Just finished watching the whole HBO series Band of Brothers. Read the book first then watched the DVD.

First of all, it is wonderful. A true masterpiece. It sticks to the book (which are real stories) perfectly. You truly understand why they are called "The Greatest Generation". You also truly understand the cost of war. Watch it. It will inspire you and bring you to tears.

It is also great to watch for model and diorama ideas.

One thing I did notice...something I have always done anyway...is how filthy the troops and armor are. I mean, they are downright nasty. I have always modeled my men very dirty and never understood those people who would model a battlefield scene with almost no dirty on their men. Anyway, it is a great reference guide plus a fantastic movie.

Yep, the series is very good...I got the DVD series late last fall. The character played by David Schwimmer (the role of the butthead Captain) - unfortunately, it seems the world is over-populated with folks like that. At least the regimental commander had the good sense to realize what was going on.

I always get pretty stoked watching BoB, as well as Saving Private Ryan. It makes me wanna go grab my rifles and head down to the range.

Both of those dramas (?) have lots of material to dream-up some dioramas.

Ohhhh...... I really love that show! All WWII shows! I love them so much! Enemy at the Gates and We Were Soldiers are good too! Modern warfare are also good shows. The only war movie I hate was the Patriots. I don't like much that kind of war. I like it BRUTAL

Sladog, I could not agree with you more,I watch the videos on a regular basis great reference material,but above all i like the human side,these were real men I think many people who live on this planet should take inspiration from men like them, its there normality that effects me.

I think that BOB has to be one of the greatest things ever done for TV anywhere. It's a pity that series of that quality are never even attempted here in Europe, Perhaps it's because 'old' europe would prefer to forget history just in case it happens again......Jim

I doubt it is that Jim... my guess is that they either do not have the money for it, and possibly not the market either, to make it profitable.... So European broadcasting corporations have to do it in a different way, most often they do this in the form of a documentary...

Just to be frank, how many Brits and Americans and others would be interested in the history of an equivalent unit from say the Free French, 6th Airborne, 2nd Canadian, or a German Wehrmacht or Waffen-SS unit ?... I doubt it would come close to those interested in a history of this unit, especially in the US...

Many if not most of the guys on this board probably are an exception, seeying the subjects they model, but I have been posting on other boards (non modelling) and there this is unfortunately the case... there it even goes so far as people not even accepting the role of other units, not of their nationality, up to even diminishing or ignoring the importance of the actions of these units.

Personally, I think I would watch a show about a Wehrmacht or Waffen SS unit...first. On a secondary basis, I'd go with some of the other units that are mentioned...I think it'd be really good for someone to make a movie/show based on Guy Sajer's "The Forgotten Soldier"...I've read the book 3 times since I bought it (bought only about 2 years ago). A very compelling story of the WW2 as seen through the eyes of a 17-year old.

Just loved the battles...^_^

And the way they captured those German Batteries..

They looted Hitler's mansion in the end...Stealing valuable stuff like silverwares...and even a Luger from a dead German Infantry..

Jimbrae, the series was actually shot mostly in Britain. The reason that the BBC was able to show it only a couple of weeks after it was shown in the US was that they put in £6,000,000 towards the production costs. I have the series on tape and enjoy trying to spot the British actors and what other programmes and commercials I've seen them in before.
I think that it was one of those rare times when there was the willpower and finance available to do the thing right. To be honest if the first two episodes had been joined and released as a feature film it would probably have made a massive profit at the cinemas.

No, Sorry Dutchbird, I can't really agree with you. The majority of money in european cinema is spent on the so-called arthouse movies. Much of the tv budget (particularly terrestial tv) is spent importing cheap series from the US. Here in Spain for example series such as Walker Texas Ranger, Nightrider and the A-Team, if you can believe that in th21st century. One of the few countries which still continues to spend money on documentaries is Britain. Here in Spain the concept of history whether as a serious subject in the schools or in general education is considered an alien concept. Let me give you an example of this. When the socialists were in power here, they were seriously consider the destruction of all the items (some of which are unique) in the national artillery museum... The national archives for the spanish civil war may be open one of these years, no funding has been made available to put it on-line or to re-house it. Any military museum here is poorly funded, the state of preservation is poor in the extreme, unlike the reverence shown in the UK or USA for similar museums. BOBs is not "hard-core" history, at its center is a real, human story as is the case of Ryan, as is the case of films such as Gallipoli.. One final point, where I live (Lugo, NW spain) was on the main point of retreat (and advance) of the allied armies in the peninsular war. Is this remembered in any way? What do you think.......

