I enlisted USAF because of this movie Nov 1956. Served 4 years got out went to Electronics school . Worked as Avionics Tech Rep McDonnell Aircraft 20 years. Thanks General Stewart. My favorite Male Actor.
Jimmy Stewart was one hell of a pilot . He began flying when LAX was just a grass field . He flew over 25 bombing runs deep into Germany as B-24 pilot . He also flew B-36’s , B-47’s , B-52’s and the B-58 . Rising to the rank of Major General , he fought in WW2 , Korea and in the skies over North Vietnam . One of the toughest guys in Hollywood and a gentleman too .
This is a rare case of an actor playing a guy who is a lesser version of the actor himself. This is like Muhammad Ali starring in a movie about Kimbo Slice.
That 1 man was enough of an American is 1000 of me and I love our country as much as anyone of you, if someone ask me who is my hero there's 3 people I'd say at once, J. Stewart, J. Wane, B. Franklin will be the top of my list. Having said that there's many more but that's my top 3...
Jimmy Stewart was temporarily grounded at the end of WWII due to PTSD. The people who flew with him said he went "flack-happy." When he went back to Hollywood in 1946 to film "It's a Wonderful Life" he had several scenes where he seems to lose it by screaming at people. It was likely him releasing his PTSD.
Poor Frank Lovejoy-- died of a heart attack in his sleep in 1962 just 8 years after this film was made. He was only 50 years old when he passed. He made a great Curtis LeMay in this film. A strong, working actor who always turned in a great performance. Always fun to see him when pops up in a movie or show.
The amount of people who die in their sleep from heart attack is shocking. Joe Strummer of the Clash went this way also around the same age. Apparently, steady trips to a top doctor can help prevent this. Everyone should do what they can. Life is precious.
Clark Gable went into OCS in 1942. 700th of a class of 2600. Trained as a gunner, and did recruitment. Flew 5 combat missions as a gunner/observer. Got the Air Medal and DFC. One mission flak went through his boot and almost hit his head. Finished as a Major, but was too old by the time D-Day arrived. Resigned his commission in 1947.
My father was Russian Voice Intercept/enlisted flyer in the USAFSS from 1953 to 1983 and at one point after his time flying on the RB-36 his TDY/SAC unit was reassigned to RB-47Es. Believe it or not he was 1 of 3 additional crew members tucked away in the belly of that bird as Electronic Warfare Raven... he said after the RB-47 came his less glamorous EC-121 assignment. Wow! I love my Daddy!!!
Notice the Douglas Factory Model C-124 Globemaster II behind James Stewart. I actually have one. It's all cast aluminum (just two pieces - fuselage with tail and main wing) and is 1/72 scale.
the Air Force is looking for a "new" dress blue uniform (yet again) /they should use this one from this movie era and stop messing with new and improved. Just stop it.
Too bad life wasn't this simple. They sure knew how to make movies in the old days, though. The clarity of the film really is a time machine to a place you have no idea about, at least not me.
Any idea if the flyover was actual production sound? Used to see this movie on broadcast TV in the '60s and would discuss with my likewise-excited classmates the next day.
I have a lot of respect for Jimmy Stewart. Hell of a man by anyone's estimation. Curtis Le May, not so much. I'm a lifelong military historian and it amazes me that there are *STILL* people with 'Billy Mitchell disease' -- the irrational belief despite all evidence that bombers will somehow win a war for you. Bombers can help create conditions where winning is possible and you ignore the ability to cause to strategic level damage to your enemy's industrial capability at your peril. One of the great weaknesses of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe was ignoring the heavy bomber role. But for some damned reason, the idea that bombers can be the sole reason you win a war is just plain ridiculous. Just to be clear: there are exactly TWO branches of military service: the Infantry and various flavors of Support. And I say that as a proud ex-cavalryman.
Depends on the type of war. The conflict SAC was training for during the period depicted in the movie, nuclear deterrence, was not one in which infantry would play much of a part.
Now, pilots don’t know how to fly a plane manually. All they know is how to push buttons and let the computer fly the plane. When they say thy have 7,000 flying hours they mean 7,000 hours pushing buttons.
Yola Montalvan Oh, come on, every pilot first learns to fly with real "fly by wire," where the stick is connected to the rudder with wire ropes. But yes, flying today's modern aircraft without the support of avionics is almost impossible. This is not the fault of the pilots and may not be accused them. And, I know F/A-18 C/D Hornet Pilots here in Switzerland, whose hobby is to fly the old Hawker Hunter. They say to fly a plane with the ass, the steering of the aircraft in which the pilot is connected directly to the rudder, still is the the highest of the feelings!!
It's funny he says this. There have been incidents where damaged planes have come back with the flight controls wrecked. One A-10 took so much damage that the pilot had to bring in back in Manual Reversion mode. That's when the hydralics are shot and you have to fly the plane with a set of cable controls, which reverses all the flight controls. Another guy landed an F-15 with one wing and no computer assist.
