'RedTails' - the movie

[phxtoad]

Just went to a private screening with a group of original Tuskegee Airmen this evening.  What an honor.

As for the movie - it is a George Lucas film.  As you know that can be a both good thing and bad thing.  I'm sure you'll all see it.  Post up your reviews...

I enjoyed it, but was expecting it to be better.  I feared the classic Hollywood butchering of anything aviation oriented - and this film keeps up the tradition...

[Jay Beckman]

I received a similar review from a buddy who attended a similar advanced screening a few weeks ago.

[Bubak]

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ashby

[phxtoad]

I put the Bio boards together for the Arizona Wing CAF's Tuskegee Event last month.  Here's Lt. Col. Ashby's info:

After enlisting in the Army Air Corp at the age of 17 in 1943, Robert "Bob" Ashby was sent to Tuskegee Army Air Field in December, 1944 to begin cadet training.  Ashby graduated in Tuskegee Class 45-H as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 20, 1945, and was assigned to the 477th Bomber Group -- but by mistake his orders sent him instead to Japan as part of the U.S. occupying force -- where he was removed from flying status by the still segregated U.S. Army.  When reassigned to the States in May, 1949, he was reinstated to flying status.  He then continued his flying career with many different aircraft types, including B-26 Invader for a year in combat in Korea, in T-33, B-45 and B-66 jet aircraft in England from 1956 to 1960 during the Cold War, and also the B-47 Stratojet.    He retired honorably from the U.S. Air Force in July, 1965 after a 21 year career.  He then became a commercial airline pilot with United Airlines as one of its flight operations instructors.  Ashby helped to write United's training program for the Boeing 747 aircraft. In 1973, he was employed by Frontier Airlines as its first Black pilot.  Robert Ashby left Frontier with over 20,000 flying hours.  Bob Ashby retired on July 17, 1986 while flying as Captain of the Boeing 737.  He was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, in 2009, for over 50 years of safe flying.

[Bubak]

Thank you Todd.....

[phxtoad]

In learning about these guys its crazy.  The backgrounds are awesome.  You see them and you go, 'Wow, that guys been through a lot' from the Tuskegee aspect.  Then you realize they started there just as kids and then spent their actual careers doing even more amazing things.