Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart? Seen the movie?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart? Seen the movie?

Posted: 8/1/2005 10:18:54 PM EDT

Good movie? I'm actually more interested in the B-36 footage. Where to buy the movie? Thanks.

vmax84

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:28:58 AM EDT

[#1]

Its a 1950s SAC propaganda movie.
Typical 1950s mannerisms, attitudes, etc.
But its alright for being made in 1955.
B-36 footage is awesome.
Thats the main highlight of the film.
See it at least once.

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:33:20 AM EDT

[#2]

Great movie, lots of B-36 and some B-47 footage. And my grandfather's old panel truck is in one of the first Carswell AFB scenes.

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:40:31 AM EDT

[#3]

Great B-36 footage, perhaps the best footage that exist of that aircraft in operation.

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:50:40 AM EDT

[#4]

That B-36 was a big assed mother!

Posted: 8/2/2005 1:29:22 AM EDT

[#5]

Jimmy Stewart: Tool of the anti-communist FBI investigations of Hollywood (good thing, IMO)

STEWART 'WAS SECRET ANTI-COMMUNIST FBI AGENT'

JAMES STEWART

Screen legend JAMES STEWART worked as a secret agent for notorious FBI leader J EDGAR HOOVER, rooting out suspected communists from Hollywood, according to a damning new biography.

Hoover knew the VERTIGO actor was a Right-wing Republican and asked him to work undercover for the FBI in 1947, because Stewart's status as a famous, decorated war hero and officer in the American Army Air Force Reserve Corps made him the perfect choice to help flush out subversives in LA, Stewart's late wife GLORIA HATRICK McLEAN recalled.

And author MICHAEL MUNN's sensational expose, JIMMY STEWART: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGEND claims the star was so keen to assist Hoover, he spied on his closest friends, including CARY GRANT and director FRANK CAPRA, who directed his hit movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

McLean says, "Jim went barefoot up the mountain and saw the burning bush - only God's name was J Edgar Hoover.

"When Hoover realised Jim was willing to fight crime he played on it. Jim would have done anything to get those gangsters out of town.

"But he was concerned about how it would turn out for friends like Cary Grant who'd developed friendships with these people."
01/08/2005 02:52

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:29:29 AM EDT

[#6]

The aircraft footage is great. The interpersonal story sucks. But then it was just filler for the flying footage. It may be the best and or only B-36 footage you'll ever find.

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:54:18 AM EDT

[#7]

Thanks for the responses!! And thanks for the chart comparison!!

vmax84

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:00:19 AM EDT

[#8]

"I'm not interested in your problems. I only want results."

This movie is a must-have for airplane buffs. The flying scenes are simply fantastic, especially the JATO launch of the B-47D. Stewart is sublime in the movie, as usual, and June Allyson is ... well ... June Allyson!

Look for Strother Martin in an uncredited role as an Airman at Carswell in the movie.

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:08:12 AM EDT

[#9]

Stewart was a bona fide American hero. He enlisted nine months before Pearl Harbor, but the story started before that.

In late 1940 he received his draft notice. He reported for his physical, but was rejected because he was underweight. At that point many would have breathed a sigh of relief and gone back to their normal life, but Stewart saw the war clouds on the horizon and was determined to do his duty. He contested the rejection and fought to have it overturned. He was able to enlist in March of 1941.

On December 7, 1941, he was a corporal on guard duty at Moffett Field. Being an accomplished pilot (Private, Multi-Engine, and Commercial ratings) he was able to get into pilot training. He trained as a bomber pilot. When his class graduated, everybody got an overseas assignment except him. He was assigned to a training command. It wasn't what he wanted, but he resisted any temptation to use his fame or connections to get his desired combat assignment.

Eventually he was given command of a B-24 squadron headed for England. In England he served as a squadron commander and later the group operations officer. In these positions he had his pick of which missions to fly, and he didn't pick milk runs. He saw his share of flak and fighters. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated pilot with 20 combat missions over enemy territory.

Returning to Hollywood after the war, he had a clause put in his studio contract that his war record could not be used to promote his movies. He was just doing his duty like so many others and didn't want a big deal made of it.

