Customer Reviews

Roaring Glory Warbirds: Curtis P-40 Warhawk [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a story of a classic early WW2 fighter, we are shown some background to it's development thru to it's war service, in the hands of an experience pilot who understood her strong points,she could still be a deadly weapon against newer aircraft, the video has some great footage and deserves a spot on the shelf

This video starts off with a quiet upper-state New York farm getting buzzed by a P40! (that is good enough alone!) As this beautiful warbird tears accross the screen, you can't help but notice how brutal the plane really is. Jeff Ethel takes you through a very brief preflight check-off, history and taxi down the runway, but he really delivers with the on-board and chase-plane views. I would love this thing in DVD, but it doesn't seem to be offered. THAT IS ASHAME, because to hear that Allison engine roar is a religious experience!

I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Jeff Ethel in 1992 at the Winchester Airport in Virginia (his home base). Jeff was returning from an air show in his beautiful P-47. He made a typical WWII approach. Into the wind at 50 feet at cruise throttle, a quick climbing turn to the left to bleed off air speed and drop his gear, then a smooth let down thru his base leg into a final that would make any pilot proud. He greased the bird onto the 8000' runway and let her roll out the full length. Taxiing back to the tarmac at a slow idle, making a 270 into his assigned parking spot, then a quick engine shut down was just as graceful as the landing.
I asked him why he did the full length roll out. His response, " I have to pay for the brakes." That said it all. He topped off the internal tanks
(I would hate to have to pay for that today), climbed down and headed for the hanger. Our meeting lasted less than 2 minutes. That 2 minutes is still with me. I have watched most of Jeff's flight programs on the SPEED Channel. I never get tired of his expertise, professionalism and direct approach to a sport he loved. He is missed by many. Maybe GOD really is his co-pilot now.

Anyone who is a Jeff Ethel fan will appreciate the fine work he did in this video. It is the first of his concept to document the warbirds for the average pilot, or aviation historian, in a down to earth, effective and, for Jeff, personal style. My grandson has watched this video at least 30 times and loves every minute of it, as do I. It gives us all the details that make us feel like we're personally in the cockpit. I recommend this highly and consider it the defining classic of this type of video.