Summary: Stresses influence of modes of travel in the history of civilization, showing covered wagon, trains, railroads, ocean liners, comparing speed and distances covered with possibilities of aircraft transportation. Shows Progress of aircraft development, covering fully the Wright brother's models and including the Bleriot, Farman and Curtiss planes, aeronautical oddities the German Dox (1929), stunt flying, modern planes. Shows also honors received by Wright brothers for their contribution to civiliazation. Produced by US Army Air Corp in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight. Forward by McCaulay. OF ALL INVENTIOS, THE ALPHABET AND THE PRINTING PRESS ALONE EXCEPTED, THOSE INVENTIONS WHICH ABRIDGE DISTANCE HAVE DONE MOST FOR CIVILIZATION. SEVENTY YEARS AGO CALIFORNIA WAS MANY MONTHS AWAY FROM NEW YORK. Animated map of United States territory. Animation showing wagon train route from East to West coast. 1) MS wagon train passing over flat terrain. THE SANTA FE TRAIL, 1839. 2) LS covered wagon train passing over flat terrain. Animation of the Sante Fe trail, East to West coast. THE RAILROAD SHRUNK THE MAP TO FOUR DAYS. 3) MS head on view of fast passenger train moving directly in towards camera. Animated map of U.S.--map showing rail line directions from East to West coast. AND THE AIRPLANE TO SEVEN AND ONE HALF H0URS. Animation showing serial route direct East to West coast. 4) ADS C-45 in flight over New York City and harbor area. AND NOT SO LONG AGO EUROPE WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AWAY. Animation of early model sailing vessel leaving East coast of America across Atlantic heading for Europe. 5) MLS sailing vessel at sea. THE OCEAN GREYHOUND NOW CROSSES THE 0CEAN IN FOUR DAYS. 6) MLS four stack ocean liner underway at sea. 7) MLS RSV of same taken from deck of another boat, freighter off to left in scene. Animation of the narrowing of the gap between the two continents. AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT HAS BROUGHT AMERICA AND EUROPE CLOSER TOGETHER. Animation showing the narrowing of the gap between North America and Europe by air route. AN AIRPLANE FLEW FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS IN 16 HOURS AND 38 MINUTES. 8) LS C-45 take off, "USA" on tail. 9) LS C-45 passing overhead. KIPLING WROTE OF AIRCRAFT, "WE ARE AT THE OPENING VERSE OF THE OPENING PAGE OF THE CHAPTER OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES." 10) ASV five twin-engine bomber-type aircraft in flight. ACHIEVEMENT OF TWO AMERICANS, ORVILLE AND WILBUR WRIGHT, IS INDELIBLY WRITTEN IN THE FIRST LINE OF THAT OPENING VERSE. WILBUR WRIGHT AT LEFT. 11) CS Wilbur Wright talking to two Frenchmen standing on airfield, men pointing to various sectors of same. ORVILLE WRIGHT. 12) CS Orville Wright standing on deck of boat, water in bg. THESE ARE THE PIONEERS, CREATORS OF AVIATION, THEY PRODUCED THEIR OWN SCIENTIFIC TABLES AND INTRODUCED THE PRINCIPLE OF AILERON CONTROL. THEIR EARLY EXPERIMENTS WERE WITH GLIDERS IN 1900 THEY BUILT THE FIRST MODEL AT DAYTON, OHIO. 13) CS still photo of the first Wright glider in flight. IT WAS TAKEN TO KILL DEVIL HILL, N,C. (KITTY HAWK) WHERE DURING THE AUTUMN MONTHS, THEIR FIRST GLIDER TESTS WERE MADE. 14) CU repeat of previous scene. NEXT YEAR THE SECOND GLIDER, NEARLY TWICE AS LARGE, WAS BUILT--MANY SUCCESSFUL FLIGHTS WERE MADE. 15) MS later model Wright glider, two men holding same as plane is about to take off pilot sitting at controls of same. (Their improved machine in 1902 made about 1000 glides from Kill Devil Hill.) 16) MLS same type glider being launched, pilot in prone position at controls of same. 17) MS glider in flight. THE WRIGHTS LEARNED TO FLY BY GLIDING--THIS IS A MOTORLESS, MAN-CARRYING GLIDER IN GERMANY. 18) LS launching of German glider from hillside, camera follows same in flight down long slope of hill. They returned to Dayton and built their own motor in same. 9) MS still photo, SV of the first Wright aircraft. THE PLANE WAS REASSEMBLED IN 1903 AT THE HANGAR AND LIVING QUARTERS OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AT KITTY HAWK. 20) MLS of two of the buildings used by the Wright brothers, one for living quarters, and the other for storage of the aircraft--unassembled building to left of scene. KILL DEVIL HILL, KITTY HAWK, N.C., DEC. 17, 1903, ORVILLE WRIGHT MAKES THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT OF MAN TO FLY THE HEAVIER-THAN-AIR POWER-DRIVEN MACHINE. 