P-51 Mustang aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Forces 354th Fighter Group landing at 9th Air Force advanced air strip A-2, near Criqueville, France, during World War 2. Letters "FT" on fuselage identify them as belonging to the 353rd Fighter Squadron.
Deck edge lined with crew members watching air show on USS Constellation (CV-64) in the Republic of China (Taiwan). VADM (Vice Admiral) Thomas Moorer, Republic of China President Chiang Kai-shek and party view airs show. Chiang Kai-shek, Madam Chiang Kai-shek (Soong Mei-ling) with VADM Moorer and party watch air show. Two aircraft in flight fire rockets. Hits made on water. A-4B and three F-8C planes in flight.
General Twining arrives to congratulate fighter Pilots of the U.S. Air Force, in Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands, during World War II. General Nathan Twining steps out of his jeep and walks towards a group of Air Force Pilots. He congratulates Captain John Mitchell and then speaks to Pilots of the 339th Fighter Squadron. General Twining and other Pilots stand in front of a P-38 fighter airplane and talk. Pilots who shot three Zero Fighters and three bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) over Ki hill Airfield near Munda Point. The three Pilots, Captain Thomas Lamphier, Jr.,, Lieutenant Busby Frank Holmes and Lieutenant Alex E Barber pose for a photograph. (These three would later participate in U.S. Operation Vengeance, on April 16, 1943, in which they engage a group of Japanese aircraft, including one carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack. He would perish when they down the Mitsubishi G4M bomber carrying him.) Pilots leaving in a jeep. A Pilot stands on the wing of P-38 fighter, besides its canopy.
U.S. Air Force runway strips and air fields at islands of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands, during World War II. A new runway strip at Henderson airfield being constructed for U.S. Air Force fighter aircrafts nearby the sea shore of the island. An operator operates an earthmover and cleans the area for landing strip. U.S. airmen near earthmover watch the process.
Five Hot air balloons preparing for a race from Catalina Island, to the mainland, California. Views of gas tanks and flames that create the hot air for the balloons. Participant, Barbara R. Keith,a 42 year old grandmother, from Hartford, Connecticut, seen wearing an inflatable life jacket and donning her helmet. She boards her balloon and tucks her goodluck mascot (a stuffed toy dog) into the gondola. she is seen rising in her balloon. Brief view of the ground and sightseers from a balloon about 50 feet in the air. Famed balloonist, Donald Louis Piccard, is seen igniting his heater and leaving the ground aboard his balloon. (Note: This was an ill fated venture. Only one balloonist successfully reached the mainland, California. The rest had to be rescued from the water. Mrs. Keith lost her life and her body was recovered days later.)
A United States Air Force C-47 aircraft (tail number 43-48765) is seen parked on a grass airfield, with its rear door open and entry ladder down. Camera zooms in on so-called jet-assisted takeoff (JATO) cylinders fastened underneath the aircraft. Closeup of the aircraft landing gear and tires. Closer view of the JATO cylinders, that appear to be twin 12AS-250 Junior JATO cylinders made by Aerojet Corporation.. Two Air Force officers approach and board the aircraft, which is being guarded by an armed Staff Sergeant. Camera pans across to the aircraft as the crew starts number 2 engine, as a fire guard with extinguisher stands by. A collection of military and other persons stands by vehicles in the background. The fire guard walks to number 1 engine which the crew starts. With both engines running smoothly, the pilot waves to the fire guard from his open cockpit window. Next, the aircraft is seen taxiing on the otherwise empty airfield. It turns near a large tree and commences a takeoff roll. The Jato bottles fire and the aircraft is launched into the air after a very short ground run, with smoke spurting from the JATO rocket cylinders. Another view of the Jato takeoff is seen as well.
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