Frank Luke Jr. documentary

[Alan]

Anyone seen or heard anything else about this? *I e-mailed the producer to see what he could tell me....

The Frank Luke Jr. Documentary- Producer Tim King

*Frank Luke JR’s life was brief, but in his twenty-one years he lived the life millions of would-be heroes dare to dream about. The young pilot from Arizona exhibited amazing courage when flying in combat. Luke was one of the most highly skilled and aggressive pilots in WWI and America’s number one ace when he was shot down over France in September 1918.
The Luke documentary will be told through key people from WWI aviation academic circles, experts who know the hard facts about this early period of aviation. They range widely from military experts, to professors and other academics with keen insight into the particular people and other elements of the story. I also have experts for each of the three main players in the Luke story, people who have documented the lives of the officers Luke was closest to.

To bring all of the facts into the picture with fairness, the story must be examined from the German perspective as well as the historic American/French version. All of the key people and sources have been identified and it is a result of years of research. In fact it is fair to say that this documentary’s research takes into account three researcher’s work from three separate time periods. The earliest of these is the mid to late 1920s when the events were very recent.

Luke’s family members are alive and well in Phoenix. We have interviewed several of them; nephews, nieces and two sisters-in-law. We have also secured the blessing of the Luke family.

I went to France in November 2000 and videotaped the installation and dedication of a new plaque at the memorial to Luke at a site near his final landing and death. Additionally, I interviewed several of the sons, daughters, nephews and nieces of the witnesses to Luke’s death in Murvaux, France. I also shot video and stills of areas relevant to Luke’s time overseas.

This is a fantastic story of the black sheep aviator who can do no harm in some people’s eyes, and nothing right at all in others. Luke was a non-conformist of the highest order. He also was the first American aviator in history to win the Medal of Honor.

The German account of Luke’s final moments highly contradicts the version from the French villagers, the “official” history on Luke’s death, which involves him being in a classic ‘shoot-out’ much like in old west lore. The truth according to the Germans is very different. We are the first to have all of the facts together, and the story supports an hour very well.

In addition to being the official and exclusive biographical documentary on the legendary Frank Luke Jr., the program will convey so many interesting facts about the harrowing life of a WWI aviator that Luke’s story will breeze by in an hour. This is especially true if the program accommodates commercial breaks, which will most likely be the scenario. I would ideally like to have segments that can ‘plug’ into the two-minute breaks, sidebar type stories, so that it can go to PBS stations also. That ultimately would be a budgetary matter.

Tim King



http://www.northwindvideo.net/