Ireland let alone crash.

My understanding is that 19 Sqn got rid of their cannon armed Spitfires in September 1940, too troublesome.

I caught a glance of the Spitfire control column, it had the circular firing button, if cannon armed it should also have had the rocker switch on the stick to operate the cannon.
I don't want to be critical but I think that they could have done with a Spitfire/Bf109 historian.
It is nevertheless an excellent piece of cinema
Tony K

You don't want to be critical? ? ? ? ? ?

Your initial criticism was with the Spitfire but at least I see that you have agreed that cannon armed mk1b Spitfires were used, as depicted, in the Battle of Britain. Oh and 92 squadron got the hand me downs in September.

Yes, yes, I know about the 410 mile range and that JG26 was based in the Pas-De-Calais but not all Yellow nosed 109's were in that squadron and if I was in a smoking aircraft over an "enemy" country, being attacked by a skilled fighter pilot in a world class machine, than range would be the least of my concerns. Evasion and the desire for revenge brought them to Ireland in the film, nothing else.

Just enjoy the movie, a superb film with excellent CGI depicting the correct aircraft. I applaud the producers for their first rate work.

Who on this site has done better?

[I Will Yeah]

[quote author=I Will Yeah link=topic=2929.msg19741#msg19741 date=1327592014


Do we sound a bit irritated here?

It is too inplausable being over Ireland, a Bf109 with a Spitfire fitted with cannon and no firing button!
You obviously enjoy the fiction I prefer the non fiction.


But with some lack of attention to detail.

"We"? ?

It seems you have now turned to condescension.

Your repeated criticism of a superb piece of work is tiresome.

Once again I repeat my praise for the producers and suggest that if you can do better than them please do so. God, it's the easiest thing in the world to criticise.

[Gnat]

Hey guys I like to build models and like the Spits and Hurries and I have to agree with TK. It kinda stretches the imagination to see a Spit and 109 tangle over Ireland.
I have seen the film but I never noticed the joy stick without the cannon button and as a modeller I would lose points on that one.
I Will Yeah, if you think it is excellent so be it, perfectly right to say so but it is getting tiresome to.
Wrap it up guys.
Gnat
(I sting) 

[FiSe]

Could chase a Heinkel or Junkers as all three aircraft - Ju, He, Spit - landed in Ireland at some stage and sometimes after fighting each other.
It was enjoyable and entertaining to watch and let's hope that will see some more of this stuff made in Ireland.

To ad a bit of criticism: that wing clip and fight on foot after a rough crash landing was a bit unreal

[Tony Kearns]

Could chase a Heinkel or Junkers as all three aircraft - Ju, He, Spit - landed in Ireland at some stage and sometimes after fighting each other.
It was enjoyable and entertaining to watch and let's hope that will see some more of this stuff made in Ireland.

To ad a bit of criticism: that wing clip and fight on foot after a rough crash landing was a bit unreal

You are right FiSe about the Heinkel and Junkers.....also did you notice
The lack of a cannon firing switch on the control stick
That it should have had a black spinner
That it should not have had a sky band on the rear fuselage
That the camouflage should have been Dark Earth and Dark Green
Hope Gnat is not going to make a model based on the film.

Did I see Duxford mentioned in the credits or do I too need to go to Specsavers? I still think that they should have had a aviation historian on board.