Colin’s Comments (group member since Dec 16, 2012)

Colin’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

Stephen Ambrose was good historian, I give him that. HOWVER- he was also a plagiarist who stole intellectual property in a few cases. He also hired grad students to do research for credit, then stole their work and never gave them publication credit. He personally sabotaged a book signing I was having with him, Ron Drez and others at the WW II Museum during the grand opening of the Pacific Wing in 2001. he was an unashamed showman as well. Even the New Orleans PD got involved. When he died I shed not one tear.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Colin wrote: "My deadline to hand in the manuscript is May 1, 2022, should be out by May next year, or so I am told. I have been busy completing the pilot episode and production package for The Sta..."

Will do. Barrett Tillman supplied me with tables and other material. We just sent the entire pilot episode script, pitch deck and show bible to the producer for a line production budget. This will tell us how expensive The Star of Africa series will be. But we do have the investors waiting for it. Just had more meetings with Kevin Sorbo and actor Patrick Kilpatrick. Waiting to see when I have a Zoom meeting with Chris Hemsworth and possibly Eric Bana, both considered for roles. John Kani signed on.

I knew a couple of people who knew or at least met Hess before and during the war. Their opinions were not flattering.

That would have to have been crazy duty.

My deadline to hand in the manuscript is May 1, 2022, should be out by May next year, or so I am told. I have been busy completing the pilot episode and production package for The Star of Africa limited series, from my book. Will be similar to band of Brothers, German (Luftwaffe) style if we secure the funding. At least I got Dale Dye to jump on board as executive producer. We both worked as historical advisers on the Spielberg/Hanks series in production, The Mighty Eighth.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Starsgard's; "The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939–45", and Shepherd's "Hitler's Soldiers: The German Army in the Third Reich" are both very good books. I found Richard Evans' third book (that..."

Ben Shepherd is a good historian, we had a good time when we got together to compare notes when he was teaching at Univ. of Birmingham in England, and I was in Glasgow, Scotland. You may like a book I wrote on this subject. Occupation and Insurgency, full of interviews with participants.

I met and spoke Rolf Mengele, his son. Great interview.

Ironically, the new book I am working on is another interview book, this time the full interviews with Gregory Boyington, Joseph Foss and David McCampbell.

Liz V. wrote: "Sorry for your loss Colin."

Thanks, he was a good man indeed.

I knew Charles well, he was a friend, RIP

Dj wrote: "Mike wrote: "Manray9 wrote: "A typical machine gun bunker was 30 by 36 feet, with a reinforced concrete roof nearly seven feet thick, a front wall about four feet thick (covered with earth), and a ..."

My first job in the infantry was as a M-47 Dragon anti-tank missile gunner. No way I would want to be in a tank when that sucker melted through steel and blew that sucker apart. Molten steel dripping onto the ground. Same with the TOW gunners. Wire guided death.

Real warrior.

Good tribute indeed.

Interesting. I knew and interviewed the man who created KG-200, Generalmajor Dietrich Pelz, later General of the Bombers. Many of my Luftwaffe pilots were allowed to fly the captured and repaired Allied aircraft to become familiar with their characteristics.

Thanks

After having interviewed both Curtis LeMay and Dr. Zumwalt (brother of Admiral Elmo and who worked with Oppenheimer and Fermi) I am interested to see this take. I know the answer to this question.

I am also now on Facebook for the films. The Star of Africa and The Hammer have their own pages. More coming.

Will do. See all projects at www.heatonlewisbooks.com

Will do. Also working on a limited ten part history series, writing the pilot episode now.

Looking good. Just have to get the script right, and make the pitch to the investors.