I'll start by saying that I'm a history buff and B-17 aficionado. I started geeking out on those wonderful old warbirds when I was 7 years old, kept it up ever since.
This movie is fictional, but based on compiled experiences of B-17 Flying Fortress crews in WWII. "Lucky Lass" and her crew are part of the "Diamondbacks," 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 12th Air Force based in Algeria in the summer of 1943. When their pilot is killed over a target in Italy, they lack confidence in his brand-new replacement, 2LT Mike Schmidt. Schmidt tries to earn their trust through several combat missions, mechanical trouble, desert heat, GI hijinks, and a Saharan sandstorm.
This movie was clearly done on a shoestring budget, but every penny was well spent. The cast of unknowns deliver great performances and the soundtrack is simple, yet stirring. The violence is accurately depicted as sudden, unpredictable, and bloody. The CGI looks like that seen in "Dogfights", not Michael Bay material, but good nonetheless. The set for the bomber's interior lacks some things, but is mostly accurate. Uniforms are authentic, albeit a little incomplete. USAAF flight gear from 1943 is extremely rare today, and reproductions don't come cheap. 99% of the presentation is authentic, from the in-flight procedures to the day-to-day life on the base. The only exception is the operation of the Norden bomb sight, which no movie has yet depicted accurately.
B-17s were renowned for being easy to fly and tough as nails, ideal qualities for a warplane. Crews loved their bombers, as did the ground crews. I know this from my great uncle, a ground crewman in the 97th BG (sister unit to the 99th). This is well represented, as "Lucky Lass" takes on a persona of her own. I broke down to tears as the "Lass" struggled to stay airborne, then broke apart with Archie still onboard. B-17s could take a pounding and still bring their crews back safely, often on 1 or 2 engines with large pieces of wing and tail torn off. Many came back in such bad shape that according to the Boeing engineers who designed them, they should have disintegrated in midair. According to many veterans, the planes seemed to possess a will to bring their crews home.
And to address the naysayers who claim a B-17 can't loop: yes they can, it's just a bad idea. It has in fact been done a few times. Every "Fort" that has looped suffered major structural damage in the process, just like "Lucky Lass" in the movie, but they stayed in the air.
I wish I wasn't limited to just 1000 words to review "Fortress", as I have so much more to say. The filmmakers clearly share my love of B-17s and respect for the heroes who flew them. This is one of many stories about the 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force bomber crews that need to be told, and I think the crew of "Fortress" are the right people to tell them, just for God's sake, give them a better budget!
This movie is fictional, but based on compiled experiences of B-17 Flying Fortress crews in WWII. "Lucky Lass" and her crew are part of the "Diamondbacks," 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 12th Air Force based in Algeria in the summer of 1943. When their pilot is killed over a target in Italy, they lack confidence in his brand-new replacement, 2LT Mike Schmidt. Schmidt tries to earn their trust through several combat missions, mechanical trouble, desert heat, GI hijinks, and a Saharan sandstorm.
This movie was clearly done on a shoestring budget, but every penny was well spent. The cast of unknowns deliver great performances and the soundtrack is simple, yet stirring. The violence is accurately depicted as sudden, unpredictable, and bloody. The CGI looks like that seen in "Dogfights", not Michael Bay material, but good nonetheless. The set for the bomber's interior lacks some things, but is mostly accurate. Uniforms are authentic, albeit a little incomplete. USAAF flight gear from 1943 is extremely rare today, and reproductions don't come cheap. 99% of the presentation is authentic, from the in-flight procedures to the day-to-day life on the base. The only exception is the operation of the Norden bomb sight, which no movie has yet depicted accurately.
B-17s were renowned for being easy to fly and tough as nails, ideal qualities for a warplane. Crews loved their bombers, as did the ground crews. I know this from my great uncle, a ground crewman in the 97th BG (sister unit to the 99th). This is well represented, as "Lucky Lass" takes on a persona of her own. I broke down to tears as the "Lass" struggled to stay airborne, then broke apart with Archie still onboard. B-17s could take a pounding and still bring their crews back safely, often on 1 or 2 engines with large pieces of wing and tail torn off. Many came back in such bad shape that according to the Boeing engineers who designed them, they should have disintegrated in midair. According to many veterans, the planes seemed to possess a will to bring their crews home.
And to address the naysayers who claim a B-17 can't loop: yes they can, it's just a bad idea. It has in fact been done a few times. Every "Fort" that has looped suffered major structural damage in the process, just like "Lucky Lass" in the movie, but they stayed in the air.
I wish I wasn't limited to just 1000 words to review "Fortress", as I have so much more to say. The filmmakers clearly share my love of B-17s and respect for the heroes who flew them. This is one of many stories about the 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force bomber crews that need to be told, and I think the crew of "Fortress" are the right people to tell them, just for God's sake, give them a better budget!