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Posted: 5/7/2009 7:54:53 PM EDT
Found on Pat Dollard Dot Com.
The red tails of the Alabama Air Guard are a throwback to the all-black Tuskegee Airmen . Just who was on the President's plane ? Cut'n'paste Reposted from our pals at THIS AIN’T HELL BLOG. http://thisainthell.us/blog/ The best thing about writing on this blog is the readership. I mean some of you guys are clowns but a great deal of you are very well informed. In the comments on my recent post regarding Operation Dumbass a discussion began about the different variants of the F16. A couple of guys noticed the bright red tail on at least one of the F16s in the NYC fly-over. This is where it gets interesting. The distinctive red tail goes back to World War II and the P51-C’s made famous by the Tuskegee Airmen (Image above). The “Red Tails” are still alive in the Alabama Air National Guard and their F16s are in fact painted with the distinctive red tail (the only organization with the red tail paint job that I’m aware of). If that is true, that means that the administration launched an F16 all the way from Alabama for a photo op. But what could possibly be the purpose of going to such lengths the film a “Red Tail” escorting Air Force One? How about a Hollywood movie!? George Lucas is shooting an epic film about the Tuskegee Airmen as we speak. Producer Rick McCallum said both elements are addressed in a script by John Ridley that “balances difficult and painful issues with what is, at its heart, the story of men with a dream to fly and serve their country.” Lucas hopes to begin shooting by year’s end or early 2009, McCallum said. The movie’s title refers to the color of their fighter planes’ tails, which were distinctive and allowed U.S. bomber crews to know they were being escorted by the aggressive Tuskegee Airmen. “It is a story of incredible adventure and enormous courage,” said the producer, who’s scouting locations for “Red Tails” in Prague, Czech Republic, and Italy. “I think the story will speak to anyone who has ever wanted to succeed at something others told them was impossible.” Why would the White House go to such extremes to help Lucas shoot a movie? Because Lucas was a huge supporter of Obama over Hillary in the primaries and apparently thinks Obama has the “Force” in him. “We have a hero in the making back in the United States today because we have a new candidate for president of the United States, Barack Obama,” Lucas said when asked who his childhood heroes were. Obama, “for all of us that have dreams and hope, is a hero,” Lucas said. Can you imagine a more compelling way to end a movie about the trials and discrimination that these airmen faced and through courage and determination overcame in the end? Okay, you can now take off the tin foil hats and go back to work. |
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That made me chuckle a bit. ...
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I don't necessarily believe this, but could it be why the pictures are all of a sudden not being released?
This couldn't happen, right? I mean, really? x156 |
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Fine for some completely unsupported speculation. A shred of fact/proof would go a long way to making this more than fantasy.
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Quoted: I don't necessarily believe this, but could it be why the pictures are all of a sudden not being released? This couldn't happen, right? I mean, really? x156 G. Lucas has copyright protected them? Meanwhile, from http://www.airplane-pictures.net/news.php?p=456 New George Lucas film on the Tuskegee AirmenThe film producer, George Lucas is shooting his latest film in the Czech Republic. The film is based on the story of the Tuckegee Airmen, the first group of coloured pilots in the USAAF, who overcame prejudice and who served with distinction with the US Army Air Corps from 1932 to 1946. |
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I'm not a conspiracy nut in the slightest, but:
If Lucas is shooting a film about the Tuskegee Airmen and there was a fighter from that historical squadron in the "flyover" and there is no other reason offered as to why a F16 from the Alabama ANG was there well......I can only draw one conclusion |
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Fine for some completely unsupported speculation. A shred of fact/proof would go a long way to making this more than fantasy. The "proof" is being witheld by the White House. Go figure. ![]() |
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George Lucas has clearly lost his friggin mind if he thinks the kenyan is any sort of hero. Sorry, but a community organizer is about as heroic as , well a community organizer.
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Interesting.....
