Customer Reviews

Dogfights - The Complete Season One (History Channel)

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The History Channel's "Dogfights" series is a huge step forward for air combat documentaries. Rarely can gun camera footage capture what actually happened in a dogfight. Instead you just see the final couple seconds before the target explodes. The "Dogfights" episodes overcome this limitation by adding in computer-generated reenactments of the air battles that make you feel like you are there watching it all unfold right in front of you. You come away with a much better appreciation of the tactics. For archival footage fans, don't worry--there is still plenty of that in these programs. But because they also have the vivid computer imagery, the episodes don't have to rely on showing the same stock footage over and over and over. I especially appreciated this for the jet era battles, where there is generally a short supply of good footage. In particular, I thought the "Mig Alley" episode was a tremendous improvement over previous pre-CGI documentaries about the air war in Korea. And in that episode, the reenactment of Robby Risner's epic mission is the most incredible air battle story I have ever seen.

The whole series is amazing. It is absolutely essential viewing for anyone interested in air combat. That said, let me also offer three minor warnings:

1. Air battles in Europe during World War 2 get surprisingly little coverage in Season 1--only a episode of "Greatest Air Battles" bonus episode and a flashback in the "Air Ambush" episode about Robin Olds. Likewise, World War I air combat is not covered except at the beginning of the "Greatest Air Battles" episode.

2. There is a glitch on the "Greatest Air Battles" episode. When I hit 'play all' or 'introduction' for that episode, it starts with Rickenbacker's mission. It seems like the logical starting point, but that isn't actually the start of the episode. There is a lot of interesting material before that, but you have to manually rewind in order to get the real beginning of the episode.

3. When last I checked, you could get "Dogfights" for much less money from Deep Discount.

Finally, if you want to learn more about the dogfights of World War 2, I strongly recommend VICTORY ROLL by William Wolf. This massive book (460+ pages with over 600 photos) is the most comprehensive history of all the US aces from World War 2 that I have ever encountered.

I have seen each of these episodes and TiVo'd them since this show's debut. This has to be one of the best-ever military aviation programs to hit the airwaves. The stories are riveting, most told from first-hand accounts using interviews with some of the original aces or their fellow squadron members. There are recounts told from several military conflict eras... WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Six Days War and more. The beautifully-done CGI graphics are better than any video game created... they are exhilirating. The usage of interactive maps, graphs and diagrams make it all much easier to comprehend - you really understand the strategy and tactics involved for all of the battles. The SOUND is unbelievable, the narration not overdone and even the music score is extremely good for a cable show - use surround and turn it up LOUD... wow. The whole show is woven into a tapestry of inside information, education and wholesome solid entertainment. It's so good, you almost forget you are watching a history program. I have all of these on DVD recorded from my TiVo, but this is so good and rewatchable, I will most likely purchase this set. I highly recommend this to any aviation fan or miltary buff, even the casual ones (such as myself) - or even for those slightly curious about the subject. Even gamers will enjoy this series as the reenactments feel like playing a high-end video game or combat flight simulator. My 10 year-old son watches these with me, glued to the tv and never gets fidgety or bored... that should tell you a lot. I am so happy these have been released in such a nice set... thanks, A&E and History Channel. Major kudos!

First of all, you may wonder how I can say that this show is even better on DVD when it supposedly doesn't street for another 2 weeks as of this writing. Well, DeepDiscount already shipped out its copies 2 weeks ahead of schedule, if 24 April is indeed the street date.

Anyways, so if you've seen this show on the History Channel, you already know the quality of the show. Using state-of-the-art "computer game" style type graphics, and first-hand accounts from the veterans themselves, "Dogfights" chronicles some of the 20th Century's most famous (and infamous) dogfight engagements from WWI thru Vietnam and the 6-Day War.

The 3D models they use for the aircraft are some of the best I've seen outside a Hollywood feature film effects studio. They are highly detailed and use historically accurate paint schemes and markings. They even show the pilots in the planes themselves. The special effects used during the combat footage is also top notch, from the tracers, to the fire/smoke/explosions, to the pieces falling off the planes as they're shot.

The series was filmed in widescreen, but unfortunately, the widescreen transfers are not anamorphic. So we're talking just letterboxed 4:3 transfers. But the transfer is still very good despite being non-16:9 enhanced. The double length "bonus" pilot that was actually done a year before the series started is done in 4:3 so no worries there with regards to image quality.

The sound is also good despite only being in Dolby 2.0 surround. Just jack up the volume and set your receiver to 5-channel stereo (if available) and let'em rip and roar! The only con I have about the mix is that there's a low music track playing over the CG dogfight scenes which sometimes drowns out the sound effects, but still, it's a great sound track for just a 2.0 track.

