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OFFICIAL FILMS NEWSREEL VOL. 2 DOUGLAS XB-19 BATTLE OF ATLANTIC WWII EASTERN FRONT 84724b (1941)

1941 · Short film · 9 min

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Synopsis

This film shows newsreel highlights of 1941 and is an Official Films presentation (:07). It provides footage of the Douglas XB-19’s first flight as well as footage from fronts of WW2 and the Atlantic Meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt. It opens with photography on Venice Beach California (:19) and sunbathers laying bikini clad along the sand as a photographer snaps various shots (:28). An optical illusion is shown as a woman sitting in the sand with a hand outstretched appears to be holding her boyfriend in the palm of her hands (:42). Two women playing in the sand have disguised themselves as disembodied heads (:47). The Douglas XB-19 was the largest bomber aircraft built for the USAF until 1946 and it’s first test flight is shown (1:12). It took off in Santa Monica, California (1:16) and is compared to a pursuit plane to show its massive size (1:21). The first minute of the test run cost a whopping $83,000 in insurance (1:30). It is seen heading for the runway (1:38) and Major Armstead brought the plane down into an army field near Riverside (1:49). Footage from the Battle of the Atlantic follows as British destroyers sunk German warships in the Atlantic (2:25). After setting the ship aflame, the German crew is seen moving towards the Royal Navy destroyer which had stopped them (2:30). Men in small life boats are seen in the waters (2:37) and a torpedo is sent to the burning German ship (2:32). Another German ship was inspected by British Officials (2:50). After they…

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Details

Running time
9 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

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