Release Date: April 24, 2007 Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2006 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Editorial Reviews:
Product Description History's most thrilling aerial battles can now be experienced as never before--from inside the cockpit. Legendary aircraft like the F8 Crusader the F6F Hellcat the P40 Tomahawk and more are brought back to life as DOGFIGHTS takes viewers straight into the heat of the aerial action.The original pilots themselves narrate these battles illuminating the capabilities and histories of these magnificent aircraft the enemies they faced and the realities of life as a fighter pilot. Filled with astounding state-of-the-art CGI technology all eleven episodes of the first season of DOGFIGHTS revitalize some of the most thrilling and captivating life-or-death battles ever fought.Witness some of the most celebrated dogfights in modern history as the pilots strap back in and recall their memories of these historic engagements from Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal North Korea to the Solomon Islands and Vietnam to the Middle East.Runtime: 517 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961769951 Manufacturer No: AAE-76995
Amazon.com Detailed digital re-creations of aerial combat are the obvious highlight of Dogfights, but the greatest value of this popular History Channel series lies in its assembly of priceless interviews with veteran pilots who fought in history's most dangerous dogfights and lived to tell the tale. As an oral and visual history that will enthrall viewers of all ages, the series pays tribute to these men and their remarkable skill, and their vivid recollections ensure that this series will be discussed and studied for many years to come. Filling four DVDs, these 11 first-season episodes run about 43 minutes in length, with each episode focusing on specific dogfights where "you're in the pilot's seat" for a breathtaking study of how these potentially deadly aerial encounters began, developed, and concluded. From the biplanes of World War I to the F-15 Eagles of the U.S. and Israeli Air Forces, the series re-creates legendary dogfights with computer-generated aircraft so authentically detailed (including accurate paint-schemes and military markings) that you can even see the rivets in their fuselages. With CGI pilots nestled in their cockpits, these airplanes look and move like the real thing, and while other details such as aircraft debris, flames, explosions, and crashes are rendered in video-game quality resolution (i.e., not state-of-the-art but sufficiently impressive) the aerial activity also includes gun-tracers, rockets, and missiles that are instantly convincing. As you learn about strategic maneuvers like the "Thatch Weave" and "Rolling Scissors," the only thing missing is the G-forces you'd feel if you were actually flying the planes.
With highlights too numerous to mention individually, each episode follows a precise and logical structure, thrusting the viewer into the chaos of combat, then supplementing the visual excitement with detailed schematics and comparison charts of aircraft on both sides of battle. Each chart examines the characteristic strengths and weaknesses of the aircraft involved (from structural integrity to weapons systems, maximum speed, climbing rates, etc.), and archival footage of the actual aircraft in action is accompanied by background history and pilot testimonials. Although most of the action is taken from Pacific theater combat of World War II, dogfights from the Vietnam War (as in "The Last Gunfighter," a tribute to the F8 Crusader) and the Middle East are also included. Among the most thrilling episodes are "Long Odds" (focusing on the heroic endurance of WWII Navy Ace "Swede" Vejtasa and Medal of Honor winner Jay Zeamer) and "Hunt for the Bismarck," a riveting study of aerial supremacy over Germany's legendary battleship. As a bonus feature on disc 1, the feature-length pilot episode "Dogfights: Greatest Air Battles" was produced a year before the 2006 premiere of Dogfights and offers a more generalized history of aerial combat and flying-ace heroes. Also included is "Dogfights: The Planes," a featurette compilation of individual aircraft profiles culled from the series proper. Unfortunately, Dogfights is presented in "plain" widescreen (i.e., not enhanced for widescreen TVs), and subtitles and closed captioning are not included. These are the only drawbacks in a four-disc set that's an absolute must-have for military buffs, future "Top Gun" candidates and anyone interested in the history of aerial combat. --Jeff Shannon
Great shows - couple of technical quirks July 9, 2008 I agree with a previous reviewer that probably the strongest plus in the Dogfights series are the interviews with the pilots. WWII history is about to pass from the realm of "living history", as most of the heroes who fought that war are dead. These interviews help ensure that the stories will be there to enthrall the next generation - assuming that the school systems will allow the stories to be told (but that's another soapbox and not appropriate for this venue).
