Synopsis
The Air Force Association presents Air Force Scrapbook, 1907-1957, a short film on the history of the Air Force for the Golden Anniversary celebration of the U.S. Air Force in 1957. The film presents footage of early planes in flight, some of the earliest military action by U.S. air forces, and scenes involving some of America’s best ace pilots up through the Korean War. The film opens with footage of early planes and more modern planes flying in the sky. The Wright Brothers show off their skid-mounted twin pusher propeller aircraft at Fort Myers, VA ( 01:58 ). Orville Wright and Lt. Frank Lahm take a test flight at Fort Myers. Old footage shows an aerial combat on the Mexican border in 1916 ( 04:04 ) as part of a U.S. operation against the forces of Francisco “Pancho” Villa. The film then shows scenes from WWI, including soldiers running across a field. American volunteers climbing into planes under the direction of the French Lafayette Escadrille ( 04:58 ); the planes take off. Footage shows the squadrons fighting German pilots in the air. Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker smiles while sitting in a cockpit ( 05:26 ). The “Flying Tigers” fly what appear to be Curtiss P-40s ( 05:56 ) in the early days of American action in WWII. In the Pacific, what appears to be Lockheed P-38 Lightning Fighters shoot Japanese fighters ( 06:48 ); Major Richard Bong smiles for the camera. Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars fight over Korea; jet ace Captain Joseph C. McConnell climbs into the cockpit…
Uploader's description on archive.org
Details
- Running time
- 28 minutes
- Collection
- Ephemeral Films
Subjects on the Internet Archive
- Stock Footage