Dogfights: Long Odds - "Swede" Vejtasa - Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2. Clip from History Channel's great show Dogfights. From the Long Odds episode, shows Stanley "Swede" Vejtasa's dogfight vs. multiple Zeroes. Impressive stuff.

Be sure to watch the History Channel & don't forget you can buy the complete episode on DVD @ history.com.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Dogfights
• SBD
• Dauntless
• Swede
• Vejtasa

[YouT00ber]

Be honest... was the story told on this video & the others not a good story?

I think we earned the right to tell an "America Fuck Yeah!" version of the history of WW2. What was accomplished was no minor feat. All the Allied countries earned the same right. Japan & Germany? Not so much.

These stories are part of our history & I'm glad to hear these stories before these guys are all dead.

This is a basic cable network production & not one from the history department of Harvard or Cambridge.

[kageykenny]

The Dauntless was a dive-bomber and was 100 mph slower than a Zero. The Zero was the most manuverable fighjter of early WWII. Bombers don't usually stand a chance against ANY fighter, let alone THREE Zeros.

[HooshIsASoup]

@Pheonixfromtheshale I knew you'd dismiss them out of hand, despite your challenge. You're too bigoted, too prideful, to admit that British media can be every bit as selective about what it focuses on as American media.

And just where does "Dogfights" actually claim that America won World War II alone, anyway? All I've seen is a show that just happens to focus on dogfights involving American pilots.

That's hardly the same thing as claiming America won the war!

[Pheonixfromtheshale]

@HooshIsASoup : And not one of those shows makes the outlandish claims of one nation winning WWII single handed do they!? With titles like 'Spitfire Ace' 'RAF Coastal Command' etc it's clear they are focusing on one specified area of a wider topic.

'Dogfights' - is a generalised title, yet 95% of what they show are american pilot victories...not exactly covering the entire subject is it!!!? Change the title to 'US Aces' or something like that - which I suggested 2yrs ago on here if you look!

[HooshIsASoup]

@Pheonixfromtheshale Wow, you're a bigoted asshole.

You claim Americans are "unthinking morons" and that any show focusing on American actions in WWII is "honey glazed star spangled BS," but what of British shows with a British focus, like Richard Holmes' "Battlefields," the BBC's "Spitfire Ace," or the 2000 documentary "RAF Coastal Command?" They're no different to me than "Dogfights," but unlike you, I see no shame in it.

[Pheonixfromtheshale]

@HooshIsASoup : "Your own country is guilty of the same selfish "we won the war" mentality." Okay then internet tough guy - heres your chance to shut me up. Post up a link to one....JUST ONE British made historical program focussing on WWII where it's makes outlandish claims that Britian won WWII singlehanded. It's 15:39 GMT now, I'll give you 24hrs to come up with the goods. Basically: back it up or shut it up!

Take your time, I have a life to be busy with ;)

[HooshIsASoup]

@Pheonixfromtheshale You have claimed that this show is "biased" and part of the "US media bullshit machine," likening it to a North Korean textbook.

And the whole reason you claim this is because the show only talks about American pilots. You don't give a damn whether these American pilots actually did what they said they did; you bitch about "accuracy and truth" only because of the show's focus.

You have no room to accuse others of "flying off the handle."

[HooshIsASoup]

@Pheonixfromtheshale Maybe you should look in the mirror before you tell someone that they're "flying off the handle" and writing "poorly thought out replies," eh?

Your own country is guilty of the same selfish "we won the war" mentality. I can't count how many times arrogant Brits have claimed they fought WWII all on their own while America stayed out and reaped the benefits.

Yet you close-mindedly attack all American media because of a show focusing on American aces.

[Pheonixfromtheshale]

@Pheonixfromtheshale cont'ed...the fairy tale held in the heads of most of the unthinking morons who watch this tripe, that the US won WWII single handed. 'Yet you don't demand the same thing out of your own nation's media.' - You're right there, and I have no need to demand it - because no other nation's media is so utterly one-sided when making TV based on historical fact. Sorry pal - but thats a stone cold fact.

[Pheonixfromtheshale]

@HooshIsASoup : when you deal with historical facts, you have a duty to accuracy and the truth. You also have to be completely unbiased and address a topic from all angles and the perspective of all protaganists involved - THAT is what a historian does. The History Channel does none of this, never has - never will. Because all this is entertainment to them which has to be sold to a US Audience - hence why everything gets dipped in honey glazed star spangled BS to further perpetuate the...con'ted

[Pheonixfromtheshale]

@HooshIsASoup Tell you what 'Hoosh' - Why don't you read my comment again, and this time ACTUALLY comprehend the point I'm making, before you go flying off the handle an make poorly thought out replies like this, which frankly embarrass yourself and bore me! It'd also save me the time of having to reply. But as you clearly missed the point and need things spelling out to you...I'll indulge you.

Con'ted

[HooshIsASoup]

@441tfs You're mistaking "focus on American involvement" for "claiming that WWII only started when America entered the fight."

It says a lot about you and others like you, that you always bitch about "American bias" and NEVER say a word about similar cases in the media from other countries. Or even your own.