Terry37 | 21 Aug 2015 10:31 a.m. PST |
I am trying to determine if the plane that strafed he POW truck column carrying Richard Burton and other British prisoners was a P-51 or a true Spitfire. I have found plenty of sources siting the D-Day stripes, but none that confirm the type of plane used. I have found reference to both a P-51 and a Spitfire. Since it was filmed in California, and he tanks used were M-24 Chaffees, and the British armored car was an M8 Grayhound, it makes me wonder. Does anyone know or of a source that might help? I have surfed the net over and over but so far have found nothing finite. As for eh D-Day stripes, I have watched he scenes of the strafing attack dozens of times, slow motion, stop frame and I am not sure it is D-Day stripes, but possibly the implication of them created by the machine guns twinkling???? I realize this is not a top priority subject for most WWII gamers, but since I am building armies based on the movie I am really trying to find out for sure. Any help is appreciated, Terry |
miniMo | 21 Aug 2015 10:52 a.m. PST |
Hmm, can't help with the plane, but you did say "any help" ^,^ Here are the guns used in the movie: link And here are the ground vehicles: link Alackaday, the Internet Movie Plane Database has no entry for The Desert Rats. link |
marcus arilius | 21 Aug 2015 11:13 a.m. PST |
looks like a P-51 and it has Invasion strips on it. link at the 2:18 mark on the Preview. |
22ndFoot | 21 Aug 2015 11:23 a.m. PST |
The Mustang has a single air intake under the fuselage; the aircraft in the clip "Marcus" posted has twin intakes under the wings. The aircraft in the clip also appears to have clipped wings so my money is on an LF Spitfire. Here's one (without the clipped wings): YouTube link There is some bad language. |
emckinney | 21 Aug 2015 11:40 a.m. PST |
Not a P-51. Two radiators are obvious, one under each wing. P-51 had the distinctive integral underbelly radiator. Edit: Dang, I was interupted while typing and got beat! |
Terry37 | 21 Aug 2015 11:45 a.m. PST |
Gentlemen, thank you very much. I have already absorbed the weapons and vehicles used sites, but thank you for the help as I might not have. I too felt the plane had double intakes under each wing like a Spitfire, as opposed to the single under the fuselage for a P-51. I had not noticed the clipped wings. That is interesting. And you feel it does have D-Day stripes then. Yep, just watched it again and on my DVD of the movie. I agree, it does have D-Day stripes – you can see them outside the machine gun's twinkle, and clipped wings. Good catch on the latter. The spinner is also a light color, so I am going to guess it was in the green/gray camo for 1944, and will use a Spitfire in that scheme. The site with planes used in movies is still excellent and darn, sure which it had had The Desert rats. Gentlemen, you have been a great help and I thank you! Terry |
GarrisonMiniatures | 21 Aug 2015 12:19 p.m. PST |
' In one memorable scene, a German truck convoy is attacked by a plane that's first a Spitfire with D-Day stripes (not to appear until June 1944) and a second later it's an American Grumman Avenger (not to appear until 1942)…' From MiniMo's first link. |
Fred Cartwright | 21 Aug 2015 4:19 p.m. PST |
Wow that Avenger had a long flight. All the way from the Pacific. |
Texas Jack | 21 Aug 2015 4:32 p.m. PST |
And it flew so fast it actually went back in time. |
Rudysnelson | 21 Aug 2015 7:49 p.m. PST |
Availability versus film accuracy? Availability will win every time. It does not matter in the long run. A good movie for its time. I remember being miffed as a teenager at the Movie patton because of the tanks they used. LOL. |
number4 | 30 Aug 2015 11:30 p.m. PST |
That Avenger was escorted by Corsairs who stopped off to bomb sgt. Steiner's platoon in Cross of Iron along the way |