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Reno National Championship Air Races Historic Film 76864 (1965)

1965 · Short film · 20 min

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Synopsis

U.S. National Aerobatic Champion Harold Krier is just one of the pilots introduced in this 20-minute color film on the National Championship Air Races held in Reno, Nevada, and aerobatic flying. Made in 1965, it opens with the camaraderie and competitiveness shared by pilots, The camera eavesdrops on conversations as pilots and their teams discuss horizontal rolls and potential problems as Krier is introduced at mark 02:00 and shown performing his airborne acrobatics. As aerobatics pilot Charlie Hillard explains at mark 02:30, precision aerobatic flying is not stunt flying. “Precision aerobatic flying is getting the ultimate out of an airplane,” he says at mark 02:58. “Stunt flying is something like flying through a house or crashing an airplane into a barn.” Hillard goes on to explain his checklist for maneuvers, which he keeps in his cockpit, before viewers are treated to such moves. The skill and daring of parachutists is up next as the film again eavesdrop on final preparations prior to their jumps. Back at the hanger at mark 07:33, mechanics work on pilot Bill Stead’s aircraft as biplanes roar overhead during the Reno Air Races. Replete with footage from the races, the film switches gears at mark 10:00 to focus on slow and graceful hot air balloon races … and the frenetic pace on the ground to get them into the sky. Air show pilot and former Air Force test pilot Bob Hoover wraps up the film, starting at mark 14:25, as he introduces us to the North American P-51 Mustang,…

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Details

Running time
20 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

Subjects on the Internet Archive

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