What are the biggest historical inaccuracies in Saving Private Ryan?

I always thought the ending is a little too convenient.

The P-51s appearing out of nowhere to blow up the Tiger. There are a few issues with it:

  • I doubt the P-51 has any weapon that can blow up a Tiger tank in one hit, especially one that will spare Cpt. Miller who was just like 20 ft away.
  • The P-47 (or the British Typhoon) would have been a more appropriate “tank buster”, to quote what Ryan said in the end.
  • Close air support wasn’t a thing then. Airplanes often attacked enemy convoys en route (or while they were retreating). There didn’t seem to be anyone in the group who would have a radio set to talk to the P-51s anyway.
  • The bombs and rockets back then were not precise enough to do attacks like that.
  • Those P-47s and Typhoons would go after supply trucks and trains. Not only are they easier to destroy, but destroying them would deny the big tanks the fuel, spare parts, and ammo needed for them to function.

Yes, yes, it’s just a movie. It’s not meant to be perfectly realistic and the movie has to end somehow and that a slower ending would make it worse.

Why wasn’t the movie “Saving Private Ryan” shot in the actual Omaha Beach in Normandy? Is filming even allowed there?

I was a location manager (armoured vehicles advisor) on Band of Brothers and later on a number of D-Day anniversary drama documentaries. I worked with many of the people who worked on Private Ryan and faced the same problems.... (Read Full)

Source: Rodra Hascaryo (Quora)

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