This series brought in a lot of new fans of the History Channel it seems as this series is that well done. I'm hoping that the series continues later this year. I can't wait to see what other dogfighting areas they go into. I'm guessing some episodes on the Battles of Britain, Pearl Harbor, Midway, Coral Sea, Marianna's Turkey Shoot, and even some Eastern Front encounters. Hell, there's still probably several European engagements they could cover. Like the 8th Air Force's daylight bombing raids over Europe, once of course they got fighter cover with the P-47s and P-38s, and then the P-51s. And surely they'll touch more on some WWI engagments with the Red Baron and his Flying Circus.

The History Channel's DOGFIGHTS is an outstanding action documentary series that masterfully and excitingly puts you in the cockpit to examine the evolution of air warfare. The computer effects are astonishingly "photo realistic" and simply amazing at keeping one riveted to a "documentary." I especially appreciate how each story's historical relevance is revealed and the series is packed with a lot more than just airplane and jet specifications. I have learned a great deal about our Country's major conflicts and the sacrifices of people far better than me. You will be moved by the excellent interviews with the American Heroes that were there and the perspective of their modern pilot/aviator counterparts. I share the quibble of the previous reviewer about the wide screen image not being enhanced for wide screen TVs, but am especially disappointed that no provision for subtitling or closed captioning was made. If only the DVD mastering reflected the care the filmmakers took in this project.

This is an absolute must own DVD sets. It has all the ingredients of a good story and does not feel like a documentary at all. Even my wife who's not a military buff sat transfixed with me watching DOGFIGHTS. Amazon service was also excellent. Can't wait for Season 2 (if there's a season 2)

This series is so well done, you can't stopping watching until it's it over, so be in sure and taking care of any thing else before you push play. It also has a plus for me, as they detail the movements so well, I've done much better when flying simitation (IL2 1946) and I can transfer the moves directly to the simulation and usually come out better than I used to do. I intend to purchase all the seasons and I highly recommend you do too, for those times when you have all the cable channels on and nothing worth watching.

I bought Dogfights for my 3 grandsons ages 3 to 10 and they are absolutely glued to the TV when it's on. Their father and grandfather are right there with them too, not to mention my daughter and myself as well. The graphics and the stories are unlike anything you hear today. WWII vets are a dying breed and such a breed apart that it's inspiring to hear them tell their great stories of heroism, danger and tragedy. I love for my grandsons to understand a world that had men that were full of honor and self-sacrifice rather than a world of tattooed dope-head ego-maniac rock stars who simply follow a herd of pathetic self-serving fools.

Love this DVD.

Before this series, you'd hear accounts about aerial battles and on occassion, receive short footage about those battles when viewing series such as "The Century of Warfare".

However, this series gives you in depth coverage with excellent computer animated graphics step by step with some of the fiercest, most savage aerial battles that we wouldn't even know of if it wasn't for this series.

I agree, not much WWII coverage is on here, but I think the series did great by incorporating different planes/aerial battles from various wars fought throughout the century. There are 2 benefits to this:
- Witnessing the evolution of the fighter plane across the decades
- Observing how war, especially the aerial battle, has changed thru the century to press the need for better, more sophisticated fighter planes.

The episodes are generally 45 minutes each. There is one episode that's about 1 1/2 hours long (Dogfights: The greatest air battles which is a bonus for disc 1). Here are the pros and cons:

PROS:
- Detailed descriptions from the fighter pilots themselves across Asia, Europe, and the Mid East
- Excellent computer generated graphics
- Great comparisons/stat sheets of the planes compared side by side as well as some of the armaments of each
- Solid descriptions about aerial maneuvers and what real dogfighting is all about

CONS:
- There's a series in Season 2, the "First Dogfighters" that I felt should have been the pilot for Season 1 as it covers info about biplanes, the first planes that paved the way for dogfighting.

Although I am not a member of the US Military, I do consider myself a history buff having collections such as Century of Warfare, 20th Century Battlefields, Decisive Battles, Battlefields (Polygram, PBS), and The World at War. Dogfights in itself is an excellent portrayal of what pilots had to endure during their time. This series will leave you hanging on the edge of your "cockpit" at home. Also, the 2nd season looks just as interesting if not better. Just check out the episodes coming up:


