The Pacific (Tom Hanks & Steven Spielberg)

[Dave Homewood]

If the money was no option and the possibility arose for a ten-part mini-series in the style of Band of Brothers and The Pacific, i.e. a decent dramatic telling of a true story of a group of New Zealanders in WWII that was well acting, produced, directed and had excellent special effects and realistic locations etc, then what stories would you like to see told?

It could most definately be done. My option would include:

- A mini-series followning a platoon of men in the New Zealand Infantry from signing up and training in NZ, and perhaps some of the garrison duty done here etc through the first episode to establish the characters, to final leave, embarkation, arrival in Egypt, training at Maadi and other camps, and then into the war as re-inforcements. That way they could see some of the North African campaigns such as El Alamein, Takrouna, etc, and then go on to fight in Italy. Along the way some will die, some will go home invalided out or on the infamous Furlough which could also be covered, and some will go on to the hard fighting of Italy. I have interviewed many veterans who went through this and I think it would make incredible drama. it would be a stretch to try to fit in the Greece and Crete and early desert campaigns and that could be done in a seperate series altogether.

- I also think a whole min-series could be done around No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron RNZAF. If it were me I would start it in Singapore following elements of No. 488 Squadorn in the defeat, and also Geoff Fisken and others with other squadrons there who would end up in the new squadron. Then the story would take the squadron through forming up, training together and eventually the entry into the war in the Solomons. What a wonderful story this would make, and of course stories of other squadrons can be weaved into it too. There are enough P-40's around to get some good footage together (ship a few in from across the ditch for example) and some Zeros from the USA.

- I would love to make a mini series on No. 3 (GR) Squadron in the Solomons too.

What do you guys think would make a great story in the mould of Band of Brothers and The Pacific, with a New Zealand story woven in?

[strikemaster]

Cool idea Dave, The Div Cav and No 75 Squadron. Also HMNZS Leander and what about NZ pilots sent to the UK via the Dominion training scheme?

[Dave Homewood]

I think that making something about Leander, Achilles or any of the other ships in the RNZN would be cool but very difficult to find ships to use these days. Again with No. 75 Squadron there are a couple of Lancasters but finding Wellingtons and Stirlings would be a missin too.

At least with fighter planes and with army getting the props are easier.

I am looking forward to the series that they are making now on Midway to see how they replicate the WWII aircraft carriers.

[kb]

Don Stott. He was mum's butcher before the war and mum often commented that he didn't return. A very interesting war outlined in Gabrielle McDonalds book "New Zealand's Secret Heroes - Don Stott and the "Z" Special Unit".

[Deleted]

My vote would be on 488 and the fighting P-40s. When reading it it occurs to me that Lance Adlam's "Quest For Wings" would be great to see on screen.

[Dave Homewood]

Keith, that's a great idea on the Z Force kiwis. There was a film made by Australians called Attack Force Z from the 1980's, which though fully backed by the Z Force Association when produced, suffers from low budget 1980's production values, and falls at the first hurdle in that the kiwi character is killed when the first shot is fired. But otherwise it's all right. And of course the two excellent Z Force mini-series from Australia Heroes and Heroes II: The Return show what great stories there were out there. These two are very factual and very well made imho. Surely a kiwi-focussed version could be good.

Actually some on the kiwi pilots who dropped spies into Europe might be great too, something on George Culliford and the other kiwis in his squadron. There are plenty of Dakotas around to make it happen.

[strikemaster]

All this talk of Mossies has sparked my interest. I've been reading up on my old mate Pat. There would be a great story too, allied daylight mossie raids on Europe.

I remember Attack force Z, I never knew it had a basis in fact.

[Dave Homewood]

I was fortunate to receive the DVD set of The Pacific for my birthday this week and I have to say that sitting down and watching this series again (I have wathced four episodes, juststarting on No. 5) has been really great. I am 'getting' it a lot more now on the second time around - just as I did with Band of Brothers. Faces are now familiar rather than new, etc.

I even enkoyed the third episode where they were in Melbourne much more than last time, and I appreciate the meaning behind it much better.

Of note I just spotted at the very beginning of episode five where John Basilone is getting out of a Dakota at an airport, a P-40 with sharks mouth and red spinner can be seen in the background. I assume this is Allan Arthur's ex-RNZAF machine, so the RNZAF did possibly get into the series after all. ;D

Who's Dakota did they use? It has a VH- registration.

[flyinkiwi]

I see Mighty Ape have the Blu-Ray Special Edition set on sale now for NZ$54.99 plus postage. Not a bad buy.

[flyjoe180]

It was going cheap in Whitcoulls a few weeks back in a tin, not sure what the status of it is now though.

[Tony]

Nov 11, 2010 15:40:04 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Like the british we tend more to remember our military disasters like Gallipoli, Greece, Crete and Helen Clark.

Just saw this quote.
BRILLIANT - Oh so true ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Nov 12, 2010 8:11:48 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

That is not strictly true about Geoff deciding to leave the RNZAF on his own accord or whim. He had been quite badly wounded in one action and the after affects of that were catching up with him. He did not tell me this himself but I have also heard from a reliable source that Geoff had told him there was also an amount of disciplinary action that forced him to leave the RNZAF as well. i won't go into it here but if true it's not surprising as he admitted himself to being quite forthright and said what he thought. But no, there's no way he simply decided some day to hand in his notice and leave to become a farmer, just like that. He was the RNZAF's most valuable fighter pilot and they would never have let him just leave - if it was just the wounds I could see the RNZAF putting him into a training job where he'd be very valuable, or equally valuable in an organisational job within the Fighter structure. But the ill discipline does seem the most likely cause for release from the service.

Interesting points about Geoff Fisken here and I agree Dave that a serious clash with "Higher Authority" would be enough to 'retire him to civilian life (without damaging embarrasement to HA)'.

Look at how Bob Spurdle was treated and even Harry Wrigley made mention of it in his book as well.
Even my own dad, volunteer and a lowly LAC (at his own request he was demoted) at Rongotai was released from service in 1944.
He had quite a few run-ins with HA as well but usually won. At that time he was 46 and a WW.I Veternal having served on HMS Campania, tough as old boots and didn't take idiots seriously.

[Dave Homewood]

Hey, there is nothing lowly about being an LAC. They do most of the work in the Air Force! ;D