Animated map shows sailing vessel leaving Coast of United States heading to the British Isles. Next, the Cunard-White Star ocean liner, S.S. Aquitania, is shown underway in the Atlantic, with note that the ship crossing only takes four days. Animated map shows America and Europe "moving closer together" as a result. Noting that an airplane flew from New York to Paris in 16 hours and 38 minutes, Howard Hughes' Lockheed 14 Super Electra Special aircraft, heavily loaded with fuel, is seen making a difficult takeoff from the short (3500 foot) runway at Floyd Bennett Field, Long Island, on July 10th, 1938, headed to Paris, France on first leg of its round-the-world flight. Glimpse of the aircraft overhead as it sets course for Newfoundland on a Great Circle route to Paris.
Fliers in the Dole Derby air race take off for Hawaii. The "City of Oakland," a Travel Air 5000 aircraft is seen being readied for flight. Pilot Ernie Smith and navigator Emory Bronte pose at the front of the aircraft, inspecting the engine and propeller. Closeup of the two. Next, a mechanic hand-cranks the engine to start it. Pilot, Smith climbs into the cockpit and closes its door. On July 14th, the aircraft is seen on takeoff roll toward and past the camera, which continues to track it through the takeoff. (The aircraft ran out of fuel and crash landed on the island of Molokai, in Hawaii on July 15th. Smith and Bronte were flown by Army aircraft to Wheeler field, the same day, where they were feted as the first civilians to fly across the Pacific.)
Film opens showing a display case in the Bolling Air Force Base Officer's Club, containing a model of the Atlantic-Fokker C-2A aircraft flown by pilots of the U.S. Army Air Corps, in January, 1929 when they set an endurance record of more than 150 hours sustained flight. Below it is a Wright J-5 Whirlwind R-790 engine that powered the flight. Next a large poster is shown commemorating the 35th anniversary of the feat (1929 to 1964). It contains photos of highlights from that event. Next, the retired officers pass the display of model and engine as they descend stairs and enter dining room. Most are in civilian clothes. But several attendees are active duty officers in uniform. Major Sidney Kubesch, pilot on record-breaking B-58 flight from Tokyo-to-London, pauses to stand and look at the display case. General Nathan Twining; General Ira Eaker seen briefly at the display case. At end of clip, General Carl Spaatz stands alone, looking at the display.
Opening scene shows large group of retired Air Force officers seated at a number of tables in the Bolling Air Force Base Officers' Club. Closeups of General Carl Spaatz, Lieutenant General Ira Eaker, Lieutenant General James Ferguson (Deputy chief of staff for research and development at Headquarters Air Force), and Major Sidney J. Kubesch (who, in October 1963, was aircraft commander of the B-58 bomber that set a speed record, flying 8,028 miles from Tokyo to London in 8 hours, 35 minutes and 20.4 seconds). Old time aviators, Colonel Harry Halverson and aviation mechanic, Sergeant Roy Hooe, who both flew on the Question Mark, are also seen. Closeup of a model B-58 Hustler bomber sitting on a luncheon table. Closeup of a model of the Fokker C-2A "Question Mark" next to old log book. ( This clip also shows two unidentified women participating in the luncheon.)
General Carl Spaatz, Colonel Harry Halverson, and General Ira Eaker, seat themselves on a couch in the Officer's Club at Bolling Air Force Base, during a gathering of retired Air Force officers celebrating the 35th anniversary of the 1929 record-setting endurance flight by Air Force crews, of the Fokker C-2A airplane named "question mark." Closeup of them conversing. Closeup of aviation mechanic, Sergeant Roy Hooe, who flew on the Question Mark. Major General Brooke Allen (Commander of Headquarters Command at Bolling AFB) holds a model of the "Question Mark" and discusses it with the others. View of the 5 men seated around a cocktail table discussing the 1929 endurance flight.
Mechanics perform pre-departure maintenance on a Ford trimotor airplane at a hangar in Detroit, Michigan. Later, pilots Floyd Bennett and Bert Balchen, and others, board and take off. Aerial view from above, of the airplane flying en route to Lac Ste. Agnes (Lake St. Agnes) Quebec, Canada, to bring supplies needed to repair the Junkers aircraft "Bremen" that had crash-landed on Greenly Island after a transatlantic flight.
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