Red Tails The Wire Battlestar Galactica Nate Parker , David Oyelowo , Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr , with Bryan Cranston and Gerald McRaney . Executive Producer George Lucas had long been an aviation buff (as demonstrated in Star Wars The Wire The Wire , selected many veterans from that show to fill out the cast. For Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr , this was their second turns as Tuskegee Airmen, having starred in Hart's War The Tuskegee Airmen
The following weapons were used in the film Red Tails :
Aircraft Armament Browning M2 Aircraft (Flexible) The Browning M2 Aircraft heavy machine gun appears in the film as the primary armament of US Army Air Force bombers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M2 Aircraft, Flexible - .50 BMG Error creating thumbnail: File missing The top turret of a B-17. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The tail turret of the B-17F and early Gs. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A waist gunner fires his M2. Note the K-13 lead-computing gunsight. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The chin turret and top turret firing. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A gunner firing his M2 from the radio room. This is odd as all the CGI B-17s in the film omit the radio room mount. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Sperry ball turret with its twin fifties. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The waist gunners with their M2s. Note the plexiglass window and the staggered positions, which were features added to the B-17G to improved crew comfort. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Note the omission of the radio room mount. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The "Cheyenne" tail guns of later B-17G models. The CGI model carries an anachronistic USAAF insignia, however, as the insignia shown was phased out in September of 1943. Browning M2 Aircraft (Fixed) American P-40 and P-51 fighters are armed with fixed Browning M2 Aircraft machine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M2 Aircraft heavy machine gun - .50 BMG Error creating thumbnail: File missing The fifties on the P-40 firing. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The "Red Tails" with their new P-51Ds. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A "Red Tail" splashes a German fighter. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG131 Machine Gun MG131 machine guns appear as the primary armament of German Messerschmitt Bf-109G fighters. Because it was much larger than the MG17 , the MG131 required bulges in the engine cowling, which can be seen below.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG131 - 13x64mm B Error creating thumbnail: File missing The bulges can be seen forward of the cockpit. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing The German fighters all appear to belong to Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (note the stylized "U" emblem near the cockpit.) Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG 151/20 cannon The Bf-109Gs in the film are also armed with MG151/20 cannons , seen in the underwing gondolas.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The MG 151 aircraft automatic cannon - 15x96mm or 20x82mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The MG 151's are in the underwing gondolas. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The underwing gondolas, which could be easily detached, imposed weight and drag penalties, which were an acceptable trade-off if intercepting bombers. It is unlikely that they'd be used against fighters though. MK 108 cannon The German Me-262 jets are armed with four MK 108 cannons in the nose. Bf-109s were also armed with a single MK 108 Motorkanone firing through the propeller hub. Tests verified that only four hits from an MK 108 were necessary to take down a bomber. With an Me-262, that's a single salvo.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MK 108 cannon - 30mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The gun ports for the MK 108 cannons in the nose of this doomed Me-262. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Motorkanone of an Bf-109 blazing. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An Me-262 firing its' MK 108 cannons Error creating thumbnail: File missing Small Arms Colt M1911A1 The pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group carry M1911A1 pistols as part of their flight gear.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1911A1 - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing "Lightning" (David Oyelowo ) with his holstered M1911A1. Luger P08 The German officer (Richard Conti) at the prison camp draws what may be a Luger P08 when he discovers the escape.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Luger P08 - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1 Garand The M1 Garand is also one of the weapons carried by American troops storming a beach. German troops are also seen armed with them.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1 Garand - .30-06 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Luftwaffe airmen prepare their airbase against air attack. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German soldier runs with an M1 Garand as an airfield is attacked. Note the fake "German" halftrack; as in Saving Private Ryan Error creating thumbnail: File missing Since the airman on the right appears to be trying to work a non-existing bolt action, it's possible that these men are CGI. Karabiner 98k German forces are seen using the Karabiner 98k to fire at the American planes.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German soldier aims his Karabiner 98k at a pair of attacking P-40s Error creating thumbnail: File missing "Pretty Boy" (Lars van Riesen ) with a K98k after the attack. Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 German troops are armed with MP40s
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing German troops rush to capture a downed pilot. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing A camp guard with his MP40. Browning M1919A4 A Browning M1919A4 is seen when the American troops land on the beach. A German Ju-87 dive bomber also appears to have one in lieu of an MG15 machine gun .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning M1919A4 - .30-06 Springfield Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M1919 on a landing craft. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M1919 in the rear defensive position of the Ju-87. Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle is one of the weapons carried by American troops storming a beach.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06 Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 MG34 machine guns are seen in twin mounts at the German airbase.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 with front and rear sights folded down - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing The twin MG34 in a control tower. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another twin mounting on a German ship. Leuchtpistole An American airman signals from a control tower with a Leuchtpistole .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Leuchtpistole - 26.65mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Other 2 cm Flak 38 Germans troops are seen firing 2 cm Flak 38 anti-aircraft guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing German 2 cm Flak 38 in single mounting - 20x138mm B Error creating thumbnail: File missing These are fitted with mesh brass catchers. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing This shot appears to be flipped. 8.8cm FlaK 36 An 8.8cm heavy anti-aircraft/anti tank gun can be seen as American P-40s attack an air base. This appears to have a two-piece FlaK 36 barrel, though it is unclear which model of gun cradle it is using.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing German FlaK 36 (note two-piece barrel with locking collar) - 88x571mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing PLDvK vzor 53 The German cruiser, which is referred to as a destroyer in the film, defends itself with PLDvK vzor 53 AA guns. The PLDvK vzor 53 is a land-based Czechoslovakian 30mm AA gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing The ship itself. The armament and shape of the hull and superstructure would suggest that it's a cruiser, though it is an entirely fictional design. Trivia CZ-75B Ne-Yo , who plays "Smokey," fires a CZ-75B during a boot camp featurette.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing CZ 75B - .40 S&W Error creating thumbnail: File missing Prop AA guns Prop AA guns are part of the German airfield defenses.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Faux B-17F Most of the CGI B-17s in the film were of the G-model, including some with the Bendix chin turret removed and plated over to portray F-models.
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