Apparently on the 332nd cared about protecting Bombers, all other groups were mavericks. I'll explain.

[drgondog]

I am with MP. The same line infuriated me also. I have never talked to a fighter pilot that flew in the 8th or 15th that did not feel a compelling urgency to protect the bombers at all costs. To imply that the 332nd was somehow 'above the rest' is a pitiful joke.

Having said this I honor their service and recognize that the survivors may not have written the script.

Ira Eaker was forced out by Eisenhower and replaced by Doolitle at the 8th and went on to command the 12th, 15th RAF Desert and Balkan forces. he was keenly aware that he was criticized for the enormous losses incurred by the 8th in summer/fall 1943 - largely due to lack of escort fighters over Germany. Unlike Doolittle, he didn't get Mustangs until May 1944 although he had P-38s in-theatre (4 groups total).

Eaker also did not have the same imperative that Doolittle had - namely destroy the LW capability to resist the upcoming invasion. Nobody in 8th AF FC leadership was aware that bombers were 'bait' - they were to be protected, but turning them loose gave the 8th AF fighter pilots and edge that LW pilots never had in BoB - namely freedom to be aggressive in pursuit of enemy fighters.

The LW encouraged such experience and attitude by largely obeying Goering's stupid orders to 'avoid US escorts' and it cost them dearly.

On the other hand, the all black 332nd probably did not feel so empowered because of the uniqueness of their constituency - and controlled the pursuit instincts of their pilots. I suspect they were slightly more successful in preventing bomber losses by staying with their charges - and did not have any air aces as a result.

[HGabor]

Maybe because I am a markings maniac, I hate to see everything which is historically fake, or not accurate enough in aviation. I also do not like restored old planes with fantasy markings on airshows. Guys, do not be so cheap!

But what are these 8th AF, 381st BG B-17s doing with the 15th AAF 332nd FG Mustangs? Maybe it is enough for Hollywood to make huge explosions in a film, but if they try to make a historical movie, please, lift up your ***, do the minimal effort and research to be accurate. This would be the minimum. All film-technology is available now to do different tricks and effects, why should they be so cheap in terms of historical accuracy, when thousands of aviation forums and sites can help in no time??? Watching these stupid mistakes I put these films in **** cathegory.

[Brian Bines]

The sticking to the bombers by the 332 FG has already been touched upon in the film Tuskegee Airmen, and the background to it is reported on Wikipedia when it was an raised in the forties. In the latter stages of the war, when the 262s were about, would 15th AF fighters operate in the area of 8th AF B17s ? If so most of the B17s would surely be silver, it does seem a shame if with the time to produce such great graphics aircraft markings were not correct. Still it makes a change from old black and white films showing shots of the Bf109E scrambling to attack B17s in the 1944/45 period or even a Stuka. Probaly the 'Inspired by True Events' which flashes up in the trailer is all that can be expected from Hollywood, ie basic facts padded out with a lot of drama to please all the non-aviation types that will watch it. I enjoyed the film 'The Memphis Belle' which does say the events of many missions were crammed into the story of its Hollywood last mission. Going back to the BoB did not Luftwaffe fighter pilots complain when they were ordered to fly close to the bombers. The view being the bombers crews may have felt better but the fighter pilots felt less able to protect them.