Red Tails which opens nationwide Jan. 20, is a fictional tale inspired by the true story of America's first all black aerial combat unit.
The film's title comes for the distinctive red painted tails on their planes.
"I've been wanting to do 'Red Tails' for 20 years, and we've finally got the means to showcase the skill of the Tuskegee pilots," Executive Producer George Lucas said in an interview. "Our top-notch cast will really make this story special."
Among those starring in the epic tale of the Tuskegee Airmen are Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard.
History of the Men who Inspired the Film
In 1939, the government began establishing flight schools at colleges around the nation but refused to do so at any of the Black colleges believing black men didn't have the calibre to be fighter pilots.
But with mounting pressure from black newspapers, pressure groups and a few sympathetic government leaders including President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor it was decided to try the "Tuskegee Experiment". So on July the 19th 1941 a flight school was established at the historic Tuskegee University in Alabama
In June 1943, the Tuskegee Airmen entered into combat over North Africa. The airmen should courage, skill and dedication in combat. They flew more than 15,000 sorties, completing over 1,500 missions during the war.
They never lost an escorted bomber to enemy fighters. No other escort unit could claim such a record.
When the war ended, the Tuskegee Airmen returned home with 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, Legions of Merit and the Red Star of Yugoslavia. The group was disbanded in May 1946 but its success contributed to blacks men and women been fully integrated into the military. To watch the movie trailer, visit:www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpA6TCOT_Lw