I love the series; and have watched the episodes over & over - especially the one about the Battle of Leyte Gulf with Taffy 3. The only negative comments I would make from a technical standpoint (and these are not deal-breakers) are these. First, the rocking effect that happens every time a plane flys by is cool at first; but, repeated watchings of the episodes find that the effect starts to become annoying. I could do with the effect happening maybe once per episode, maximum.
The other thing that gets redundant is they show the same plane getting shot down 3-4 times, from different angles. I don't have a problem with seeing the event once from the attacker's cockpit & once from the recipient's vantage point. But, any more times is too repetitive.
As I said before, neither of these things are serious faults; and I'm certainly not suggesting that anyone not purchase the series. The special effects are amazing, and the subject matter is engaging. I'm always on the edge of my seat when I watch an episode, even though I may have seen it 10 times.
"Dogfights" is worst warplane series, pure propaganda. June 18, 2008 4 out of 10 found this review helpful
I've collected historical and military documentaries for over 40 years and this is without a doubt the worst fake historical-documentary series that is in fact propaganda that I've seen in English. Worse, it is the ONLY series I've seen in ANY language that not only omits the 'Battle of Britain' and Spitfire, but shows such a one-sided, American/Israeli-biased series. If the RAF is mentioned it is to prove how great Americans & Israelis were in comparison to them. If there was fuel to the rising criticism of the owners of the History channels recently producing unprofessional and unethical propaganda programming, this is it. This is the only series I wouldn't even accept as a gift to be beer coasters.
Great Dogfights May 4, 2008 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This series is so well done, you can't stopping watching until it's it over, so be in sure and taking care of any thing else before you push play. It also has a plus for me, as they detail the movements so well, I've done much better when flying simitation (IL2 1946) and I can transfer the moves directly to the simulation and usually come out better than I used to do. I intend to purchase all the seasons and I highly recommend you do too, for those times when you have all the cable channels on and nothing worth watching.
Almost perfect March 11, 2008 Having seen "Dogfights of the Middle East" over the x-mas period, I rushed to purchase this dvd set when I returned from holiday.
The graphics used to recreate the air battles are amazing and the quality of the aircraft is at times decievingly real. This coupled with the narrators tone and historical detail make for a thrilling dvd set.
I only have two complants. 1. There is too much WWII stuff (but Im biased more towards modern jets) and 2. Alot of details are repeated as is standard in most US tv documentaries (due to recaps after every ad break)
Overall this series is informative, thrilling and highly recommended. I look forward to season 2 being released.
Dogfights Feedback February 8, 2008 The best cockpit view of aerial combat that I've ever seen. Great chance to see history repeated, first hand.
The Pilot Watch Pilot Supply Store From AeroSpaceNews.com
International Orders & Shipping
We can ship books and some DVDs to virtually any address in the world. Note that most other products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
For most international orders please consider shopping with our affiliate eBay:
(A new window will open unless you block popups)
Warranty issues and manufacturer restrictions prevent us from shipping certain products to all geographical locations. You'll be notified while placing your order if we're unable to ship specific items to the address you've selected.
International Addresses
The following items can be shipped to destinations outside the U.S.:
* books*
* DVDs
* music
* VHS videos
Additionally, some software, tools, and kitchen items can be shipped to the following countries:
* Australia
* Austria
* Denmark
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Japan
* Ireland
* Italy
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Sweden
* United Kingdom
These items can be shipped only via Priority International Shipping and are subject to an import fees deposit.
*Note: Books that require special handling because they are extremely heavy (for example, multi-volume sets) cannot be shipped outside the U.S. If this is the case, it will be noted on the product detail page.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Shipping date estimates will appear in the order form. After placing your order, you will see both shipping and delivery date estimates in the order confirmation e-mail and in the order summary in Your Account.
Calculating Cost
Shipping costs depend upon the method and option you choose.
If you choose to group items into as few shipments as possible, you'll be charged for one regular per-shipment fee, as well as a per-item fee for each item in that shipment.
If you choose to ship items as soon as they become available, we'll charge you full per-shipment fees for each shipment as well as a per-item fee for each item.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.
Disclaimer: This is an Amazon.com storefront - the products referenced on this site are manufactured and sold by parties other than AeroSpaceNews.com
AeroSpaceNews.com makes no representations regarding either the products or any information vendors offer about their products.
Any questions, complaints, or claims regarding the products must be directed to the appropriate manufacturer or vendor, or to Amazon.com
