A French Breguet 14 biplane bomber taxis around to the left and lines up with other aircraft parked at the Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome in France during World War 1 . (Blue-white-red vertical paint stripes on their tails identify these as French aircraft.) Several Breguet 14 biplane bombers take off, one after the other, from the field. A motorcycle with sidecar and a loaded truck drive beneath planes taking off. A change of scene shows a gunner still in the rear cockpit of a De Havilland DH-4 bomber that has just nosed over. Its propeller is buried in the ground. Tricolor roundels on its wings (blue-white-red, from center outward) identify this as a French airplane. A number of pilots and mechanics gather around as the gunner begins climbing down from his cockpit.
Camera pans along a road and railroad, show a truck convoy moving on the road past camouflaged barracks and hangars of a French airbase in World War 1. De Havilland DH-4s and other aircraft are parked on the field. An American and a French officer walk together across the field. Mechanics and helpers work to restrain a Spad XIII moving with engine running. Several of them hold it back by pulling on wing struts. Finally the pilot (or mechanic) in the cockpit stops the plane, and several other men catch up with it.
Film opens with a Corsair F4U aircraft making a smooth gear- up emergency landing on a runway at the U.S. Naval Air Station New York (Floyd Bennett field) in World War 2. "Royal Navy, JT 229" is stenciled on the rear of its fuselage, identifying it as belonging to that Squadron. The canopy is open and other than for the landing gear malfunction, the pilot and aircraft appear OK. The Corsair's three-bladed propeller is bent and its engine is shut down. The runway appears to have been foamed, and bits of it are raised as the aircraft slides forward. After the aircraft stops, the cameraman moves, and takes up again as firefighters who were already standing by, respond with protective gear and a hose, ready to employ more foam, if necessary. However, the cockpit is empty and a sailor and the plane captain are already checking over the airplane, as firefighters get set up. It is clear they are not needed.
U.S. ground crewmen standing outside a hangar in France. They rolll a De Havilland DH-4 airplane out of a camouflaged hangar. Three of them crouch under the left wing as they load bombs onto hooks under the wing. (World War I; World War 1; WWI; WW1)
A Biplane with radial engine and cowling that exposes part of the cylinders. Propeller has partial spinner on it. (Niewport airplane?) Man starts the engine with exterior crank. A person already seated in cockpit. Front view of airplane with engine running. Change of scene shows a De Havilland DH-4 maneuvering in the air. (World War I; World War 1; WWI; WW1)
Flight tests of Ercoupe airplane without and with an auxiliary jet propulsion at March Field in California. The Ercoupe airplane with 4 jet units in a hold down position for static tests. The airplane leaves thrust. One jet unit fails. A crewman inspects the failed jet unit. Views of the airplane parts during the static tests.
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