Fleet Carrier Air Group 86 (CVG-86) embarked on the USS Wasp (CV-18) at end of World War 2. A pilot of Squadron VF-86, sits in an F6F with engine running, on flight deck of the Wasp. He runs the engine a while, then shuts it down, and climbs down from the aircraft. Another pilot greets him and they both walk across the deck together. An F4U, Corsair (Number 154) of Fighting Bombing Squadron 86 (VBF-86) takes off, followed by another (number 155). Next, a TBM-3E Avenger (number 301) of VT-86, takes off, followed by numbers 303, and 314. An SB2C-4 Helldiver (number 210) is the next to take off. View aft, shows sailors working around an F6F; a tug driving along the flight deck; and a destroyer (looks like Fletcher-class) underway in far background.
A glimpse of Navy gunners firing Bofors anti-aircraft guns from battle station on a U.S. aircraft carrier is how this film begins. Next, black flak clouds fill the sky and tracer rounds are seen in a nighttime battle as ships of U.S. Task Force 58 (TF-58) battles attacks from Japanese aircraft, including Kamikazes dispatched from Mainland Japan, during World War 2. View of Japanese attacking aircraft subject to relentless tracer bullet fire, until is is hit. It continues toward a target ship, but misses and crashes into the sea. A flaming Japanese aircraft moving overhead in daylight, amidst many black flak clouds. It crashes into the sea. Another nighttime scene shows numerous tracer rounds flashing through the darkness as hundreds of land--based Japanese warplanes attack ships of Task Force 58. Explosions are seen in the air as attacking planes are hit by anti-aircraft fire. View of a Japanese attacking aircraft diving from overcast skies, banking to its left and crashing into the water. Gun camera views from American aircraft shooting down a Japanese multi-engine bomber from the rear and one from another aircraft shooting a Japanese fighter head-on. It veers off in smoke as the American plane passes to its left. The Japanese plane crashes into the sea with a huge explosion and fireball. Another gun camera view of large Japanese aircraft being shot down from the rear. Scene shifts to column of 5 "old" U.S. battleships underway. Views of guns firing from newer battleships of the line. Glimpse of foreign correspondent Ernie Pyle aboard a warship. The battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) seen silhouetted against moonlit sky. (She was damaged by hit from Japanese aerial torpedo, off Okinawa on April 12th, 1945.) Views of fast battleships and other ships of TF 58,firing their naval guns. View on Okinawa as their shells explode, supporting advance by U.S. Army and Marine advancing forces. The U.S. troops running across fields as they advance. Burning buildings on Okinawa. US troops advancing through rice paddies. A soldier calling for close air support on a field radio. View of two Escort carriers providing air support. View air control officers aboard the Command ship, heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35), as they order air strikes in support of the troops. F4F fighter planes carrying bombs take off from a carrier. Formations of U.S. aircraft in flight overhead. Their bombs exploding on Okinawa. frontal view of an F4F firing rockets. Wider views of F4Fs firing rockets.
Aircraft from the Imperial Iranian Air Force fleet includes United States McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and Northrop F-5 fighter jets. A row of Northrop F-5 fighter jets at an airfield in Iran. Sign in English and Persian reads “31st T.F. (Tactical Fighter) Squadron”. Imperial Iranian Air Force pilots attend class. A map of the Middle East showing flight paths, radii, flags of the various Air Forces in the region. Flags and roundels of the Soviet Union, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon. A bomb is installed into a jet fighter-bomber. A fuze is fitted into the bomb nose. A man wearing a jacket with an “F-5 Iran” patch. Iranian military pilots run out of a building and board trucks.
View from a U.S. Marine bunker as enemy shell explodes nearby, during the siege of Khe Sanh in 1968 during the Vietnam War. The United States Marines in the Battle of Khe Sanh firing mortars and a 105mm howitzer from their bunker. Enemy shells exploding on the tarmac, where American Air Force C-130 aircraft are parked. Marines rushing wounded comrades on stretchers, to C-130s for evacuation. Scene shifts to U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel James P. Sheehan, standing at Camp Pendleton, California. (He was a company commander in the siege at Khe Sanh.) As he describes the C-130 aircraft support operations, a contingent of marines marches past, behind him. Scene shifts to a civilian narrator standing in the Military Airlift Command (MAC) Headquarters Command Center at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Among other things, he describes MAC support to the Tactical Air Command in Korea. Camera focuses on MAC air routes in the vicinity of the Philippines, Japan, and Korea. Next, is seen view of airfield at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, briefly at sunset, and then at night, as pilots of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing and their F-111 aircraft prepare to depart for Korea, in response to border tensions, in August, 1976, after North Korean forces killed two American officers ("Korean Axe Murder Incident" and resulting "Operation Paul Bunyan"). Ground crewman directs a taxiing F-111 using lighted wands. The F-111s takes off. One of them is seen landing after the 7 thousand mile flight to Korea, as Major Paul Malandrino,Jr. (unseen) of the 366th Wing, speaks about MAC's airlift support. A C-141 MAC aircraft is seen landing. View of a C-141 with tail doors open and its cargo of military equipment on the ramp behind it. Glimpse of a marine with rifle and earphones, guarding equipment on the airfield ramp. Closeups of F-111 aircraft taking off.
The development of weapon system at the Wright Air Development Center of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. F-86D Sabre aircraft at the base. A pilot in a cockpit. Pilot wears a helmet, flying suit and oxygen mask. Pilot checks control. Various new type parts of the F-86D aircraft are demonstrated like the fuel engine, normal engine, emergency engine etc. Pilot work on controls F-86D taxis and takes off. Radar screen in operation. Radar screens in operation in the background. F-86D in flight. Students receive instructions in a classroom. Students at radarscope. Technicians and workers during a construction of runway. Technicians and Project engineers at work in an office. View of the Joint Project Officers at work. View of Wright Air Development organization and of buildings at Wright Air Development Center (WADC) in Ohio. Entrance of a building at the facility.
Activities at Wright Air Development Center, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Two burners under wing of B-47 Stratojet aircraft. Gun fire test on a container filled with hydraulic fluid. B-47 lands with drag parachute. Technician makes a part for aircraft C-97 Stratofreighter. A stenographer types notes. A woman takes out the printouts. Several view of various office workers. A project engineer works on a machine. A woman takes out the prints of graphs. Librarian checks out book for technician. A woman works on publications. Technicians seated at a desk and look at the project details. Various supplies kept in warehouse. A sign reads 'WADC Supply Shuttle Truck No 6'. A technician works on a fabricated machine. Instrumentation camera in operation. Theodolite camera track B-45 Tornado in flight. Technician checks the propeller. F-86 stationary. Divided frame in five sections shows F-86D Sabre, F-59 buzz camera, Matador missile launching,F-86D, Book entitled 'Nuclear Powered Aircraft' and Bell X-1 in center. Aerial view low-flying over facilites of the WADC in Ohio. A Wright Memorial. A title card reads "For us, This is Not the End."
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