Victory Films

“Army Air Forces Combat Weekly Digests 11-15"

Reviewed by Floyd S. Werner Jr.

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The latest release from Victory Films is the next installment of the USAAF Combat Weekly Digest covering the period from Dec 1943 to Jan 1944.  Contained on one DVD this one hour and 37 minute newsreel compilation contains everything.  Remember during the war the only way people got news and information was from the movie theater.  These newsreels contain not only the combat footage that we know and love but also the day to day things that have long since been forgotten except by those who were there.  That is what makes this DVD so interesting.  There is a little bit of something for everyone.

The DVD starts off with 11 Dec 1943 with some airfield construction.  There is a Ju-88 with some really interesting markings at the airfield in Foggia.  That is the type of information that is included.  Also included in this section is some China sequences including building the Burma Road.  One particularly interesting sequence is the salvage of a B-17 by a mobile repair unit and the construction of a new runway to recover the bomber. 

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There is section which contains some really impressive footage of a Japanese Hamp, a square tipped wing Zero.  There is really nice air to air footage.  For those of you who love the Japanese aircraft it will be hard to find better footage than this.  There is a low level flyby that is impressive to say the least.

For those who love combat footage there is a beautiful collection of P-38s strafing everything that moves.  The teamwork is exciting as you see both aircraft doing there thing as one comes from one direction and then from another.  You see the flak burst right in front of you.  Really exciting stuff.

There is comedy included as well, with digging out huts on Attu.  Funny stuff.

A captured Ju-88A-5 with squiggle pattern and yellow over the national markings with bright red cowlings is seen flying and from every angle.  Another thing that is unique about this aircraft is it has P-38 style drop tanks.  Not German mind you, but American P-38 tanks.  This would make a great looking model. 

Another sequence has some Chinese pilots flying B-25s and P-40Ns.  There is another one with some excellent close ups of a P-40K that has ground looped.  The recovery affords some great shots, including many up close stuff.  Perfect for the Hasegawa kits.  There are a lot of interesting things included.  One that I thought was interesting is a sequence with an AAF C-47 being escorted by a Hellcat.  The Hellcat even has nose art on it.  The B-26 bombing sequence is also really interesting with lots of flak and fighters.  Some Dutch B-25s are in another sequence.

While this is not a ‘themed’ title it contains lots of material with something to please everyone.  The modeler and the historian will enjoy this offering.  It is interesting to see what was happening during this time period in the world.

You can only get your copy by contacting Wade Meyers Studios at http://www.wademeyersart.com/id69.html or Victory Films at http://www.victoryfilms.us/.

Thanks to Victory Films for the review copy.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Floyd S. Werner Jr.
This Page Created on 6 February, 2009
Last updated 14 October, 2009

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