1943 Berlin Blitz VR Documentary
• 3-star rating
• PCVR, Link
• Education, Free, History
• Comfortable, Stationary
BBC's 1943 Berlin Blitz is an audio recording of an actual September 1943 bombing raid over Berlin, accompanied by a graphical reconstruction allowing you to be a passenger on a very real and very dangerous Second World War mission. Perhaps it's impressive sound engineering and possibly it's thanks to the immersive qualities of being placed in a Lancaster bomber, but this experience provides a visceral representation of an eighty year old event.
Once you've chosen to start this twelve minute experience by gazing at the start button you will find yourself within the aircraft at take-off, and as the story develops you will be transitioned comfortably between the astrodome, cockpit, navigators seat and bomber's station. Graphics quality is only adequate, but includes a level of detail good enough to give you ample understanding of your surroundings and the events occurring outside the aircraft.
Sometimes it feels like your view is restricted, but we write that off as being necessary to portray the cramped conditions inside the seven-man craft. Unlike real life, you can also just stick your head outside the frame of the fuselage since there are no anti-clipping functions in this program.
Sitting behind the pilot with searchlights in the night sky.
The Lancaster bomber on the menu page.
The events of the bombing run are presented factually and tastefully with with no politics and no opining. There is also 360 degree video version of this experience available in YouTube for those unable to view it on a PCVR headset, and we've included it below. Viewing in VR is definitely better for immersion and to allow you the freedom to inspect your surroundings. Comments below the video are interesting, such as suggesting that the bombers would weave around more, only flying straight and level on the final approach to the bombing run. Perhaps that weaving was minimized in consideration of comfort to the VR user.
✅ Brings 80 year-old audio back to life
✅ Unique way to experience a real life event
❌ Graphic quality merely adequate
❌ No interactive elements
• YouTube: Full content of VR experience
• Languages: English
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