KAMIKAZE

JET VS. JET

THUNDERBOLT

DOGFIGHTS OF THE HOLY LAND

GUN KILLS OF VIETNAM

THE FIRST DOGFIGHTERS

NO ROOM FOR ERROR

NIGHT FIGHTERS

THE BLOODIEST DAY

P-51 MUSTANG

DOGFIGHTS OF DESERT STORM

BATTLE FOR THE FALKLANDS

SUPERSONIC

DEATH OF THE LUFTWAFFE

TUSKEGEE AIRMEN

One word to describe the series? AWESOME. A very imaginative and visually engaging approach to dogfight documentary: use computer graphics to show the position of dogfighting aircraft in relation to each other, show possible maneuvers and outcomes, and annotate it with a running commentary from the aces themselves as they relive their encounters, and you have a very excellent and thrilling program that is as educational as it is entertaining. All the Episodes are excellent- but I am haunted in particular by the final image of the Japanese battleship Yamato capsizing and exploding in a towering mushroom cloud image that instantly reminds one of Japan's fate at the end of WWII. Powerful imagery- as powerful in its anti-war message as the the emotionally devastating ending of the German submarine film DAS BOOT (THE BOAT), distilled and compressed into a harrowing and unforgettable single image..

I have a question for those of you familiar with the series and the History Channel- I vaguely remember an episode featuring the P-38 Lightning dogfighting in Europe and having to overcome compressibility problems while diving and engaging foes. Was this episode part of DOGFIGHTS, or was it a separate program? It had the same trademark CG and presentation as the DOGFIGHTS series, but when I watched Season One I can't seem to find any trace of it. The Lightning was my favorite aircraft as a child growing up and I have always been fascinated by it- has anyone seen this program featuring the Lightning on the History Channel? I do not think it is the documentary that was devoted to the Lightning that featured Charles Lindbergh, as it did not have any CG in its content. Anyone out there familiar with this?

This four dvd set has some really beautiful highlights. The CGI is fabulous. The resulting episodes are visually arresting - much more lifelike than actual combat footage, which tends to be grainy or washed out. The CGI is so accurate that even the reflections on the fuselage of each aircraft follow the sun as the pilots maintain an orbit above or around a target, or pursue their enemy. The sequences of aerial combat are very fluid and very close to the sort of dogfight scenarios that one might visualize without having had the actual experience of air combat.

"Long Odds", a WWII segment that features "Old 666", a B-17 outfitted with thirteen .50 calibre machine guns and heavier armament. That Flying Fortress was tasked with the reconnaissance of Japanese troop movements over various land locations. Old 666 was involved in a 45-minute dogfight, facing an overwhelming Japanese presence. Its pilot, Jay Zeamer won the Medal of Honor for his heroism. Ultimately, the crew of Old 666 became the most Highly decorated B-17 crew of WWII. A great story.

"The Hunt for the Bismark" and "Death of the Japanese Navy" depict WWII aerial engagements involving naval vessels. The latter episode is a CGI adaptation of the actions surrounding Taffy III, and how that task force, which was cut off from the rest of the US Pacific fleet for a few days, managed to inflict serious damage on Japanese naval forces in the straights of the Phillipine islands.

"MIG Alley" illustrates the leap in jet technology during the Koean War and the effect it had on aerial combat and the resulting high speed problems each pilot faced are explained in surprising detail. Ace Pilots Frederick "Boots" Blesse, Robbie Risner and Ralph Parr give great commentary.

"Air Ambush" with commentary by by legendary Air Force Ace Robin Olds depicts the F4 Phantom and a rather unusual mission assigned to their Pilots and Radar Intercept Officers. It's difficult to imagine to be at the top front of all that raw power. This episode has a brief flashback - sort of a story within a story - to his days as a P-38 combat pilot in the skies over western Europe during World War II. "Hell Over Hanoi" is also about the F4 Phantom over Vietnam, with narration by Fred Olmsted and Dan Cherry. Again, Great CGI.

As a bonus on disc one, "One Inch from Out of Control," features commentary by Willie "Irish" Driscoll and Randy "Duke" Cunningham and is simply put, amazing. At the controls of the USS Constallation's VF-96 "Showtime 100," the Pilot and RIO score three MIG kills and escape a Surface to Air Missile hit which tears their Phantom apart and with only nanoseconds to spare, eject into the waters of the south China Sea.

There isn't much about World War I, but the series' introductory episode feautres a segment devoted to Eddie Rickenbacker and the techniques of aerial combat that he and other notables such as Manfred Von Richtoffen helped to develop and are still studied by combat pilots today.

To its credit, the History Channel also put together a CGI series that dealt more with ground combat in World War II, but the CGI didn't work all that well. Even though the historical information was accurately depicted, the CGI wasn't nearly what it should have been mostly by virtue of the complicated nature of recreating computer-generated human beings. In other words, the soldiers didn't look real.

"Dogfights" Seasons One is a four dvd set that I highly recommend. Devotees of air combat will find themselves watching many of these episodes several times to get all of the nuance of the air engagements depicted on these dvds.