To be accurate , however, the ANG unit in AL uses the "red tail" for their moniker, but the unit is not the related to the "Tuskeegee Airmen" unit in AAC / AF lineage. The 332nd AEW is currently staioned in Balad Iraq and are the famed Red Tails. ETA - Many ANG and AFR units support air defense missions along the east coast and most likely were in the area supporting this mission. They wouldn't typically have a "bus" (2 -seater) on such a mission, but it is not unheard of. A D model got an A to A kill in the first gulf war. |
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Quoted:
Interesting..... To be accurate , however, the ANG unit in AL uses the "red tail" for their moniker, but the unit is not the related to the "Tuskeegee Airmen" unit in AAC / AF lineage. The 332nd AEW is currently staioned in Balad Iraq and are the famed Red Tails. Wait, are you saying Obama flew a F16 from Iraq just for George Lucas? ![]() |
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Does the 332nd have red tails ?
Edit * I just looked at their web site , and the planes in Balad don't have the red tail. |
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Quoted:
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Blotter/ht_plane_gustavo_valladares_5_090427_ssh.jpg http://a.abcnews.com/images/Blotter/ht_plane_gustavo_valladares_7_090427_ssh.jpg http://a.abcnews.com/images/Blotter/ht_plane_gustavo_valladares_4_090427_ssh.jpg I'm not a fighter pilot, but I am a photographer with ample experience shooting from aircraft. The fighter is NOT providing any cover for the larger jet IMO, but the fighter IS in perfect positioned to be photographed with something in the background......NYC skyline, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, whatever. I'd be curious to know where those shots were taken from. |
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actually the photos will be released. it was on drudge a couple days ago.
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Quoted:
actually the photos will be released. it was on drudge a couple days ago. hard to tell if all photos are released. I'd be more interested in seeing a passenger list. |
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actually the photos will be released. it was on drudge a couple days ago. They will be released the same time as Obama's original birth certificate and John Kerry's medical records. ![]() |
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Advocatus diaboli: the US military regularly assists film projects when those projects are generally supportive of the US military. Off the top of my head- War of the Worlds, Transformers, Iron Man. The low pass over NYC was stupid, and if this was in support of a movie then that should be made public, but support of films is absolutely SOP.
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Quoted:
Interesting..... To be accurate , however, the ANG unit in AL uses the "red tail" for their moniker, but the unit is not the related to the "Tuskeegee Airmen" unit in AAC / AF lineage. The 332nd AEW is currently staioned in Balad Iraq and are the famed Red Tails. ETA - Many ANG and AFR units support air defense missions along the east coast and most likely were in the area supporting this mission. They wouldn't typically have a "bus" (2 -seater) on such a mission, but it is not unheard of. A D model got an A to A kill in the first gulf war. Okay, I'm confused then: http://www.balad.afcent.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4032 "The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is the most forward deployed Air Force wing in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its heritage is tied to the famous 332nd Fighter Group led by the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II."
And this tail sure looks red to me. From: http://www.almont.ang.af.mil/default.htm E-95 |
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Quoted: Advocatus diaboli: the US military regularly assists film projects when those projects are generally supportive of the US military. Off the top of my head- War of the Worlds, Transformers, Iron Man. The low pass over NYC was stupid, and if this was in support of a movie then that should be made public, but support of films is absolutely SOP. ...just as remarking or repainting an aircraft for a particular PR or historical purpose would be. FWIW, those kind of opportunities are typically approved and done on a no additional cost basis for the .mil, where the production company pays for fuel, etc. and the crews are given PTAD orders to participate in the filming. I would think that the WH making that kind of statement would be beneficial, but I can also see a down side to telling the world that AF1 is up for rent. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Interesting..... To be accurate , however, the ANG unit in AL uses the "red tail" for their moniker, but the unit is not the related to the "Tuskeegee Airmen" unit in AAC / AF lineage. The 332nd AEW is currently staioned in Balad Iraq and are the famed Red Tails. ETA - Many ANG and AFR units support air defense missions along the east coast and most likely were in the area supporting this mission. They wouldn't typically have a "bus" (2 -seater) on such a mission, but it is not unheard of. A D model got an A to A kill in the first gulf war. Okay, I'm confused then: http://www.balad.afcent.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4032 "The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is the most forward deployed Air Force wing in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its heritage is tied to the famous 332nd Fighter Group led by the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II."
