U.S. Fliers of the 96th Aero Squadron, pose with support personnel and some French counterparts, at the First Air Depot in Colombey-les-Belles, France during World War 1. Camera pans across the group posing in front of a line of parked De Havilland DH-4 bombers. They wave and throw their hats into the air.
U.S. 96th Aero Squadron at First Air Depot in Colombey-les-Belles, France during World War I. A De Havilland DH-4 bomber taxis on the airfield. A DH-4 seen in flight overhead, maneuvering to land. Next, it is seen parked on the grassy field. The pilot and gunner are both standing in their respective cockpits, facing each other and conversing, while the engine still runs intermittently as it shuts down. Scene shifts to Air Service personnel heading across the grass toward a completely inverted Salmson 2A2 reconnaissance airplane in the distance. Closeup of an American Sergeant, under the inverted airplane, examining the gunner's cockpit and area around it. The airframe seems to be relatively undamaged. It appears as it the aircraft nosed-over on landing. Another view shows a large group of curious American airmen standing around the aircraft. French roundels can be seen painted on the bottom of its lower wing. A motorcycle stands in the foreground.
U.S. Air Service officers observe test firing of Vickers machine gun on a Brequet 14 airplane, at the First Air Depot in France, during World War 1. Colonel T. D. Milling, Commanding Officer, First Brigade, First Army Corps; Captain G. C. Thomas Jr.,96th Aero Squadron; First Lieutenant V. F. Ludden, 96th Aero Squadron, and Pilot, 1st Lieutenant C. G. Sellers (in the cockpit) examining a Vickers machine gun mounted on the side of a Breguet 14 airplane, named "Photo." Lieutenant Sellers fires the machine gun from the cockpit. View of the machine gun firing with expended cartridges being ejected. (The gun is designed to synchronize and fire through the turning propeller when the engine is running. But that is not demonstrated here.)
The barrel of a 120mm M1 anti-aircraft gun is seen with a white ring and the name "Buddy Bill" painted on it. Another shown is named "Bashful-Baby." A soldier is in the process of painting a name on his gun barrel. View of the M51 Skysweeper anti-aircraft gun. Closeup of the radar dish atop the gun. View of the numerous controls of the gun. A Skysweeper gun set up in a desert setting, test site. An officer approaches the gun crew and gives an order. A gun crew member lowers the gun barrel, while two others retrieve shells for it. Hand of operator seen adjusting settings on gun controls. An aircraft (drone) is seen in flight overhead. The gun begins to automatically track it. A gunner presses a firing switch and the gun begins to fire shells. Black flak clouds form as shells explode in the air. several rounds are fired, the drone is struck and fall, burning, from the sky. Change of scene shows a Nike surface to air missile in a launch position. A soldier stands near a sign at a test site, reading "Launch Area." Soldiers slide a Nike missile across a set of rails, hook it up to a launch stand, turn on various control switches, and quickly leave the area. Aerial view of several Nike missiles laid horizontal on similar rails. Closeup on the ground of a Nike missile being raised to an uptight firing position. A rotating radar antenna. An Army technician at a battery of controls in a Nike operation center. Soldiers at a plotting table in th operation center. One wears a headset and announces countdown to firing. A visiting Allied military officer observes the activities. A clock on the wall records the countdown. A field grade Army officer with a headset stands near the soldier during the countdown. A hand actuates the firing switch and the Nike missile is seen launching. Men track it with elaborate camera equipment. The Army controller then announces time to intercept, as a dial in the control room shows the countdown progressing. . View of a B-17 target drone aircraft in flight at high altitude. As intercept is announced, the Nike strikes the B-17 which explodes and falls. Views of Nike test launch. View of the B-17 drone leaving contrails as it flies at high altitude, and then exploding and burning after being struck by the Nike missile. Pieces of the aircraft fall off as it burns, including two of its engines. Army Master Sergeant Stuart Queen, host of the "Big Picture" television program, wraps up the presentation.
Wounded American soldiers arriving in North Africa, after being evacuated by air from combat zones, during World War 2. U.S. soldiers in fatigues, offload wounded troops, on litters from a U.S. C-47 air evacuation aircraft, and place them into an Army ambulance that drives away. The unloading soldiers wait for another ambulance. Several airmen sit in a jeep with a woman in a blue flight outfit, wearing a headscarf. They are facing away from the camera and watching patients being transferred. The tail of the C-47 can be seen in the background. It displays the tail code "N." Numerous closeups of wounded being moved on stretchers from the aircraft to ambulances.
Japanese billiard player Masako Katsuro in Sacramento, California. She is married to American Air Force Sergeant. She demonstrates her skills to Air Force men. She hits balls on the billiards table. Men applaud.
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