ALLIED AIR CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF D-DAY LANDINGS in NORMANDY (1944)

Synopsis

The Air Plan" is a wonderful WWII film that shows the role played by the RAF, Dominion squadrons and briefly the U.S. Army Air Forces in the preparation, invasion and securing of the Normandy beachheads in June 1944, known by the codeword OVERLORD. The film begins with a brief overview of the work of the Allied air forces during the Second World War up to the Normandy landings, including the Battle of Britain, the bombing of the German industrial areas, the thousand bomber raids, the Dieppe raid and USAAF daylight raids; stock shots of RAF Spitfire squadrons, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Short Stirling, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers and captured footage of Germans clearing rubble and repairing rail lines. The preparations for the Normandy Landings are shown through amphibious landings, the creation of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force and the work in the months running up to the invasion - the destruction of key lines of communication, transport, defence and detection targets. Training for the landings (showing LCTs moving toward shore with air support) is watched over by Montgomery, Eisenhower and Tedder. Commanders of the Expeditionary Air Force are seen looking at a large wall map, members present include Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory, Major General W G Butler, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Cunningham and Major General Lewis Brereton. An animated map of the proposed plan is followed by scenes of the build up to the landings,…

Uploader's description on archive.org

Details

Running time

28 minutes

Language

English

Collection

Ephemeral Films

Subjects on the Internet Archive

• Stock Footage