And this tail sure looks red to me. From: http://www.almont.ang.af.mil/default.htm http://www.almont.ang.af.mil/P-51.JPG E-95 Yeah, the 100th FS of the Alabama ANG has red tailed F-16s. They aren't technically in the lineage of the Tuskeegee Airmen (that would be a different 100th, training guys), but they took the 100th name and all that to honor them because of the state connection. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Interesting..... To be accurate , however, the ANG unit in AL uses the "red tail" for their moniker, but the unit is not the related to the "Tuskeegee Airmen" unit in AAC / AF lineage. The 332nd AEW is currently staioned in Balad Iraq and are the famed Red Tails. ETA - Many ANG and AFR units support air defense missions along the east coast and most likely were in the area supporting this mission. They wouldn't typically have a "bus" (2 -seater) on such a mission, but it is not unheard of. A D model got an A to A kill in the first gulf war. Okay, I'm confused then: http://www.balad.afcent.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4032 "The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is the most forward deployed Air Force wing in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its heritage is tied to the famous 332nd Fighter Group led by the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II."
And this tail sure looks red to me. From: http://www.almont.ang.af.mil/default.htm http://www.almont.ang.af.mil/P-51.JPG E-95 Yeah, the 100th FS of the Alabama ANG has red tailed F-16s. They aren't technically in the lineage of the Tuskeegee Airmen (that would be a different 100th, training guys), but they took the 100th name and all that to honor them because of the state connection. Ah, that makes sense. Did find this here though: http://www.nps.gov/tuai/parknews/100th-fighter-squadron-activated.htm ![]() Same aircraft in the other photo. I'll be curious to see if the tail number is the same in the Air Force One photos when they're released. E-95 |
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Who else has red tailed F-16 anyone? Not New York... http://www.174fw.ang.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/090326-F-5420B-001.jpg Uh . . . the Royal Danish Air Force? ![]() http://www.viper16.fotopic.net/p18529624.html E-95 |
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Most American's memories are as short as a gnat's dick.
If it turns out to be true, no one will care except for us. |
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Too bad that picture doesn't show the people running for their lives in the background. Probably would Photoshop that out anyway
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Quoted:
Does the 332nd have red tails ? Edit * I just looked at their web site , and the planes in Balad don't have the red tail. Correct. The vipers in Balad are all rotational AF/ANG/AFR units as are all AEW aircraft. Like I said, the wing and Tuskegee lineage is the 332nd not the Alabama guard. |
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Who else has red tailed F-16 anyone? Not New York... http://www.174fw.ang.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/090326-F-5420B-001.jpg LOL!! They don't even have F-16's anymore at Syracuse. they did their last rotation to Iraq about 9 months ago and are now flying MQ-9 Reapers. |
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Here is the photo: http://wcbstv.com/local/air.force.one.2.1004904.html http://static.cbslocal.com/station/wcbs/img/flyover.jpg I'm calling shenanigans |
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What place would modern F-16's from the Alabama National Guard and Air Force One have in a movie about WW2 flyers? That's a bit of a stretch, in my opinion. Was anyone there filming it for the movie studio? Or just taking still pictures? What would George Lucas want with still pictures, if that's all there was?
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Quoted:
What place would modern F-16's from the Alabama National Guard and Air Force One have in a movie about WW2 flyers? That's a bit of a stretch, in my opinion. Was anyone there filming it for the movie studio? Or just taking still pictures? What George Lucas want with still pictures, if that's all there was? Why did they show Private Ryan as an old man walking through the cemeteries of Normandy? |
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Wow a mediocre picture with glare. Totally worth it. ![]() Glare of the canopy AND they took it facing the ugly NJ side. What the fuck. They made multiple passes. FOIA for the rest of the pics. |
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Wow a mediocre picture with glare. Totally worth it. ![]() Glare of the canopy AND they took it facing the ugly NJ side. What the fuck. They made multiple passes. FOIA for the rest of the pics. 100% shenanigans This is a random shot by the pilot of the F-16 with a point and shoot |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
What place would modern F-16's from the Alabama National Guard and Air Force One have in a movie about WW2 flyers? That's a bit of a stretch, in my opinion. Was anyone there filming it for the movie studio? Or just taking still pictures? What George Lucas want with still pictures, if that's all there was? Why did they show Private Ryan as an old man walking through the cemeteries of Normandy? That's a good point. I wouldn't put it past them, I'd just like to see more evidence. Guess I'll have to wait for the movie! |
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Who else has red tailed F-16 anyone? Not New York... http://www.174fw.ang.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/090326-F-5420B-001.jpg My uncle's unit... FAST ASS CAS! |
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