Was he an anti-commie undercover informant? Beats me, but I don't see that as being a bad thing. Throughout the Cold War there was communist infiltration and subversion in our country. Fact.

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:38:21 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Stewart was a bona fide American hero. He enlisted nine months before Pearl Harbor, but the story started before that.

Eventually he was given command of a B-24 squadron headed for England. In England he served as a squadron commander and later the group operations officer. In these positions he had his pick of which missions to fly, and he didn't pick milk runs. He saw his share of flak and fighters. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated pilot with 20 combat missions over enemy territory.

+1 I knew a guy who was a navigator in his squadron. He said Stewart was a great CO and a great man. Stewart spent the rest of his life trying to find out what happened to all the men their squadron and group lost.

Stewart's son was a Marine, KIA in Vietnam.

GunLvr

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:00:28 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Jimmy Stewart: Tool of the anti-communist FBI investigations of Hollywood (good thing, IMO)

STEWART 'WAS SECRET ANTI-COMMUNIST FBI AGENT'

JAMES STEWART

Screen legend JAMES STEWART worked as a secret agent for notorious FBI leader J EDGAR HOOVER, rooting out suspected communists from Hollywood, according to a damning new biography.

Hoover knew the VERTIGO actor was a Right-wing Republican and asked him to work undercover for the FBI in 1947, because Stewart's status as a famous, decorated war hero and officer in the American Army Air Force Reserve Corps made him the perfect choice to help flush out subversives in LA, Stewart's late wife GLORIA HATRICK McLEAN recalled.

And author MICHAEL MUNN's sensational expose, JIMMY STEWART: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGEND claims the star was so keen to assist Hoover, he spied on his closest friends, including CARY GRANT and director FRANK CAPRA, who directed his hit movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

McLean says, "Jim went barefoot up the mountain and saw the burning bush - only God's name was J Edgar Hoover.

"When Hoover realised Jim was willing to fight crime he played on it. Jim would have done anything to get those gangsters out of town.

"But he was concerned about how it would turn out for friends like Cary Grant who'd developed friendships with these people."
01/08/2005 02:52

A damning expose? Bullshit, Stewart did what had to be done. Hollywood is STILL full of traitors and anti-American assholes. I wish he'd still be around to finish the job.

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:13:52 AM EDT

[#12]

It is a Classic and a must see movie if you like Vintage Bombers

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:22:10 AM EDT

[#13]

Stewart was a class act.

Pretty pathetic that "authors" of "damning exposes" have so little in life to contribute that they must stake their fortunes in trying to knock down those who served with distinction. Loser parasites.

(and the movie did have excellent footage)

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:27:39 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Eventually he was given command of a B-24 squadron headed for England. In England he served as a squadron commander and later the group operations officer. In these positions he had his pick of which missions to fly, and he didn't pick milk runs. He saw his share of flak and fighters. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated pilot with 20 combat missions over enemy territory.

Yep, unlike John Wayne he was not a 'Celluloid Hero'… he was the 'real deal'…and anyone who flew 20 combat missions in bombers over Germany earns a pass no matter what his 'crime'.

ANdy

Edited for spelling!

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:31:18 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:

Eventually he was given command of a B-24 squadron headed for England. In England he served as a squadron commander and later the group operations officer. In these positions he had his pick of which missions to fly, and he didn't pick milk runs. He saw his share of flak and fighters. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated pilot with 20 combat missions over enemy territory.

Yep, unlike John Wayne he was not a 'Celluloid Hero'… he was the 'real deal'…and anyone who flew 20 comabts missions in bombers over Germany earns a pass no matter what his 'crime'.

ANdy

I've always been a John Wayne fan, but can't help being disappointed that he didn't actually serve during the war.

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:31:18 AM EDT

[#16]

I always wanted to see more than the few pictures that seem to exsist of the B-36's gun turrets deployed. They had what, 8 turrets each with 2 20mm cannon. I know I later marks the deleted them, but The B-36 looked damn cool with them all out and ready for bear.

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:31:34 AM EDT

[#17]

There's a pretty good "Legends of Airpower" on Jimmy Stewert that comes up on the Military Channel sometimes.

