Lieutenant Al Williams flying a Curtiss R3C1 racer aircraft for the 1925 Pulitzer Race at Mitchel Field in New York, United States. View of the navy R3C1. Lieutenant Al Williams and a civilian look at a map laid out on a wingtip of the aircraft. Lieutenant Cy Bettis and Lieutenant Williams standing behind the navy R3C1 aircraft. Lieutenant Williams removes his uniform coat and cap, then Lieutenant Bettis helps him put on a parachute and he climbs into the cockpit of the aircraft. Lieutenant Williams seated in the cockpit of the navy R3C1. He smiles at a camera and puts on goggles. A civilian comes up to side of the cockpit and the two men confer over a small notebook. The navy R3C1 with its engine running on a grass field. Several Curtiss mechanics push the tail of the aircraft around. An army officer, a civilian and an army enlisted man are standing nearby and are watching. The navy R3C1 taxis in front of a small hangar. The army R3C1 takes off. Two aircraft flying over Mitchel Field during the course of the 1925 Pulitzer Race. The navy R3C1 lands. Lt. Williams wearing a flight jacket and a navy service cap.
One of the first helicopter tests at Soesterberg in 1925. Shows men assisting the helicopter for the first flight. The helicopter fuselage consists of a tubular truss, with an engine mounted on one end. Rotor-blades can be seen rotating in order to make a lift. The main rotor had two blades, which are restrained by cables so that the blades flap about a hinge. It is shown how flapping motion of blades is achieved and the view by a camera is also attached to rotor axis, showing the motion of blades. (World War II period).
One of the first helicopter tests at Soesterberg in 1925. Shows rotating blades of helicopter and trying to make a lift but it tilts on its side and collapses. Men running towards the collapsed helicopter and inspecting.
The Naval Operating Base, Hampton Roads, in 1925 (re-designated "U.S. Naval Station Norfolk," in 1945). Opening scene shows Senior Naval officers (mostly captains plus a couple of rear admirals) seated in front row, and two rows of others officers standing behind them. At one point, they all remove their caps. Behind them is a concrete wall. But tops of some some buildings can be seen behind in the background. Closeup of a seated young rear admiral flanked by captains. In change of scene, all the officers are seen standing at attention, side-by-side on a gravel waterfront area, with a river and numerous buildings on the opposite shore visible in background. The camera pans across the assembled officers. Next, officers are seen on the waterfront, marching in white hats and carrying swords. (In these scenes, the motion is too fast, due to lack of compensation for low hand cranking speed of source camera.) The officers stop and stand in formation, and then march away.
Vice Admiral Edward W. Eberle at Naval Operating Base, Hampton Roads in 1925. (The base was re-designated "U.S. Naval Station Norfolk," in 1945). Opening scene shows Admiral Eberle, Chief of Naval Operation, standing on deck of a ship with a captain, a Commander, and a Lieutenant Commander. They are pointing and peering through binoculars at objects (likely aircraft) passing overhead. Next, a Navy launch is seen entering a channel and moving toward the camera. It arrives at a dock is made secure by sailors. Vice Admiral Eberle then steps to the dock, followed by a Captain, a Commander, and several other naval officers, who line up on the dock They exchange salutes with the Admiral, who then ascends stairs followed by his retinue. The last scene is reconstituted and re-filmed. This time, naval staff officers are lined up beside the launch. They salute as Admiral Eberle steps from the launch, followed only by a staff Lieutenant Commander. The admiral then proceeds up steps, followed by officers on his staff. Another scene shows Admiral Eberle, standing on the dock with senior members of his staff behind him.
Sequence 1; The launching of the USS V-1 (later Barracuda SS-163) on July 17, 1924 from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Sequence 2; Two surrendered German U-Boats, most likely the U-117 (L) and the UB-148 (R) circa 1918/19. Sequence 3; The USS S-19 circa 1925 either looking to moor or pulling away to sea. Sequence 4; U.S. "L" class submarines ay Bantry Bay, Queenstown, Ireland circa 1918 World War 1, American submarines had to place an "A" before there name to avoid confusion with the British "L" class submarines. L to R are L-11 (bow), L-1, L-10, L-4 and L-9.