Wilbur Wright makes a world's altitude record by rising 360 feet at Le Mans, France. Airplane flies in sky. High altitude view of snow covered mountains. Aerial view of snow covered fields, trees and mountains.
A wedding ceremony in Le Meuse, France. Exteriors of a church. Aerial view of people gathered outside the church. A newly married couple comes out of the church. The bride meets a woman holding a boy. The boy cries. Couples dance. The couple kisses. A photographer in the background.
Germany and German occupied France during World War II. Germany: German engineers repair a railway bridge. The men weld and assemble parts. German officers inspect the bridge. A train crosses the bridge. The German officers watch. In Paris: Trucks are assembled at the Citroen automobile plant. Men assemble truck engines. A woman works on a truck. Trucks on the assembly line.
U.S. Army Air Forces B-17s of the 8th Air Force, return after the first raid on Rouen, France during World War 2. Several U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 aircraft are seen coming in to land at an airfield in England. Brigadier General Ira Eaker who personally flew the B-17 "Yankee Doodle," to lead this mission, jumps from the aircraft and shakes hands with Major General Carl Spaatz, Commander of the 8th Air Force. (Other crew members of the B-17 "Yankee Doodle" are seen quietly leaving their aircraft.) Later, Eaker, smoking a cigar, is interviewed by a group of civilian and U.S. Army reporters.
Discussion of the first B-17 raid in the European theater (on Rouen, France) during World War II. Major General Carl Spaatz, Commander of the U.S. 8th Air Force, comments about this first such use of American heavy bombers against German targets in World War 2. He notes that this raid was led by Brigadier Ira Eaker, head of U.S. Bomber Command. He invites Eaker to comment on the raid. General Eaker reports that pilots maintained good formations and gunners caused German fighters to back away. He states that the main targets during the air raid were marshalling yards and a Locomotive repair facility. An intelligence officer debriefs two members of a flight crew, following a mission. They answer questions. One of the crew members points out their target on a map, and reports success at hitting their targets..
First American air raid on German positions in Rouen, France during World War II. U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 aircraft on an airfield in England. Ground crew work on the aircraft. Bomb bay door opens up. Fuel tank as men refuel the aircraft. Combat crew members arrive at the briefing hut and being instructed by an officer. He instructs the pilots and other flight about the targets to be bombed. Radio men being instructed. After the briefing crew members head towards the airfield. Flight crew board B-17s. Aircraft take off from the field. B-17s in formation flight. Bomb bay door opens and bombs are dropped. Bombs hit the target and smoke rises. Aircraft head for England after the air raid. Aircraft arrive at the airfield in England. Major General Carl Spaatz , Head of the USAAF in England greet the pilots after a successful air raid. Crew members share their experiences of the mission with an intelligence officer. A pilot talks about how his aircraft was attacked by a German ME-109 aircraft during the air raid.