F9F-2 Panther aircraft of VF-112,is catapulted from the deck of the USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) during the Korean War. It is followed by the catapulting of several Reconnaissance F9F-2Ps of VC-61, Unit C. Some more F9F-2s of VF-112 are also catapulted.
A U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat airplane is seen parked on a ramp, with a bomb slung under its fuselage. The narrator identifies it as a "fire bomb," containing gel gasoline. Scene shifts to an F6F dropping one from several thousand feet, in a demonstration. The incendiary bomb creates a swath of fire along the ground, in the direction of flight. A flight of two F6Fs repeat the demonstration, dropping their bombs simultaneously, from a formation. Another drops a bomb on a pier at a waterfront. View to the rear from an airplane that just dropped a bomb in a wooded area. Views of actual U.S. 1st Marine Division operations on Peleliu, Palau Islands, during World War 2, showing F4U Corsair aircraft, flying low and slow, with gear down, dropping napalm incendiary bombs on Japanese troops dug in on a ridge. View of smoke rising from bomb strikes at targets near a river.
U.S. Air Force C-123 lands on primitve air strip in Vietnam. . Supply barrels are rolled out from plane, while engines are running. South Vietnamese troops march out of the rear door of an aircraft. Various supplies are loaded onto aircraft, at a supply depot, including a large basket of live birds. Wounded are transferred from ambulances to airplanes. A C-123 takes off from the remote airfield. View of pilots in cockpit of Special Warfare Forces C-123 aircraft. A psychological warfare airplane drops leaflets, and a Vietnamese soldier broadcasts announcements through loudspeakers. Huts at a remote village where medical supplies are needed to curb an infectious disease. U.S. Air Force personnel unload a foot locker of medicines from a C-47 aircraft. A U.S. advisor on horseback. A bullock team prepared to work. U.S. Doctors and dentists work with indigenous counterparts to treat civilians. People seeking medical and dental care are lined up outside a building. U.S. Airmen instruct indigenous in aircraft maintenance procedures. U.S. Air Force fire power demonstation for Asian Allies includes strafing and bombing by Douglas Skyraiders. Views of the variable sweep wing F-111 aircraft in changing configurations. F-100 aircraft firing rockets. Head on view of a C-130 skimming the ground as it executes a parachute extraction delivery of supplies on a skid platform. F-100s dropping napalm. Parachuted supplies dropping out of an aircraft. View from tanker as an F-4 approaches for aerial refueling. A C-130 landing in cloud of dust at remote airfield. F-105s in flight and launching ordnance. C-123 in flight. F-111 flying with wings closed tight. Exploding flares and bombs. (Vietnam War period).
Activities aboard USS Randolph underway in Pacific Ocean. Men with fire hose wash foam from flight deck. F6F Hellcat aircraft with damaged wing and tail, parked on deck. F6F is attached with truck for towing. Man stands on wing of F6F. Men hose flight deck. (World War II period).
Aerial view looking down at the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) underway below, just before America's entry into World War 2. Her deck is filled with aircraft. Camera view from on the flight deck shows it filled with Grumman F4F Wildcat planes. Pilots are scrambling to some of the planes. Two deck crew sit at the wheels of an 4F4 (as if ready to pull chocks). The engine starts and runs. Several F4Fs have engines running and begin to taxi. One is given clearance to take off and commences its roll with considerable wing flap extension (short takeoff technique). The aircraft takes off and banks right as it clears the carrier deck. Next, two F4Fs are seen in flight above some clouds. Next, a large formation is seen, and individual planes bank and dive from it. Back on the carrier deck, more F4Fs have their engines running. A gunner is seen setting his machine gun into the rear cockpit position of a plane, the narrator calls a versatile scout-bomber. Closeup of the aircraft (a Douglas SBD Dauntless) as engine starts, deck crew pull chocks, and the pilot gets clearance to take off. Next, camera shoots from rear cockpit, with the plane's tail in center of the images. Views cover the complete takeoff and flight away from the carrier. Next an SBD is seen in flight with both front and rear cockpits open. A flight of three SBDs in formation. Closeup of two SBDs in formation. Extreme closeup of SBD with pilot and gunner both clearly visible in open cockpits. The gunner is maneuvering his machine gun. Two SBDs demonstrate rapid descents as in dive bombing. Back on the carrier, an SBD, with wings folded, is maneuvered by sailors, on the hangar deck. Next sailors accompany a Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber on an elevator up to the flight deck. With its wings still folded, they maneuver it into position on the flight deck. An armorer, using a dolly, rolls a bomb to a TBD where two others secure it in a bomb rack under the center of the aircraft. Other armorers distribute machine guns and ammunition to gunners in cockpits of aircraft on the deck. Several TBDs begin taking off. View from hangar deck, of one airborne and departing. A formation of 9 TBDs in flight. (Note: This clip was probably shot in November 1941, based on the aircraft markings in use at the time. Life magazine did a series of stills, and these clips look like they came from that photo session. Enterprise wears Measure 1 camouflage, which she wore from mid-1941 to a month or two into 1942. The flying units aboard are all designated "6" the same as their carrier, CV-6. Thus they are VF-6; VB-6; VT-6, etc.)
Film opens with shaky views of Japanese Kamikaze airplane attacking and being shot down by gunners on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier of Task Force 58, during the Okinawa campaign of World War 2. Burning wrecked aircraft seen on the carrier flight deck. Firefighters run across flight deck with hoses. A landing F4F fighter plane number 59 runs into the flaming wreckage on the deck, and explodes. View from the side of F4F number 58 engulfed in flames as it sits in a pool of firefighting foam. Black flak clouds in the air. A Kamikaze aircraft crashes harmlessly into the sea. Deck crewmen help a pilot out of the cockpit of a fire scorched F4F. View of sailors standing next to a pair of heavy gun barrels on a U.S. warship. Parachuting U.S. pilot seen touching down in the water after bailing out of his aircraft. Sailors running across the flight deck of a carrier. View of the pilot in his life vest being helped aboard the carrier. More views of flak filled sky and a flaming Japanese airplane diving straight down to crash harmlessly in the water. View of American flag at half mast on a U.S. Navy warship. It is April 12, 1945 and President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) has just died. View of sailors on deck in a memorial service for the President. Closeup of mourners singing with hymnals open. Closeup glimpse of FDR. More views of mourners. Scene changes to Japanese Kamikaze being blasted out of the air in pieces, by anti-aircraft fire from a U.S. carrier. The remains fall into the sea. View from U.S. ship, of a Japanese Nakajima L2D transport aircraft with flames coming out of its right wing, as it descends close to the water near the ship, with its landing gear down. View from a more distant ship of the transport plane exploding in the water near a U.S. Escort aircraft carrier. Twin Bofors anti-aircraft guns firing from a U.S. ship. Tracer bullets fill the sky aimed at a Japanese Kamikaze plane. Slates overlay the scene announcing Japanese aircraft shot down: "April 6th: 277 aircraft; April 12th: 100; May 3rd: 97;" Film ends showing more anti-aircraft fire from ships against attacking Japanese aircraft.
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