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:34:19 AM EDT

[#18]

Six turning and four burnin'!

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:39:08 AM EDT

[#19]

Aluminium Overcast!

www.af.mil/media/photodb/photos/021001-O-9999J-002.jpg

www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/js.htm

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:56:16 AM EDT

[#20]

6 Turning and 4 burning . Must have been a hell of a noise when taking off . I've "heard that the Bear Bomber w/ its twin counter rotating props is said to be the loudest ever .

Edited to add LWilde beat me .....to 6/4 thing

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:02:39 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
I've "heard that the Bear Bomber w/ its twin counter rotating props is said to be the loudest ever .

I read that the vibration from a Bear's props would make our interceptor pilots ill.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:07:20 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

And author MICHAEL MUNN's sensational expose, JIMMY STEWART: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGEND claims the star was so keen to assist Hoover, he spied on his closest friends, including CARY GRANT and director FRANK CAPRA, who directed his hit movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

01/08/2005 02:52

Much as I have always like Stewart, if that's true it's pretty damn creepy. Course the author does not exactly sound unbiased.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:11:38 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Much as I have always like Stewart, if that's true it's pretty damn creepy. Course the author does not exactly sound unbiased.

Must be "Cheesy Expose' Book Month" or something. These hack authors try to make bank by digging up unverifiable half-truths about a deceased celebrity. I suppose the next one will be about how Rodney Dangerfield once spit on the sidewalk.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:12:01 AM EDT

[#24]

Good Movie, but I've always wondered why they built a plane with 6 pusher props and 4 jet engines. Why not all jets?

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:14:24 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Good Movie, but I've always wondered why they built a plane with 6 pusher props and 4 jet engines. Why not all jets?

The jets weren't available when the B-36 was developed. An all-jet B-36 derivative was proposed to compete with the B-52, but Boeing had a better track to the more powerful J-57 turbojets and Convair lost out. Well, it's a lot more complicated than that, but in short, that's what happened.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:14:52 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Much as I have always like Stewart, if that's true it's pretty damn creepy. Course the author does not exactly sound unbiased.
Must be "Cheesy Expose' Book Month" or something. These hack authors try to make bank by digging up unverifiable half-truths about a deceased celebrity. I suppose the next one will be about how Rodney Dangerfield once spit on the sidewalk.

Yeah "Jimmy Stewart was an all around great guy" probably would not sell as many books.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:17:53 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Good Movie, but I've always wondered why they built a plane with 6 pusher props and 4 jet engines. Why not all jets?
The jets weren't available when the B-36 was developed. An all-jet B-36 derivative was proposed to compete with the B-52, but Boeing had a better track to the more powerful J-57 turbojets and Convair lost out. Well, it's a lot more complicated than that, but in short, that's what happened.

So the Jets were an afterthought to boost payload?

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:18:52 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
6 Turning and 4 burning . Must have been a hell of a noise when taking off . I've "heard that the Bear Bomber w/ its twin counter rotating props is said to be the loudest ever .

Edited to add LWilde beat me .....to 6/4 thing

I heard one once many years ago, just before the last one was finally retired. It flew into San Diego, where they were originally designed and built, IIRC. The damn thing literally shook the ground! The sound was deafening.

I think you can find a recording somewhere online...

ETA:
Here is where you can find the recording: www.air-and-space.com/b-36%20diagrams.htm

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:20:25 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Good Movie, but I've always wondered why they built a plane with 6 pusher props and 4 jet engines. Why not all jets?
The jets weren't available when the B-36 was developed. An all-jet B-36 derivative was proposed to compete with the B-52, but Boeing had a better track to the more powerful J-57 turbojets and Convair lost out. Well, it's a lot more complicated than that, but in short, that's what happened.

So the Jets were an afterthought to boost payload?

Not really. More to increase range. The B-36 with a full nuclear load-out would burn so much fuel getting airborne and up to cruising altitude that its combat radius was strapped. With the additional jet thrust available for take-off, the plane's mission profile could be expanded. All of this was negated eventually by aerial refuelling.

