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Old March 26th, 2017, 04:00 PM
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Fallout Re: Best post WWII Military Films

I think to somewhat capture the "tenure" of the topic, the biggest event to follow WWII would be the Cold War which would last for almost 50 yrs. (02 September 1945 - 26 December 1991) after it's end. Recently in the news there was this big deal about a Russian Auxiliary General Intelligence (AGI) running up the East coast of the U.S.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-...-s-east-coast/
http://www.navyhistory.org/2017/02/r...-war-memories/

During the Cold War this was routine and I've personally experienced several encounters with them and we each played our well "scripted" roles when we did encounter each other. Most of of the more overt actions did involve Naval units in international waters which up to about the end of the Cold War was defined as 3 Nautical Miles off our shores and many other countries at the time.

So it's only natural my first choice is...
"The Bedford Incident" a very taut tale of a U.S. Destroyer tracking a Russian submarine. As was fairly routine at the time both vessels would carry nuclear weapons. I don't know when it changed, except to say, when I joined the USN in 10/1982 the term "Fire" was more something you put out and "Shoot" was what you did with torpedo's etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA-rgKBq7Ss

Next was one of the first movies that dealt with what happens when technology goes wrong and it's consequences. It's place as a considered "classic movie" of the time came decades later to this film. The movie is "Fail Safe". It's place in history was in it's release two years after the "Cuban Missile Crisis" which history has proven was a more serious situation as was reported to the public at the time and well after. Also Fail Sail suffered from it's timing to the above event and the mood of the country causing the studio to release the better known "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" which of course was a comedy though still with some serious undertones, but, again a comedy nonetheless. Fail Safe would be shelved and released several months later. The only real issue was a film compromise to show cockpit in a standard configuration. In truth all three crew man were in separate capsules in line along the fuselage starting with the Pilot, Navigation and Defensive System Operator Stations more on that below.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/4...at-Order-.html

A note about the B-58 HUSTLER for a time the Russians had no way to shoot down this plane. It was also "rumored" that nether did we. At MACH 2+ it would set 19 World records for speed and altitude. It would be the last plane to win the famous Bendix Trophy Award with a record that was held for 28 yrs. And Brig. General James Stewart USAF Res. would fly it to earn his "MACH 2" pin which was at the time a very exclusive club. And yes that's the "It's A Wonderful Life" or if you prefer "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" Mr. Stewart.

I have a beautiful mahogany desktop model of the B-58 "Pulaski Hustler" my favorite plane of my youth (As were most CONVAIR jets.) in my imagination I can see myself inside one of those capsules flying from N.Y. to LA round trip in less then 4.75 hrs. or better Dublin last Oct. in just over 2hrs. instead of just over 6hrs with a tailwind. It sure would've taken the "lag" out of jet-lag.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Vis...a-hustler.aspx
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Vis...e-capsule.aspx
http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/med...20Station.html
http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/med...20Station.html
http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/med...20Station.html


Empty spaces where classified components were.

Also as a last "Ice Station Zebra" though it could be argued it's more an espionage orientated film but the case can be made for it to be here as well as the final result could've been costly. The nuclear-powered "Tigerfish (SSN-509)" was portrayed in the movie by the diesel-electric Guppy IIA submarine USS Ronquil (SS-396) when seen on the surface. For submerging and surfacing scenes, the diesel-electric Guppy IA USS Blackfin (SS-322) was used, near Pearl Harbor.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/7...-Trailer-.html

Anyway I retreat back to my "antibiotic world" again, have a great weekend!!

Regards,
Pat
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Last edited by FASTBOAT TOUGH; March 26th, 2017 at 04:24 PM..
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