Brandy have you spotted Tom Hanks yet?. Jim do you think the lack of interest matches accomplishment, look at how the Russians preserve their history of that war they like us even preserve the old enemies equipment.

I think Band Of Brothers is one of the best series ever made. From actors to special effects.
I followed the last half of the series on the BBC and a Couple of months later a television company called SBS6 bought it from the BBC and they had a hit with it showing the first two episodes in one 3,6 million dutch people followed the serie. They broadcasted it on Sunday and they did a re-run on Monday I watched the series on Monday and then I taped them on Monday. From the first minute the show was really good andwho would expect that a guy like David Schwimmer (wich in holland everybody only knows as the moron from friends) could do such a good acting by making Sobel a such natural character. (natural bastard)
Special effects inn the movie are also topnotch remember the point where they fly above France and the Flakfire is going criss cross through the sky. hitting several aircraft. Or the tanks that they made especially for the series. they looked brilliant. The episode in the forests around Bastogne where they are ambushed and where the germans fire their cannons into the woods that was really impressive. Another good thing is that you grow a sympathy for every actor in the serie as you follow the guys through all their fights.

Yup from out my perspective this is a brilliant serie wich offers a lot of dio ideas. and is really impressive to look to

Easy, please put me out of my misery, a couple of people have told me they saw Tom Hanks in the series but I haven't so far. I think even when I'm looking for him I get so caught up in the story I forget to keep looking. Could you let me in on the secret? Which episode, and which scene? Thanks bud.

Hi Brandy, You know the first episode where Milarky is talking to the English commandoes dressed up as germans (that cockney accent is nearly as bad as Dick van Dykes)two German troopers walk behind them talking, one of them smiles then lowers his head,thats him, very hard to spot and its only a glimpse.I wont make out Im a genious or anything I see him interviewed about bob & SPR and he said his brother played in the series and that he did this bit part keep your eyes skinned cos its over before you know it. all the best.

You know, Tom Hanks son is in the series. He is the West Point replacment towards the end.

I'll try to stay on track here. I know kudos to all the realistic movies....that is a good question regarding the filth. If you're slogging in mud for weeks at a time you would be covered with dirt. Being the lazy individual I am, I don't like to superdetail all those uniforms. I paint them the basic issue color and then mudify them. all those subtle shades to highlight this and that. Those guys weren't on the parade field very long. Same thing with Armor. Hate to compete in contests, the winner always has a "perfect" tank not a bent up dirty old thing, I spent too long in Armor. Hell, going from the wash rack to the MOtor pool would atract dust and debris.

Easy, thanks for the info, I will check that out tonight. I once read that in Saving Private Ryan if you look closely in the Omaha beach scenes you can spot some of the later characters acting as extras to fill out the scenes. Once again I get too into the movie to spot them.

i too love Band of Brothers and private ryan but im not sure about the later characters acting as extras, most of the extras in private ryan were soldiers of the irish army! has any one watched the making of documentary on the bob dvd set? it shows just how ingenious the special effects guys are!

just when I thought it would be safe to go back in the water, I will now be scouring SPR remote control in hand. greatbrit, wish i could afford that set I had to record it off the telly. all the best.

Yep you gotta love Band of Brothers, the way they recpect both sides too, the germans even looked more truthful and acted more realistic then most old warmovie productions. One scene in episode 5 when Mj.Winters (Captain at the time) had to shoot a very young german soldier in a grassfield shows how effected he was, and that no one really survives a war and coldly forgets he has actuallty killed people

easy im sure that the documentary was on tv at the time when the series was on. if you get the chance to watch it do its good. it shows how they made all the afv's, converting t34/85s into tigers and jadgpanthers and fv432s into stugs and how they made the sets, the village sets were in hatfield, england. i know a hatfield somewhere near doncaster, i wonder if its the same one?