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:27:53 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Not really. More to increase range. The B-36 with a full nuclear load-out would burn so much fuel getting airborne and up to cruising altitude that its combat radius was strapped. With the additional jet thrust available for take-off, the plane's mission profile could be expanded. All of this was negated eventually by aerial refuelling.

Got it. Ok - did the props and the Jets use the same fuel or were there separate tanks?

Posted: 8/2/2005 7:47:37 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Not really. More to increase range. The B-36 with a full nuclear load-out would burn so much fuel getting airborne and up to cruising altitude that its combat radius was strapped. With the additional jet thrust available for take-off, the plane's mission profile could be expanded. All of this was negated eventually by aerial refuelling.

Got it. Ok - did the props and the Jets use the same fuel or were there separate tanks?

Separate fuels. The giant 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major recip engines used +100 octane avgas. The jets used JP-4 or 5, essentially kerosene.

ETA: I just read that the jets were modified to use avgas. Must have severly shortened their lifespan.

Posted: 8/2/2005 8:43:27 AM EDT

[#32]

Reason I bring this whole subject up is that Dad is in his final days of lung cancer, and I thought maybe he'd like watching something like this before he slips away.........might make him feel a little better watching his old bomber in action.

He was a B-36 mechanic while he was in (1950-1954) and he loved the old bomber.

Damn, it's hard to see him slip away. Thanks.

vmax84

Posted: 8/2/2005 8:45:21 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Reason I bring this whole subject up is that Dad is in his final days of lung cancer, and I thought maybe he'd like watching something like this before he slips away.........might make him feel a little better watching his old bomber in action.

He was a B-36 mechanic while he was in (1950-1954) and he loved the old bomber.

Damn, it's hard to see him slip away. Thanks.

vmax84

Damn. I'm sorry to hear that.

Posted: 8/2/2005 8:45:41 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Reason I bring this whole subject up is that Dad is in his final days of lung cancer, and I thought maybe he'd like watching something like this before he slips away.........might make him feel a little better watching his old bomber in action.

He was a B-36 mechanic while he was in (1950-1954) and he loved the old bomber.

Damn, it's hard to see him slip away. Thanks.

vmax84

Definitely get it.

Sorry to hear about your Dad. I'm sure he appreciates you.

Posted: 8/2/2005 8:52:59 AM EDT

[#35]

I've brought the Dad thing up before with the lung cancer. He's on oxygen now part time, gets dizzy, and he just had a cat scan, which pretty much showed the cancer is pretty much all thru him now. He's on really strong pain medicines (oxy-cotin, etc).

Hard to watch him go. I'm gonna load the kids up in the car and go for a visit. The folks only live about 10 minutes away, so we see them about every day.

Damn.

vmax84

Posted: 8/2/2005 9:05:40 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
I've brought the Dad thing up before with the lung cancer. He's on oxygen now part time, gets dizzy, and he just had a cat scan, which pretty much showed the cancer is pretty much all thru him now. He's on really strong pain medicines (oxy-cotin, etc).

Hard to watch him go. I'm gonna load the kids up in the car and go for a visit. The folks only live about 10 minutes away, so we see them about every day.

Damn.

vmax84

God bless him and your family.

Posted: 8/2/2005 12:51:13 PM EDT

[#37]

On the subject of of the noise of the B-36 -
the Lake Worth, Texas (home of the former Carswell AFB) Middle School was built sub-terranian to counter the noise of the Peacemaker. My Mom says she remembers them having to stop class when the B-36s came over (she never went to the sub-terranian school, after her time). Their house was actually in the glidepath for Carswell - she said they lost a lot of dishes from them being rattled out of the cabinets.

A few more bits of cool personal B-36 info -
My Grandfather worked on the first B-36A to roll of the line at the "bomber plant" there in Lake Worth. He also drug my Mom and her brothers out to the base the night that a B-36 ran off the taxi way into the lake.

My great uncle painted the B-36/longhorn cow mural that was on the screen at the old Ft. Worth drive in.

Posted: 8/2/2005 1:17:35 PM EDT

[#38]

Stewart also flew combat missions in Vietnam.

He was either a Col or BG USAFR at the time and he requested using his 2 weeks /year to fly missions in Vietnam.

little known fact.

Hope you father does not suffer.

Prayers sent.

