ISTREBITELI aka ATTACKERS 2013
This one is a Russian mini-series set in 1943 on the southern front in the U.S.S.R. The story is about the pilots, officers, and ground crew of a Soviet Fighter Regiment. The Regiment is a mixed outfit with male and female pilots. They all fly early versions of the Yak fighter.
The standard Soviet types that always seem to be present in these productions are on display. The fair minded officer in charge, the rat of a NKVD political commissar, the lads fresh out of training and so on. One of sub plots has the NKVD swine trying to get a leg over on the female types. Play along, or get a bad report type stuff. He is also always trying to get an ex gentry type in hot water.
The story starts out with a bang, with the group, led in the air by one of the female pilots, in a fur-ball with a gaggle of German Me-109's. There are losses on both sides before all head back to their own bases. The Soviets were out trying to discover the location of a German armored train. The train has been shelling the Soviet front line. After several more raids and more than a few losses, the Soviets manage to destroy said train.
The story now focuses on the interplay between the pilots and the commanding general. He is riding the Regiment's top officer for better results and less personal losses. There is now a bit where the NKVD swine has a leading pilot with 250 missions to his credit, shot. The man was suffering from battle fatigue and could not fly anymore. Needless to say, this has an adverse effect on morale.
One of the Regiment's pilots is shot down over German lines and captured. He is questioned and tossed in a camp with several dozen other Soviets. He manages an escape and reaches the Soviet lines only to be arrested. Again, the NKVD commissar is in play. The commissar dislikes the fact that this particular pilot has drawn the affections of a female pilot he lusts after. The charges do not stick and the pilot returns to the Regiment.
It looks like the Germans are preparing an attack on a massive scale. (Kursk) The Regiment is sent out on daily recon missions to discover the German positions. The Germans are not amused here and bomb the hell out of the Soviet airfield. They also shoot the hell out of the Soviet recon patrols.
The German's finally attack and break through the lines. The pilots make one final attack on the Nazis, the survivors then fly to another airfield further behind the front. The Germans overrun the base they just left. The ground personal, officers and medical troops all put up a valiant defence but are wiped out, including the swine of a commissar.
The tale ends with a small group of survivors returning some months later, to lay a wreath at the site of their former base.
Not bad at all. There is decent cgi for the flying scenes, as well as plenty of good period detail. They showed the difference between aerial combat on the western and eastern fronts. On the western front, combat mostly took place over 12,000-15,000 feet. In the east, pretty well all combat took place at low level, 1,500-3,000 feet. This was because the Soviet Airforce was a tactical force, as opposed to a strategic one in the west.
This one is a Russian mini-series set in 1943 on the southern front in the U.S.S.R. The story is about the pilots, officers, and ground crew of a Soviet Fighter Regiment. The Regiment is a mixed outfit with male and female pilots. They all fly early versions of the Yak fighter.
The standard Soviet types that always seem to be present in these productions are on display. The fair minded officer in charge, the rat of a NKVD political commissar, the lads fresh out of training and so on. One of sub plots has the NKVD swine trying to get a leg over on the female types. Play along, or get a bad report type stuff. He is also always trying to get an ex gentry type in hot water.
The story starts out with a bang, with the group, led in the air by one of the female pilots, in a fur-ball with a gaggle of German Me-109's. There are losses on both sides before all head back to their own bases. The Soviets were out trying to discover the location of a German armored train. The train has been shelling the Soviet front line. After several more raids and more than a few losses, the Soviets manage to destroy said train.
The story now focuses on the interplay between the pilots and the commanding general. He is riding the Regiment's top officer for better results and less personal losses. There is now a bit where the NKVD swine has a leading pilot with 250 missions to his credit, shot. The man was suffering from battle fatigue and could not fly anymore. Needless to say, this has an adverse effect on morale.
One of the Regiment's pilots is shot down over German lines and captured. He is questioned and tossed in a camp with several dozen other Soviets. He manages an escape and reaches the Soviet lines only to be arrested. Again, the NKVD commissar is in play. The commissar dislikes the fact that this particular pilot has drawn the affections of a female pilot he lusts after. The charges do not stick and the pilot returns to the Regiment.
It looks like the Germans are preparing an attack on a massive scale. (Kursk) The Regiment is sent out on daily recon missions to discover the German positions. The Germans are not amused here and bomb the hell out of the Soviet airfield. They also shoot the hell out of the Soviet recon patrols.
The German's finally attack and break through the lines. The pilots make one final attack on the Nazis, the survivors then fly to another airfield further behind the front. The Germans overrun the base they just left. The ground personal, officers and medical troops all put up a valiant defence but are wiped out, including the swine of a commissar.
The tale ends with a small group of survivors returning some months later, to lay a wreath at the site of their former base.
Not bad at all. There is decent cgi for the flying scenes, as well as plenty of good period detail. They showed the difference between aerial combat on the western and eastern fronts. On the western front, combat mostly took place over 12,000-15,000 feet. In the east, pretty well all combat took place at low level, 1,500-3,000 feet. This was because the Soviet Airforce was a tactical force, as opposed to a strategic one in the west.