21) MS RV of attempt launching of the first Wright brothers aircraft. Still photo of this scene. FROM 1903 TO 1908 THEY CONTINUED THEIR EXPERIMENTS AND MADE MANY SUCCESSFUL FLIGHTS. 22) LS launching of Wright Brothers aircraft, circular balloon in bg at anchor, spectators watching display. EUROPE MADE ITS ENTRY INTO THE AIR IN 1906. SANTOS DUMONT, OCT. 23, 1906, AT BAGELLE, MADE THE FIRST OFFICIALLY OBSERVED FLIGHT. THE WRIGHTS IN 1904 AND 1905 CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT MAN COULD FLY BUT NOT UNTIL WILBUR WRIGHT AT LE MANS, FRANCE IN OCTOBER 8, 1908 WAS THE LAST DOUBTING SKEPTIC CONVINCED. 23) MS RV, launching of the Wright aircraft in France using launching tower and catapult rail. 24) LS launching of the same at Le Mans, France. 25) MS crowd attending airshow, people in stands, military and civilian, male and female. 26) MLS Wright aircraft passing overhead. 27) CS headline of N.Y. paper proclaiming flight in France by Wilbur Wright. WILBUR WRIGHT, FATHER OF AVIATION, ADJUSTING A TRANSPORTING WHEEL TO HIS AIRPLANE. 28) CS SV Wilbur Wright placing wheel beneath wing of plane fastening same with strap. 29) MS Horse drawn cart towing the Wright aircraft across the field in France. CRANKING THE 25 HP MOTOR OF THE WRIGHT AIRPLANE, A MODERN PLANE HAS BEEN FLOWN WITH 7200 HP. 30) CS two men pulling props through on the Wrights plane, Wilbur Wright making adjustments on aircraft motor in bg. THE EARLY WRIGHT MACHINE STARTED FROM A RAIL AND LANDED ON SKIDS, AFTER 1904 THEY CATAPULTED IT BY MEANS OF A FALLING WEIGHT. 31) MS men preparing launching rail for launching of the Wright plane in France. 32) MS men placing the Wright aircraft in position for launching on the launching rail. HAULING UP THE WEIGHT THAT CATAPULTED THE PLANE FROM THE RAIL. 33) MS five men tugging rope which in turn lifts drop weight to top of the launching tower. NOTE THE STYLES IN VOGUE AMONG THE SOCIAL LEADERS IN FRANCE DURING THE WRIGHT DE- MONSTRATION IN 1908. 34) MCS reviewing stands showing VIPs, military and civilian, male and female, attending air show in France. OCTOBER 3, 19O8, WILBUR WRIGHT GOES UP WITH FRENCH JOURNALIST REMAINING ALOFT FOR THE ASTONISHING TIME OF FIFTY-FIVE MINUTES AND 37 SECONDS, THE WORLD ENDURANCE RECORD WITH A PASSENGER. 35) CS headlines of American newspaper proclaiming event. 36) CS French Journalist in cockpit. Wilbur Wright getting into same. 37) MS plane about to be launched. 38) MLS aircraft takes off and flight over flat field. 39) CS group of frenchmen standing on field looking as plane goes by. 40) MS head on view of the Wright aircraft in flight, two men in same. ON OCTOBER 20, 1929 THE DOX CARRIED 169 PASSENGERS ON A SINGLE FLIGHT. 41) PS DOX taxiing in water. 42) CU interior aircraft, newsreel cameraman taking pictures of people on maiden flight. 43) LS take off of the D0X. 44) LS D0X landing. NOVEMBER 18, 1908, WILBUR WRIGHT AT LE MANS, FRANCE, SETTING A WORLD'S ALTITUDE RECORD BY RISING THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FEET. NOTE THE BALLOONS USED TO DETERMINE THE ALTITUDE. 44) MS head on view, Wright aircraft passing overhead, three circular balloons in bg used to determine height of the aircraft. LITTLE DID HE DREAM THAT MAN WOULD REACH AN ALTITUDE OF EIGHT MILES IN HEAVIER THAN AIR CRAFT, WHERE THE TEMPERATURE IS ALWAYS AROUND 76 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. 45) ADS aircraft flying over high snow-capped mountain. 46) Aerial views of snow capped mountain range, scattered pine trees on same. REEL 2: DURING THE TIME WILBUR WRIGHT WAS IN FRANCE, ORVILLE WRIGHT DELIVERED THE FIRST PLANE TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR TRIAL AT FORT MYERS, VA. 1) MCS Orville Wright and Lt. Lahm in cockpit of the aircraft prior to take off. 2) MS FV, take off of Wright aircraft. 3) PS Wright aircraft in flight at Fort Myers, barracks buildings in bg. 4) MS launching tower, spectators grouped around same, administration building in bg. THEY W0RKED TO PROVIDE A MACHINE WITH A SPEED OF THIRTY SIX SIX MILES PER HOUR AND BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THE AIR FOR ONE HOUR ON ITS TRIAL FLIGHT CARRYING TWO PERSONS AND HAVING TWO FOR A FLIGHT OF ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MILES. 