Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: First Look Home Ente
• VHS Release Date: October 13, 1998
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305136610
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,278 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This production is loaded with historic footage: in it, you'll witness the terror of the air war during World War II exactly as it was fought in Europe and the Pacific, all seen from the unique vantage point of the cockpit. This special presentation in the series No Easy Days, Gun Camera Footage of WWII shows the way it happened - with U.S. bombers under relentless attack by Natzi fighters and American P-51s, P-47s, P-38s and P-40s as they charge into battle. Watch air-to-air pursuits all the way into the ground with dozens of aerial shoot downs, many in breathtaking detail. Then strafe factories, trains and ammo dumps right into the heart of Germay and Japan. It's all here, in this special collectors' edition of digitally mastered Gun Camera Footage of WWII. I displayed this footage at an air show symposium and was astonished to see people watching the air battles instead of listening to the speakers! Here is the first television production dedicated to the incredible air battles of Europe and the Pacific, seen through the shoot-to-kill gun fights of American and Nazi fighters. Watch carefully, and remember always brave men and women that were there and gave so much.

Length: 45 Minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent compilation of Allied and Axis gun camera films, November 28, 2000

By 

T. Whigham (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gun Camera Footage [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This television documentary is 45 minutes of black/white and color gun camera footage and newsreels taken from national archives of the US, Germany, and Japan (surprisingly, the Japanese footage is mostly shot from the ground with very little air-to-air filmwork). It is separated into distinct sections, so that footage from later in the war is put into historical perspective. I noticed that near the end of the film, the German and Japanese victims weren't pulling the sort of defensive maneuvers evidenced earlier in the clips, which is probably a good indication of the quality of pilots the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japan were forced to use late in the war due to attrition rates of its combat pilots.

The film is divided into "chapters", focusing on time period and theatre of combat, with the separations being introduced by vintage war newsreels. An excellent way to do the job. The film starts with the introduction of America into the battle over Germany, with Luftwaffe fighters chewing the tails off of B-17s and B-24s. This footage is accompanied by some of the most sombre music I've come across in this sort of video, and the producers were thoughtful enough to include the sounds of the guns and explosions as the German MG 17s and 20mm cannon tear into the bombers' engine cowls and crew compartments.

Anyone who has played an air combat simulation on a computer will thoroughly enjoy this film. I've certainly played my share of "Air Warrior" and can fully appreciate the maneuvers the pilots were making during their attacks. After watching the film, I promptly created 6 air combat training missions for "Air Warrior III" just so I could relive some of the footage for myself. This movie should be a staple in every armchair fighter pilot's library, right along with "Air Force", "Twelve O'Clock High", and "Memphis Belle".

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A+ for action!, May 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gun Camera Footage [VHS] (VHS Tape)

They give you some histroical references to put all of the terrific footage into perspective -- but the footage -- WOW. Germans chewing apart our bomber. Then our own fighters coming to attack. I felt like I was there!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Poor transfer of excellent clips, August 21, 2001

By 

George A. Ramick (Rockville, Md USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gun Camera Footage [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Like several other documentaries this one resorts to adding filler in the form of War Department films showing briefings prior to missions. While this is generally ok, this approach misses the point -- namely, showing gun footage. Scenes that were used are often excellent, but the quality of transfer appears to be poor. Obviously, such films would have severe lighting problems. What it looks like to me is a poor quality system was used for the transfer process. On the other hand, some of the music in the background was very good. There were many other film sources (e.g., Russian) that could have been added to make this an excellent film for those that are interested in aviation history. Too bad none of these were used.