Allied air attacks against France during World War II. A map of France shows the location of Orly. Aerial view of U.S. Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator aircraft in a formation flight. Bombs being dropped on an airfield by U.S. 8th Air Force aircraft on May 24, 1944. Pillars of smoke rise up as the bombs hit the targets. Bomb craters on the field. Smoke rises.
Development of transportation in Europe after World War 2. An ocean-going ship is seen plying the waters of an estuary. A white tower is seen with moving radar antenna on top. A radar operator works in front of radar screens in the control room. He wears headset and microphone. Narrator notes how radar helps navigation in crowded estuaries like the Scheldt. Captain onboard ship ostensibly speaking to the radar operator. Another radar antenna rotating rapidly. A British European Airways (BEA) Vickers VC. 1 Viking airplane at Schiphol Airport (Evert van de Beekstraat 202, 1118 CP Schiphol, Netherlands) in Amsterdam. Glimpses of European airlines using the Douglas DC-3 aircraft such as the Belgian SABENA, Polish LOT and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). A TAP Air Portugal (Transportes Aéreos Portugueses) DC-6 parked, and a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij) DC-6, named the “Vliegende Hollander”, taxiing. An Air France Sud-Est SE-161 Languedoc 4-engine aircraft, taxiing. View of control tower and related buildings at the airport. A person marking a carton for air delivery. A man loads parcels from his automobile trunk, into a Scandinavian Airlines DC-3 aircraft. Venue shifts to Orly airport (94390 Orly, France) in Paris, France, where a DC-6 airplane sits in front of a terminal building. Airport staff prepare to welcome a dignitary, including uniformed brass band seated at an awninged pavilion, and a military honor guard. A DC-4 aircraft parked in nearby background. A party welcomes the President of France, Vincent Jules Auriol, arriving on an Air France Lockheed Constellation airliner. A large contingent of Army troops are assembled in formation to honor the arriving President. He strolls across the ramp, accompanied by a French general and an admiral, among others. He climbs stairs of the pavilion as the band plays La Marseillaise (National Anthem).
A Pan American Airways 4-engine Boeing 707 (N893PA) passenger aircraft at Orly Airport outside Paris, France. Air France and Finnair passenger planes taxi along a runway. A sign on an aircraft reads 'Pan American'. A woman boards the flight. Several of the terminal buildings are seen. Large cranes and construction are underway in parts of the airport. A Boeing 707 aircraft taxis down a runway and past other aircraft on the airfield. Aerial views of Paris near Orly Airport. The aircraft in flight. The aircraft flies over a beach and comes in for landing. The aircraft lands and taxis. A sign reads 'Jet Clipper Whirlwind' on the side of the Pan American Boeing 707. Aircraft at an airfield.
French midget aircraft takes off from Orly Airport in Paris, France. The pilot pushes out French midget aircraft from hangar at Orly Airport. The pilot starts engine on the midget aircraft. The aircraft takes off from the field. Other French aircraft models in the background. The aircraft in flight over grasslands. The aircraft lands. The hangar in the background.
Film opens showing French sign pointing to Orly airport entrance. French Army trucks are seen arriving at the field, carrying young men in civilian clothes. A U.S.Air force C-47 transport plane is parked in the background. The men wave cheerfully from the open backs of the trucks. French tricolor and American flags are seen in the breeze. Near the entrance of the base, a French Army major is overseeing the arrival of the trucks. View of sign identifying the American area of Headquarters of the U.S. Air Force 7415th Air Base Group at at Orly Field. Occupants of the trucks jump down after their tailgates are lowered. They remove their duffel bags and footlockers from the trucks, and stand nearby. View of the paratroopers (in civilian clothes) standing in loose formation near their belongings. Close-ups of many. Some use their own cameras to take pictures. One clowns around with a toy stuffed monkey, eliciting smiles from the others. More close-ups of the men. View from behind the loosely assembled men. One carries a bugle in his personal gear. Close-up of the bugle. Wide view of the men killing time as they wait around. A French Foreign Legion officer in a leather jacket and kepi, alongside a paratrooper officer (in civilian clothes, but wearing a foulard) walks with group of the paratroopers. The entire group of men is seen assembling near a hangar building. Men hand out passports to individual men. Some are handed out by a French paratrooper, in uniform, with beret. U.S. Air Force and civilian photographers are in the background. Several paratroopers show their passports for the camera. The paratroopers break out some of their rations and eat. Some pose around a sign prohibiting public access due to construction. Paratroopers saying farewell to women (some tearful). Close-up of one saying goodbye to wife and child. A group all waving goodbye.
A U.S. Air Force trooper carrier Douglas C-124 Globemaster aircraft is seen parked at the Orly Airfield, in France, with some men standing beneath it. Close-up of two U.S. Air Force officers conversing with a French Paratroop officer (in civilian clothes, but wearing a foulard) and a French military officer, in trench coat and overseas cap. View shifts to French paratroopers, carrying their gear and entering the C-124 aircraft by way of its ramps lowered from the open clamshell door. Glimpse from inside the aircraft cabin of the troopers approaching in a long line. View, from below and behind the open doors, of troopers walking up the ramps. Close-up of troopers with duffle bags passing the camera. Interior of the C-124 seen from the ramp entrance, as aircraft crew members walk to the ladder leading to the upper crew compartment. More views of French troopers, with gear, boarding the aircraft. View of cabin where troopers are seated, and the Air Force crew's loadmaster is securing some of the cargo with tie down straps. The American aircraft commander, dressed in flight suit, shakes hands with French officers, and signs something, before departing. People standing nearby as the aircraft clamshell door is closed. View of engines being started and the C-124 taxiing out. "Troop Carrier, United States Air Force," written on the aircraft fuselage. The aircraft number shown on nosewheel door is "094." Another C-124 (Number "263") is seen taxiing. Slight out-of -sequence scene shows a fireguard standing with fire bottle beside aircraft "263,"as it starts engine number three, and then walks to engine four, for its start. Next shot is of aircraft "094," with engines running and some last minute item being loaded through the front hatch. French military waving goodbye. One of the C-124s taking off and breaking ground. followed later, by the second. The two U.S. Air Force officers with French Paratroop officer in civilian clothes and a uniformed officer in overseas cap (seen at beginning of film) watch the departing aircraft.
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