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:44:00 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Stewart also flew combat missions in Vietnam.

He was either a Col or BG USAFR at the time and he requested using his 2 weeks /year to fly missions in Vietnam.

little known fact.

Hope you father does not suffer.

Prayers sent.

piccolo, didn't you post a pic of Gen Jimmy Stewart while in Vietnam here?
Maybe it was someone else.

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:45:21 PM EDT

[#40]

Good movie.

We have a B-36 here at our SAC museum. (If you are ever in Nebraska go check it out!!!)

It even makes the B-52 look small

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:51:58 PM EDT

[#41]

www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/js.htm

James Stewart Museum

ETA: Stewart Award for Scouts

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:53:46 PM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
Quoted:

Eventually he was given command of a B-24 squadron headed for England. In England he served as a squadron commander and later the group operations officer. In these positions he had his pick of which missions to fly, and he didn't pick milk runs. He saw his share of flak and fighters. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated pilot with 20 combat missions over enemy territory.

Yep, unlike John Wayne he was not a 'Celluloid Hero'… he was the 'real deal'…and anyone who flew 20 combat missions in bombers over Germany earns a pass no matter what his 'crime'.

ANdy

Edited for spelling!

Watch out now! You might ruffle some feathers and hear all the excuses about why Marion didn't serve, except the real one.

As for the Jimmy Stewart detractors, typical to write about someone famous after they are dead so they can't punch your lights out.

Posted: 8/2/2005 4:58:39 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
Watch out now! You might ruffle some feathers and hear all the excuses about why Marion didn't serve, except the real one.

Yeah, I've brought up that issue before, and it was made VERY clear to me that I was barking up the wrong ~~skirt~~ tree here at ARFCOM.

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:22:27 PM EDT

[#44]

The jets used the same fuel as did the prop enjines, 115/145 octane gas. The gas tanks full, would hold over 32000 Gals. I flew in one for three years as a tail gunner. Still miss the old girl.

Bill

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:30:02 PM EDT

[#45]

Posted: 8/2/2005 5:31:22 PM EDT

[#46]

movie is worth it for the flying scenes alone.
Stewart was the real deal. He didn't fight one form of tyranny to allow another to develop.
Fuck hollywood and their communist worshipping pigs (aka Ed Harris)

Posted: 8/2/2005 6:46:33 PM EDT

[#47]

A friend of mine's father was a B-36 crewman (he died a few years ago). Their plane crashed--he was able to bail out at low altitude. My friend has not been able to find any records of the crash and his father really didn't talk about it. They must have crashed near Florida because he ended up in a military hospital in either Jacksonville or Miami. My friend wonders if this was a secret crash where a live nuke was lost. His father never got on a plane the rest of his life.

Posted: 8/3/2005 3:05:23 AM EDT

[#48]

It was an amazing plane… originally designed to bomb Nazi Germany from the Continental US!!!

ANdy

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:27:43 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:

Yeah "Jimmy Stewart was an all around great guy" probably would not sell as many books.

I bought one!

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:38:02 AM EDT

[#50]

I thought I read that the jet engines were added, because they were better suited to high altitude flying. The plane was envisioned as flying so fast, so high, that very few planes could even get up to where it was, and no planes would be able to get up to where it was from the ground, or low level due to it's high speed, and high alt.

I also though the reason they didn't go "all jet", was partially due to concerns about jet engine reliablity, and low altitiude performance of the jet engines not being as good as they needed.

Looked some stuff up, www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-36d.htm

Looks like B-36A's and B-36B's were 6 piston engine aircraft.

The AF wanted more performance, so the jet engines were added on the B-36D's.

B-36F's got more powerful piston engines.
B-36H's new gun radar, and re-arranged crew cabins.
B-36J's heavier gear, more fuel, higher gross weight rating. Accepted in 1953 phased out in 1959.

B-36A, accepted in 1946-1947, phased out in 1951
B-36B, built in 1949-1950.

Imagine if the AF did that today, 2 year production before accepting an improved version. In service from 1946-1959, 13 years, imagine if new planes were being pahsed in and out that fast today.

There were a lot of aviation advances happening right after WW-II....................

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart? Seen the movie?

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