3 part Battle of Britain documentary

[Nick Beale]

Something a bit better is in the BBC News channel (or on iPlayer), “Hazel Hill, the Schoolgirl Who Helped Win a War”. It’s 25 minutes about a (then) 13-year-old who assisted her father with the calculations that showed the necessity for eight guns in future RAF fighters. Historical input from Stephen Bungay, but the inevitable footage of an Ar 96 being shot up, ditto an Fw 190 with a drop tank.

[twocee]

If the BBC calls all the Germans who flew in the BoB "Nazis" then, as Churchill was Prime Minister, it should similarly use the term "Torys" when referring to the RAF airmen.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by twocee

If the BBC calls all the Germans who flew in the BoB "Nazis" then, as Churchill was Prime Minister, it should similarly use the term "Torys" when referring to the RAF airmen.

Once Churchill became Prime Minister the UK got a multi-party government which included Labour and Liberal ministers in the War Cabinet and more widely.

[twocee]

My point is that the BBC label for the German fliers employed the name of the head of state's political party. Hence, the BBC collective title for the British airmen should have been Torys. To be serious, I am just pointing out the declining standards at the BBC. Having seen the names of the presenters I did not, in fact, watch the programme.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by twocee

To be serious, I am just pointing out the declining standards at the BBC. Having seen the names of the presenters I did not, in fact, watch the programme.

The programme originally being discussed in this thread was on Channel 5, so you can hardly blame the BBC for that. The BBC one I mentioned spoke of "Nazi Germany". Given the deliberate and explicit conflation of party and state in the Third Reich, that seemed reasonable to me.

[Col Bruggy]

Originally Posted by Larry

Its a good job they never found out that the HP Hampden was designed by a "Nazi" and friend of Handley Page himself!

Hello,

An obviously (incorrect) allusion to Dr Gustav V. Lachmann:

At Handley Page of Cricklewood , Dr Gustav V. Lachmann, the firm's chief designer, and his team started initial work on an all-metal monoplane design. Lachmann, an ex-pilot of the German Air Service in 1914-18 and ex-chief designer for the German Albatros Flugzeugwerke, was strongly influenced in his ideas for the new bomber by a previous successful design of his own creation.

See:
Hampden Special
Bowyer,Chaz.
London:Ian Allan,1976
p.4

For his troubles, Lachmann was classified as an "enemy alien", and interned during WW2.

Col

[FalkeEins]

..interesting, didn't know that! I only caught Pt 3 of the 'series' but was interested to see the 'previously unseen' footage of JG 52 Emils at Coquelles - did anyone catch the name of the pilot of 'white 11' ?

[Chris Goss]

Although I have not seen part 3 JG 52 film came from me. Got from Günther Büsgen

[edwest2]

Ratings and manipulating things to get more. I have seen some flight sim sites that focus on the air war, and the goal is to duplicate the look and feel of being in the cockpit, along with adding other factual details. You could call it a form of learning but it's a game. Being an actual pilot in combat, and learning the actual story is what documentaries should do. Capturing the look and feel of the time, along with giving the necessary background information, provides the necessary framing to educate the viewer.


This same trend of going away from facts, and not getting them right, has happened in the US as well. Perhaps books and actual footage from the period will help the younger generation understand. For those here who have far more knowledge, the pain and disappointment would turn any professional researcher away from such material.


I am saddened to hear this.

[andy bird]

Poor research.

Same can be said for the RAFBF All Stations PodCast thats currently being streamed - Apparently Coastal Command didn't take part in the Battle of Britain.

Shook my head in disbelief - complained - "Its aimed at a younger audience."

At least get the facts correct even if its the obligatory "Coastal Command protected the sea lanes"