Really? And you base that on what? Even our B-2 pilots get MOST of their flying time every month in T-38's, which are very "hands-on" aircraft. As others have noted, A-10's are all manual and I don't know of a single fighter -- including the most advanced "fly-by-wire" -- that you can do air combat maneuvers (or even land and take off) by "pushing buttons."
John Wayne was classified 3-A.......dependency deferment. He had four kids. That meant he wouldn't be drafted, but he could have enlisted anytime he wanted to. He didn't, he just made movies.
To be fair to John Wayne , he wanted to join the Naval Academy before the war . He didn’t make it in . In 1945 he tried to enlist in the Army but they didn’t want him , it was too late in the war . His movies were a great recruiting tool . He did however regret not enlisting early on in the war .
Petemonster62 Plus Republic Pictures threatened to sue JW had he enlisted. Back then unlike today, movie studios had all kinds of power over the career of an actor/actress. If you didn’t toe the line, you were punished. You took whatever roles the movie studio desired & you could be forced to sit out a picture or however how long w/out getting paid if you objected. If they didn’t want to have their actresses having a baby or got pregnant by sleeping around, they were forced to have an abortion.
I enlisted USAF because of this movie Nov 1956. Served 4 years got out went to Electronics school . Worked as Avionics Tech Rep McDonnell Aircraft 20 years. Thanks General Stewart. My favorite Male Actor.
Jeff Joseph wonderful!
Thank you Jeff for your service.
Jimmy Stewart was one hell of a pilot .
He began flying when LAX was just a grass field .
He flew over 25 bombing runs deep into Germany as B-24 pilot .
He also flew B-36’s , B-47’s , B-52’s and the B-58 . Rising to the rank of Major General , he fought in WW2 , Korea and in the skies over North Vietnam . One of the toughest guys in Hollywood and a gentleman too .
This is a rare case of an actor playing a guy who is a lesser version of the actor himself. This is like Muhammad Ali starring in a movie about Kimbo Slice.
That 1 man was enough of an American is 1000 of me and I love our country as much as anyone of you, if someone ask me who is my hero there's 3 people I'd say at once, J. Stewart, J. Wane, B. Franklin will be the top of my list. Having said that there's many more but that's my top 3...
I knew Jimmy Stewart flew B-52’s over South Vietnam. Did he fly over the North?
At around the time this movie was made, Stewart had just qualified on the B-47 and received his Brigadier General's star.
And also a great actor he was! Loved him in vertigo! Although he probably wouldnt have had it in real life haha!
Gen. Jimmy Stewart, one of a kind, and when we lost this great man, they broke the mold.
Agree 100%. Another actor that was in WW2 was James Arnes. (Matt Dillon). Also a good man from that era.
A gentleman
24 hours a day 52 weeks a year. Around the clock around the world None stop. Absolutely incredible. (SAC) Strategic Air Command.
Gen Jimmy Stewart was the real deal! A great actor and a great American.
Jimmy Stewart was temporarily grounded at the end of WWII due to PTSD. The people who flew with him said he went "flack-happy." When he went back to Hollywood in 1946 to film "It's a Wonderful Life" he had several scenes where he seems to lose it by screaming at people. It was likely him releasing his PTSD.
Poor Frank Lovejoy-- died of a heart attack in his sleep in 1962 just 8 years after this film was made. He was only 50 years old when he passed. He made a great Curtis LeMay in this film.
A strong, working actor who always turned in a great performance. Always fun to see him when pops up in a movie or show.
I remembered him as a great radio actor. He did a radio show, Nightbeat" about a report for a Chicago newspaper in the 50's. Great show.
The amount of people who die in their sleep from heart attack is shocking. Joe Strummer of the Clash went this way also around the same age. Apparently, steady trips to a top doctor can help prevent this. Everyone should do what they can. Life is precious.
Frank had a unique voice that you could identify with your eyes closed
Clark Gable went into OCS in 1942. 700th of a class of 2600. Trained as a gunner, and did recruitment. Flew 5 combat missions as a gunner/observer. Got the Air Medal and DFC. One mission flak went through his boot and almost hit his head. Finished as a Major, but was too old by the time D-Day arrived. Resigned his commission in 1947.
his wife was killed in a air crash Jan 16 1942 doing a war bond tour Carole Lombard her death was one reason he sign up
One of the better air force recruiting films.
It worked for me. I saw it then was in SAC soon after..
Never tire of seeing these scenes. Thanks for publishing.
All of that technology without a single integrated circuit or line of computer code.
Love this movie. I'm retired Air Force.
My father was Russian Voice Intercept/enlisted flyer in the USAFSS from 1953 to 1983 and at one point after his time flying on the RB-36 his TDY/SAC unit was reassigned to RB-47Es. Believe it or not he was 1 of 3 additional crew members tucked away in the belly of that bird as Electronic Warfare Raven... he said after the RB-47 came his less glamorous EC-121 assignment. Wow!
I love my Daddy!!!
Jimmy Stewart was an all American Hero! 🇺🇸 I love it when the old movies were done back in the days when REAL airplanes were used, not CGI effects! 😀
Outstanding film, and an Outstanding guy !!!!!
Still get goosebumps as the bomber flies over the stadium.
