The Cold Blue, a restored version of the William Wyler WWII footage that became the documentary about the "Memphis Belle", premiered last night in big screen movie theaters. This footage, which was originally recorded without sound, was reprocessed in a way that returned the film to natural color and removed the defects from 75 years of storage and deterioration. A complete sound track was created that brings authentic aircraft and flight / combat sounds to each each scene, interspersed with commentary and interviews from six B-17 veteran aviators, who range from 92 to 98 years of age. One of those veterans tragically died during a P-51 ride in Texas, just this past November. The new motion picture is dedicated to him on behalf of the thousands of heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in wartime.
For those of us who are interested in flight simulation,
The Cold Blue serves as a reference for how it was to fly the B-17 on ten-hour missions in sub-zero temperatures, breathing oxygen through a frozen face-mask; flak shells bursting everywhere. The movie is destined for television, I believe HBO. It was impressive on the big screen, but will be welcome on your home TV. It is an important part of the warbird legacy.
Note: As I write this, a flight of five A-10 Warthogs has orbited my house several times. Probably a part of the Indianapolis 500 activities, here this week.
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