Flight of the Red Tail

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Flight of the Red Tail
Flight of the Red Tail Cover.jpg
Cover art
Directed byAdam N. White
Produced byHemlock Films
Narrated byJames Kisicki
Edited byAdam N. White
Music byKeith Philip Nickoson
Production
company
Hemlock Films
Release date
Running time
12 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Flight of the Red Tail is a 2009 historical documentary film by Adam White about the Red Tail Project's successful return to flight of a World War II P-51 Mustang. The plane had been originally flown by the United States Air Force 332d Fighter Group as a bomber escort for the Allied Forces in the European Theatre of World War II and serves as a travelling and flying tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen. It had become inoperable during a 2004 crash after having been restored for exhibition flying once before in 2001. The Red Tail Project is a part of the Commemorative Air Force. The film is a sequel to Red Tail Reborn which brought attention to the attempt to relaunch of the plane after the 2004 crash.

Contents

Details

The restored World War II P-51 Mustang flown by Red Tail Project as described in the film (2009-08-05) P-51C-18.jpg
The restored World War II P-51 Mustang flown by Red Tail Project as described in the film (2009-08-05)

The film was released in DVD format on November 27, 2009. [1] [2] The film, which was produced in NTSC Dolby 5.1 format, had a running time of 12 minutes. [3] It is contained on a single disc. [4] This film chronicles the reconstruction by picking up where Red Tail Reborn left off in 2007. [5] It is described as a companion piece to its predecessor, but White says it is only part of a continuing story. [6]

The five-year restoration occurred at Tri-State Aviation in Wahpeton, North Dakota from 2004 to 2009. [7] In 2007 Gerry Beck, one of the primary restorers was in an aviation collision of a P-51A and a P-51D during AirVenture 2007. Nonetheless, the rebuilding continued with the mounting of the engine in 2008 and the mating of the wing in 2009. On July 22, 2009, [8] four days before AirVenture 2009 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin the plane had its first flight. Then, it was flown to Wisconsin for its public debut. After the show it returned to Minnesota with a 6 AT-6 escort. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

The Tuskegee Airmen was a group of African American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel. The Tuskegee airmen received praise for their excellent combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations.

<i>The Tuskegee Airmen</i> 1995 American television film

The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps, that fought in World War II. The film was directed by Robert Markowitz and stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Lithgow, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Jefferson</span> United States Army officer (1921–2022)

Alexander Jefferson (POW) (WIA) was an American Air Force officer, famous as one of the Tuskegee Airmen, the 332nd Fighter Group. He served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Archer (pilot)</span> Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot (1919–2010)

Lee Andrew Archer, Jr. was an African American fighter pilot in the 332nd Fighter Group, commonly known as the Tuskegee Airmen, during World War II. He was one of the first African American military aviators in the United States Army Air Corps, the United States Army Air Forces and later the United States Air Force, eventually earning the rank of lieutenant colonel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milton Crenchaw</span> American Tuskegee Airman aviator (1919–2015)

Milton Pitts Crenchaw was an American aviator who served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and was the first Arkansan to be trained by the federal government as a civilian licensed pilot. He served during World War II as a civilian flight instructor. He was one of the two original supervising squadron members. In 1998 he was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. The grandson of a slave, he was known as the "father of black aviation in Arkansas" who broke through color barriers in the military.

<i>Red Tails</i> 2012 war film directed by Anthony Hemingway

Red Tails is a 2012 American war film directed by Anthony Hemingway in his feature directorial debut, and starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. The film is about the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) servicemen during World War II. The characters in the film are fictional, although based on real individuals. The film was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and released by 20th Century Fox, and would be the last film Lucasfilm released before being purchased by The Walt Disney Company nine months later. This was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s first theatrically released film in five years since his starring role in 2007's Daddy Day Camp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Tail Squadron</span> American non-profit organization

The Red Tail Squadron, part of the non-profit Commemorative Air Force (CAF), known as the Red Tail Project until June 2011, maintains and flies a World War II era North American P-51C Mustang. The twice-restored aircraft flies to create interest in the history and accomplishments of the members of the World War II-era 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, whose distinctive red markings on the tails of the P-51s they flew during that war, gave the organization its name.

