The documentary contains real archival footage that fits this story perfectly. However, the old stock footage not only had been reconstructed but also colorized in order to meet the rendering standards of today, trends as vintage had started to fall. Also, parts of the footage contain narration by Tom Hanks demonstrating how the “Masters of the Air” looked and were for the pilots. It all feels exactly like part ten in the series where the history aged over similar to how its counterpart “The Bloody Hundredth” portrayed it.
A member of an airborne strike group known as ‘The Bloody Hundredth’ named John ‘Lucky’ Luckado completed several combat missions around 80 years ago and somehow he is still alive! This is how he seems to Luckado who lives in Dallas. But he’s truly lucky as out of the airmen from the 100th Bomb Group, 77 percent were captured or died during WWII. Even more astonishing is the fact that even after managing to ‘retire’ as a US B-17 bomber pilot, he managed to survive intact and is currently battling 102 years of age, which is quite a feat in itself considering the significant power Luckado possessed.
The bombing raids on Germany during the black week in 1943 are still remembered as one of the bloodiest sadly details. To be more precise October 10th is the date when 88 B-17s joined the strike on Germany which culminated in the German raids and bombings. Munster was the target of one of The Lucky’s air force which led them to suffer heavy losses and in fact discouraged the soldiers from further combat engagements. The B-17s took part in missions commanded in a span of three days resulting in losing 13 planes out of which Robert Rosie Rosenthal was the only plane to make it back to the base, which thereafter defined Lucky’s as “The Bloody Hundredth”.
Rosenthal was a B-17 pilot and aircrew member which made him more elite than the other soldiers due to his position. He was portrayed in other documentaries like ‘Masters of the Air’ during his lifetime and many times moved to tears when recalling his time serving the nation.
Out of the members that comprised the bomber crew, only 25% were able to survive and complete 25 missions. The events surrounding Rosenthal and his previous mission are well documented by him, where he recalls the moment he buzzed the tower after completing his last mission. General Huglin was apparently unprepared for the difference in action and attempted to shield his uniform as he fell to the deck, instead of cursing the man who buzzed the tower, he told Rosenthal “That was one hell of a buzz job, Rosie”. Having appeared this eager for war, Rosenthal instantly embarked on his second tour and during the course of two successful breaks, went on to complete an astounding 52 bombing missions.
In the period that followed the last month of World War 2, it became clear that the overnight emergence of the P-51 Mustang Fighter aka The United States Fights would give the US a prominent edge against Germany. The British Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine boost allowed Mustangs to escort bombers deep into German airspace. However, the Allied Forces’ strategy for successfully conducting the D-Day Campaign was to contend with the Luftwaffe first.
Moving forward certain matters were settled in this regard as well. In 1944 the American bombers were all out in the bombing of the Eastern European regions and the aim of the American aircraft would be the elimination of as many German fighters as possible.
Their aim was to kill a considerable number of German pilots so the German aircraft could use the Luftwaffe less. To this aspect of the documentary, there appears a stunning fact; During the western operations from January to May of the year 1944, there was a 99% casualty of the Luftwaffe pilots.
The Allies landed in Normandy France on 6 June 1944 and opened another front against Nazi forces in Western Europe, the airborne resistance was negligible or absent. Taking advantage of having the weather in their support, the Eighth Air Force commenced the strategic bombardment of Berlin and other important military targets deep inside Germany until the Reich was barely able to support itself. The combat continued at the focus for almost a year after D-Day, till V-E Day on May 8, 1945.
The war was won but as Tom Hanks at the end of the documentary points “The Second World War was the most terrible thing that ever happened in the world. That caused more lives lost as opposed to the other wars.” As the war was being won and had to sail back, the British populace donned their best clothes in preparation for Sunday church service and for honoring the men of the Eighth Air Force stationed in England.
The WWII generation was integral in securing the liberties we cherish today as there was always a cost associated with those liberties Frank Murphy, a 100th Bomb Group Pilot made a heartfelt statement saying: “The freedoms that we enjoy today came with a great price and we were charged against it.”
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