The sound of those engines screaming at takeoff revs. No jet assist then.
XB-52 model on the desk, with the original fighter style cockpit!
That explains the 8 engine configuration. I thought it was a B-47 initially but the extra engines confused me.
@tim murray No,XB-52.
Good eye!
Notice the model on the general's desk? One of the concept B-52's they were working on at the time.
Notice the Douglas Factory Model C-124 Globemaster II behind James Stewart. I actually have one. It's all cast aluminum (just two pieces - fuselage with tail and main wing) and is 1/72 scale.
the Air Force is looking for a "new" dress blue uniform (yet again) /they should use this one from this movie era and stop messing with new and improved. Just stop it.
Too bad life wasn't this simple. They sure knew how to make movies in the old days, though. The clarity of the film really is a time machine to a place you have no idea about, at least not me.
Love this movie.
SAC strategic air command
Any idea if the flyover was actual production sound? Used to see this movie on broadcast TV in the '60s and would discuss with my likewise-excited classmates the next day.
Opening of the end?
General Stewart. God Bless.
Jimmy steward (General)⭐️ was a great man a great airman to his country 🇺🇸
Already cracked me up, that he was a 47 year old baseball player, before being called up.
I have a lot of respect for Jimmy Stewart. Hell of a man by anyone's estimation.
Curtis Le May, not so much.
I'm a lifelong military historian and it amazes me that there are *STILL* people with 'Billy Mitchell disease' -- the irrational belief despite all evidence that bombers will somehow win a war for you. Bombers can help create conditions where winning is possible and you ignore the ability to cause to strategic level damage to your enemy's industrial capability at your peril. One of the great weaknesses of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe was ignoring the heavy bomber role. But for some damned reason, the idea that bombers can be the sole reason you win a war is just plain ridiculous.
Just to be clear: there are exactly TWO branches of military service: the Infantry and various flavors of Support. And I say that as a proud ex-cavalryman.
Absolutely!.....there's Infantry, everything else is support! You can't hold ground with a plane.
Depends on the type of war. The conflict SAC was training for during the period depicted in the movie, nuclear deterrence, was not one in which infantry would play much of a part.
There hasn’t been an all-out war since 1945. Linebacker II would have ended the Vietnam war in our favor if Nixon had held out another week.
#bringbacksac
Mr. Rogers?
Now, pilots don’t know how to fly a plane manually. All they know is how to push buttons and let the computer fly the plane.
When they say thy have 7,000 flying hours they mean 7,000 hours pushing buttons.
Yola Montalvan
Oh, come on, every pilot first learns to fly with real "fly by wire," where the stick is connected to the rudder with wire ropes.
But yes, flying today's modern aircraft without the support of avionics is almost impossible.
This is not the fault of the pilots and may not be accused them.
And, I know F/A-18 C/D Hornet Pilots here in Switzerland, whose hobby is to fly the old Hawker Hunter.
They say to fly a plane with the ass, the steering of the aircraft in which the pilot is connected directly to the rudder, still is the the highest of the feelings!!
It's funny he says this. There have been incidents where damaged planes have come back with the flight controls wrecked. One A-10 took so much damage that the pilot had to bring in back in Manual Reversion mode. That's when the hydralics are shot and you have to fly the plane with a set of cable controls, which reverses all the flight controls. Another guy landed an F-15 with one wing and no computer assist.
@@Elthenar ..We were on the range in Nevada and watched an A-10 missing most of a wing come in for landing, one hell of a aircraft and pilot
Really? And you base that on what? Even our B-2 pilots get MOST of their flying time every month in T-38's, which are very "hands-on" aircraft. As others have noted, A-10's are all manual and I don't know of a single fighter -- including the most advanced "fly-by-wire" -- that you can do air combat maneuvers (or even land and take off) by "pushing buttons."
John Wayne was classified 3-A.......dependency deferment. He had four kids. That meant he wouldn't be drafted, but he could have enlisted anytime he wanted to. He didn't, he just made movies.
Yep and he later regretted he said
Complicated story about Wayne and service. It's not so clear-cut. He did try to get in. Some things stopped him.
To be fair to John Wayne , he wanted to join the Naval Academy before the war . He didn’t make it in . In 1945 he tried to enlist in the Army but they didn’t want him , it was too late in the war . His movies were a great recruiting tool . He did however regret not enlisting early on in the war .
Wasn't John Wayne classified 4F because he had a knee injury from playing college football ?
Petemonster62 Plus Republic Pictures threatened to sue JW had he enlisted. Back then unlike today, movie studios had all kinds of power over the career of an actor/actress. If you didn’t toe the line, you were punished. You took whatever roles the movie studio desired & you could be forced to sit out a picture or however how long w/out getting paid if you objected. If they didn’t want to have their actresses having a baby or got pregnant by sleeping around, they were forced to have an abortion.
The guilt trip begins
Jingoism at it's absolute best.
Nothing quite like 50's and 60's propaganda.
THIS IS WHAT MADE AMERICA... AMERICA!!!!! MAGA!!!!! KAG!!!!
A little Cold War era Air Force propaganda doesn't hurt, I guess.