The opportunity to feel like a participant of Normandy thanks to modern technology of virtual reality will be the heads of the countries-participants of the Second world war, including Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama and even German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The correspondent of “MK” have undergone new technologies earlier presidents.
The developers of the virtual model of the Normandy. From Left Nicolas Serikoff. Photo courtesy of Dassault Systems
To a great day in world history — the beginning of the Normandy landing operations of the French company Dassault systèmes, specializing in 3D modeling and design, has created a documentary 3D film D-Day (D-Day). In addition to newsreel shots of those days, underwater shots of sunken ships and cars the filmmakers have recreated in 3D the missing pieces of the great big events.
For the d-day landings off the coast of Normandy, was built a huge port “mulberry”. “We pass on quay” — command accompany us in virtual reality centre. And really, wearing special glasses, we are on the pontoon. Splashing around looks very real, but actually computer-generated waves. Sounds command: “Attention — in front of you allies.” We turn our heads — and right at us rushing column of British. Their faces can be seen in the smallest details; of course, they are full of heroism, determination. I don’t have time to step aside, and one of the cars… drove right through me. Interesting sensations: as if you are immersed in history not only with his head but his whole body. Here at the bottom plopped down on the artificial pier, a huge wave is upon us “fly” spray. However, we can take off and be over the heads of the soldiers and over their technology, you can sit with them in the car and drive together to the shore.
Marina “Mulberry”. Photo courtesy of Dassault Systems
It is interesting to be under water — a deft joystick sinking to the bottom. “Mulberry” was built on huge stilts, going 50 meters deep. It was a real engineering marvel, alas, not extant. But praise the designers-programmers: 30 people worked on the reconstruction of the building and machinery to the smallest detail according to the old drawings that were stored in the military archives.
Now the glider Waco CG-4A. According to a technician of the company Nicolas Serikoff such during the war was made 14 thousand copies, and 70 years later not one was left. Glider does not already exist in nature, and here, in the film, he appears in all its glory. Here Serikoff zoom, and we see small screws on the wing. It turns out it is not just a movie, but a virtual encyclopedia of engineering. Also, to the screws, was recreated in DS, and wooden landing craft in those years — LCVP. Interestingly, old drawings, fairly erased since the Second world war, sometimes let the specialists but they didn’t give up. Enthusiasts, they hired divers who photographed the wreck of the technique on the bottom of the sea, and then, these photos reproduce its appearance.
A gala screening of the film “D-Day” will be held in one of the main cities in Normandy Caen on 6 June.
Natalia Vedeneeva