<i>Red Tail Reborn</i> 2007 film

Red Tail Reborn is a 2007 historical documentary film by Adam White about the Commemorative Air Force's Red Tail Project. The project involves the restoration, exhibition and maintenance of a World War II P-51 Mustang flown by the United States Air Force 332d Fighter Group. The exhibition of this plane is considered to be a traveling and flying tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen. In addition to increasing awareness of the travails of the Tuskegee Airmen, this film served to highlight the Red Tail Project fundraising effort to rebuild the plane after a 2004 crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles McGee (pilot)</span> US Air Force officer (1919–2022)

Brigadier General Charles Edward McGee was an American fighter pilot who was one of the first African American aviators in the United States military and one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen. McGee first began his career in World War II flying with the Tuskegee Airmen, an all African American military pilot group at a time of segregation in the armed forces. His military aviation career lasted 30 years in which McGee flew 409 combat missions in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel F. Parrish</span> United States Air Force general (1909–1987)

Noel Francis Parrish was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force who was the white commander of a group of black airmen known as the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He was a key factor in the program's success and in their units being assigned to combat duty. Parrish was born and raised in the south-east United States; he joined the U.S. Army in 1930. He served in the military from 1930 until 1964, and retired as a brigadier general in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marion Rodgers</span> American aviator

Marion Raymond "Rodge" Rodgers USAAF was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American military pilots who fought in World War II and were the first African-American military aviators in the United States armed forces. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served the Air Force for 22 years, commanding the renowned 99th Flying Squadron of "Red Tails" after combat, then working in management for NORAD and NASA. In his nineties, as one of the last surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen, Rodgers continued to receive media attention as he shared his experiences and was honored at several public events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hardy (Tuskegee Airman)</span> USAAF pilot (born 1925)

George Hardy is an American retired pilot and military officer. In World War II Hardy served with the Tuskegee Airmen and flew 21 combat missions. In the Korean War he flew 45 combat mission as the pilot of a bomber. In the Vietnam War Hardy flew 70 combat missions piloting an AC-119K gunship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Gorham</span> Tuskegee Airman (1920–2009)

2nd Lt. Alfred M. Gorham (1920–2009) (POW) was a Tuskegee Airman from Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was the only Tuskegee Airman from Wisconsin, and he was a prisoner of war after his plane went down over Munich, Germany in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Dickson</span> Tuskegee Airman (1920–1944)

Lawrence Dickson  was an American pilot and a member of the famed group of the World War II-era Tuskegee Airmen. Dickson flew 68 mission in World War II before he was forced to eject from his aircraft over Austria in 1944. Dickson was declared missing in action. On July 27, 2018, Dickson's remains were identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Armstrong (pilot)</span> African-American pilot (1924–1945)

Flight Officer William Armstrong  was a member of the famed group of World War II-era African-Americans known as the Tuskegee Airmen. His plane was shot down on Easter Sunday in 1945 over Austria. In 2018 he was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Brown (Tuskegee Airman)</span> Fighter pilot and Tuskegee Airmen POW (1924–2023)

Harold H. Brown was a U.S. Army Air Force officer who served during World War II as a combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Brown's P-51C aircraft was shot down in the European Theatre of World War II and he became a prisoner of war.

Charles Blakesly "Buster" Hall was an American combat fighter pilot and U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter I. Lawson</span> Tuskegee Airman pilot (1919–1952)

Walter Irving "Ghost" Lawson was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie H. Fuller</span> American Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot (1919–1995)

Willie Howell Fuller was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot, and combat flight instructor with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was the first black flight instructor for the single engine planes at Tuskegee. He was the only black flight instructor until December 1944. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots. He flew 76 combat missions.

Luke Joseph Weathers, Jr., was a U.S. Army Air Force officer, historic African American air traffic controller and prolific World War II combat fighter pilot with the prodigious 332nd Fighter Group's 302nd Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or "Schwartze Vogelmenschen" among enemy German pilots. Weathers earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for defending and escorting a damaged U.S. Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator bomber against eight Messerschmitt Bf 109s on November 16, 1944, shooting down two Bf 109s.

References

  1. "Wright State grad to speak at Dec. 17 aviation dinner". Springfield News-Sun . October 28, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  2. "Local headlines". Dayton Daily News . October 29, 2009. p. A11. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  3. "Flight of the Red Tail". Hemlock Films. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  4. "Flight of the Red Tail". Amazon. November 25, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  5. "Plot Summary for Flight of the Red Tail". IMDb.com . Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  6. Wood, Janice (November 29, 2009). "'Flight of the Red Tail' released to DVD". General Aviation News . Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  7. Walsh, Paul (August 5, 2009). "Plane used to tell the story of Tuskegee Airmen is back". Star Tribune . p. 3B. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  8. "Page 2 Read". The Odessa American . July 29, 2009. p. A2. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  9. CAF, p. unnumbered
  10. Ferraro, Nick (August 6, 2009). "History Soars Again - A Rebuilt WWII Airplane Carries The Memory Of Pilot Donald Hinz And The Story Of The Tuskegee Airmen". St. Paul Pioneer Press . p. B1. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
Bibliography