“The Real Red Tails,” is a one-hour National Geographic documentary narrated by Sheryl Lee Ralph. Premiering June 3rd at 8/7c, streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
“The Real Red Tails” tells of the astonishing discovery of a P-39 airplane in Lake Huron, Michigan, reigniting a story lost to time and triggering one of the most important WW2 archeological missions in the Great Lakes.
On the morning of April 11th, 1944, Tuskegee pilot 22-year-old Second Lieutenant Frank Moody perished in what should have been a routine training mission when his plane malfunctioned and took a nosedive into the chilly waters.
(Henry Thaddeus Stewart and James Harvey (second and third, from L to R) stand next to a military plane. – James Harvey)
With unprecedented access, will take viewers on a journey to uncover the 80-year-old mystery of how and why Moody’s plane ultimately went down.
The special enlists teams of underwater archaeologists to recover parts of the downed plane for the first time and weaves in firsthand accounts from fellow airmen along with underwater footage from the wreck to give a final answer to the mystery.
“The Real Red Tails” is produced by National Geographic’s Yellow Border Production Services with Erin M. Reuss as producer, Jeanine I. Butler as executive producer, and Anna Derryberry as director of production. Melanie Sams is vice president of production and development for National Geographic.
(Tuskegee Airman LT. COL. (RET) James H. Harvey chats with Tuskegee Airman LT. COL. (RET) Harry T. Stewart at The Tuskegee Airmen)
“The Real Red Tails” is a great special spotlighting the historic Tuskegee Airman.
Featuring some great archival footage of the pilots and artifacts are discovered under water, including plane propellers
The pilots talk about the excitement of flying for the first time, achieving something they never thought they would be able to do.
“Everything had to be perfect, that helped us. It helped us be better pilots, that’s why we were so good,” states James H. Harvey.
Early black recruits were advised there were no color units and wouldn’t be any, when they would apply.
(President and CEO of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Brian Smith dives over the wing of Lt. Frank Moody’s discovered P-39 airplane)
On April 3rd, 1939, President Roosevelt approved Public Law 18, that provided for an expansion of the Army Air Corps.
Chief Anderson gave Eleanor Roosevelt a plane ride when she visited Tuskegee in 1941. She was determined to counter the view that African Americans couldn’t fly. Their photograph was seen all over the U.S. Mrs. Roosevelt’s plane ride gave an enormous boost to black aviation.
UB had the wonderful pleasure of speaking with the late great Tuskegee Airmen Dr. Roscoe Brown in 2012, for the DVD release of the film “Red Tails.”
We asked him then, what his best memories were during that time in 1944 and 1945 that he was a Tuskegee Airman? “As a fighter pilot I flew 68 missions and you can get shot down on any of them missions. You do it day after day after day, with a few days break. Because you’re young, you know you’re good and you want to be the best you can be! Plus the fact of flying is one of the most exciting activities you can do. Because you’re controlling your plane. When you’re young you feel you can conquer the world and I remember we felt like that.”
Tuskegee Institute Booklet – Airman Cecil Peterson sent Eleanor Roosevelt this 1943 promotional booklet. A yearbook of sorts, the publication includes photographs of the Institute, its trainees and activities.
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