The Schneider Cup Race for the fastest seaplane in Baltimore, Maryland. A Curtiss R3C-2 (US Air Service) at the race and U.S. airmen stand around the plane. U.S. Army Air Service Lieutenant James H. Doolittle in the cockpit. Airmen push the plane in water. Gloster Napier III seaplane of England is being pushed into the water. Maachi Flying Boat of Italy in the water. Seaplanes in flight. The race is won by Curtiss R3C-2 (US Air Service). Lt. James H. Doolittle leaves the R3C-1 and is being congratulated by Mrs. Doolittle and the Chief of U.S. Army Air Service Major General Mason M. Patrick.
Shows several aviation "firsts" accomplished by U.S. Army Air Service aviators in the period from 1918 through 1924. A close formation of biplanes in flight. President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson chat with Major Fleet, Officer in charge, on the occasion of the first air mail flight, inaugurated on May 15,1918 between Washington DC and New York.The mail is loaded into the Curtis JN-4 aircraft. Pilot in the cockpit. The aircraft takes off and in flight. Air Service. Mention of aviators helping spot forest fires. Smoke rising from forest fires and mountain ranges. In 1920, U.S. Army Captain St. Clair Streett is seen with some of his Squadron who flew four De Havilland DH-4 aircraft 9,000 miles, from New York City to Nome, Alaska. Two of the men play with pet dogs. Their itinerary is painted on the side of one of the aircraft, along with the names of pilot and mechanic (C.E. Crumline and J.E. Long). In 1923 the first non stop coast-to-coast flight was made in the Fokker T-2 aircraft. . A sign on the aircraft reads 'Army Air Service non stop coast to coast'.First Lieutenants Oakley O.Kelly and John A. Macready board the aircraft, at Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York, on May 2, 1923. Their Fokker T-2 in flight. Their arrival at Rockwell Field, on Coronado Island (San Diego) California. In 1924, Lt. Russell Maughan is seen boarding his P-1 Hawk airplane at Mitchel Field, on Long Island, New York, and taking off , bound for Crissy Field at the Presidio, San Francisco, California. His goal is the first dawn-to-dusk, coast-to-coast flight. Views of his P-1 Hawk airplane flying over Manhattan, New York City.
World War II British Hawker Hurricane aircraft in flight over Malta. British lookout atop building peering through binoculars. Enemy aircraft spotter on lookout speaks into microphone. Air raid flag being hoisted to masthead. Siren atop building starts spinning. British Tommy operating portable hand siren. Maltese residents running for an air raid shelter. Lookout firing pistol in air. British soldiers running to anti-aircraft gun stations. Women and children enter shelter. British pilots scramble and are seen running to and getting into Spitfire airplanes. British soldiers operate an antiaircraft gun and fire at incoming German Luftwaffe aircraft. Maltese peasants stopping work in field and watching the attacking planes. Anti-aircraft guns in action. German planes attacking and dropping bombs on British-held targets in Malta. Junkers 88 streaks across sky as Spitfires dive after it. Anti-aircraft batteries firing. Aerial scene of flak and dogfights showing German Junkers 88 aircraft being hit, falling to ground and exploding. British bobby (police officer) wounded in air raid shelter. Women and children in shelter. Bomb hits. Scenes of fire and smoke. Civilians leave shelter.
Allied military forces in Japan after World War II. Marching troops of Commonwealth forces in front of Imperial Palace Plaza, Tokyo Japan. Troops of Cameroon Highlanders, British Indian Army troops following their band in red coats, Australian Army, Canadian Army troops following their band parade one after the other. Indian Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Indian Air Force and Australian Army band during the march past.
U.S. Army Air Forces C-47 transport plane, painted in D-Day invasion stripes, lands at improvised airstrip in Normandy, France,during World War 2. Barrage balloons surround the airstrip.The C-47 has numeral two painted by its U.S. star on fuselage. A second C-47 is seen on final approach to the airstrip. Foreground is marked by foxholes, possible shell holes and other signs of combat. U.S. Army Chief of Staff, George S. Marshall and Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower are seen consulting with British Officer of the Scots Guards, who reads a military dispatch. Military Police stand guard in background. They are joined by Admiral Ernest J, King, USN, and Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, Commanding General, 1st Army . The military leaders board jeeps in a convoy. Lieutenant General Henry (Hap) Arnold, Commanding General, U.S Army Air Forces, seen briefly as he steps from a C-47 aircraft. Marshall, Eisenhower, and King, boarding jeeps. They look up as a U.S. Air Forces B-17 bomber flies low overhead. General Marshal conversing with a helmeted army soldier. Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN, Commander Western Naval Task Force, steps from a C-47 transport airplane, followed by General Eisenhower.General Marshall and General Bradley (with bandaged nose) riding in a jeep. General Eisenhower and Admiral King seated in a jeep. Convoy of senior officers passing several troops and military vehicles along a road. Air Forces General Arnold in front seat of a jeep.The jeeps arrive at a building.
Opening slate advertises "National Air Mail Week. May 15-21. The 20th Anniversary of your air mail service!" Men load a DC-3 airplane with mail bags at an airport in the United States. Transport truck brings more mail and men load the bags. 1918 Map of United States showing Air Mail connection between New York and Washington. 1923, 1928, 1933 and 1938 maps show further connections to cities such as Chicago, Salt Lake, San Francisco and other destinations. Brief view of International routes between Asia and the United States, and from the United States to South America. Men load mail bags on a plane. The DC-3 plane takes off. Dirigible in background. Closing slate, "Don't Forget. National Air Mail Week."
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