5) PS of trial flight at Fort Myer, Va. 6) MS soldiers removing doors from storage building, Wright aircraft visible in same. 7) MS airmen preparing to remove the Wright aircraft from the storage building. IN THE GROUP MAY BE SEEN SECY TAFT, MAJ. SQUIER, MAJ FALTPSAM AND LT. LAHN--- FIRST MILITARY PASSENGER. 8) MS of guest attending show, standing near the hangar building as the aircraft is being removed from same. 9) MS men towing the launching weight up into the top of the tower. 10) MS launching tower showing weights suspended. 11) MS soldier moving the Wright aircraft out to the launching platform. LT. LAHM AND ORVILLE WRIGHT SET A WORLD ENDURANCE RECORD, ONE HOUR 12 MINUTES AND FORTY SECONDS. 12) MS preparation of aircraft for take off, Lt Lahm sitting at controls--Orville Wright standing in front talking to mechanic, another officer standing at right wing of aircraft. 13) MLS launching of aircraft from launching rail. 14) PS aircraft in flight, spectators watching same. LT FOULOIS AND ORVILLE WRIGHT MAKE THE FIRST CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT--FORT MYERS TO ALEXANDER, VA. AND RETURN. 15) MCU Orville Wright making adjustments upon aircraft engine, person in back pulling prop through, Lt. Foulois sitting in cockpit. 1909 WILBUR WRIGHT DEMONSTRATED HIS INVENTION BEFORE THE KING OF ITALY AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. 16) MS Italian soldiers assist with removal of Wright aircraft storage building. 17) MS RV, take off of the Wright aircraft from launching rail in Italy--Italian officer accompanying Wilbur Wright on flight. 18) PS Wright aircraft in flight, Italian Army officials in fg watching same. 19) MS King of Italy and members of the cabinet standing on airfield watching the show, several of the spectators taking pictures of the aircraft in flight. DURING THESE FLIGHTS THE FIRST MOTION PICTURES WERE MADE FROM AN AIRPLANE. 20) Nose camera view, aircraft goes down launching rail, takes off, flies over flat terrain; continues in flight towards walled in ruins of Rome. AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPETITORS OF THE WRIGHTS WAS HENRY FARMAN. FARMAN MACHINE AS IT APPEARED IN 1908. 1) PS tail to nose section view of the Farman flying machine. FARMAN FILLED HIS TANKS WITH A FEW GALLONS FROM A CAN AND MADE A FLIGHT AT ISSY-LES-MOULINEAX EARLY IN 19O8. 22) CS Farman preparing aircraft for flight, pouring fuel in gas tank from small can. (Mr. Farman in launching preparations). 23) PS take off of the Farman flying machine. LOUIS BLERIOT, FAMOUS FRENCH AVIATOR AND THE FIRST MAN TO SUCCESSFULLY FLY THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, JULY 25, 1909, PILOTING ONE OF HIS AEROPLANES. 24) MS Bleriot sitting at controls of his aircraft, mechanic pulls prop through. 25) PS RV, take off of the Bleriot flying machine, plane does not fly very high off ground. WHILE THE WRIGHTS WERE DAILY ASTONISHING THE WORLD WITH OTHER FLYERS CAME TO THE FOLD--GLENN H. CURTISS, AMERICAN PIONEER OF AVIATION, AT RHIEMS, FRANCE IN 1909. 26) CS Mr. Curtiss sitting at controls of his aircraft, men assist in engine starting of same. 27) MLS RV take off of the Curtiss flying machine. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF AVIATION, THE WRIGHT AND OTHERS FLEW CLOSE TO THE GROUND FOR SAFETY AND STUNTING WAS UNKNOWN. 28) PS Wright aircraft in flight, low altitude. HERE IS THE FAMOUS LINCOLN BEACHY, THE FIRST MAN TO STUNT WITH AN AIRPLAME, KILLED WHILE LOOPING THE LOOP AT PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION IN 1915. 29) MS head on view of Lincoln Beachy stunting a Curtiss model aircraft, diving in low across roed--spectators on side of road by fence watching same. 30) CU Lincoln Beachy adjusting crash helmet. IT WAS LEFT TO A LATER DATE TO DEVELOP SUPER DARE-DEVIL AND LOOPING THE LOOP IS NOW CONSIDERED TAMED. 31) ACS of demonstration put on by Jersey Ringling, aero dare-devil switching aircraft in flight, grabbing hold of aircraft wing passing overhead. Jersey Ringling on side of plane doing aerial stunts hanging suspended from the wing section of the aircraft in flight. MANY WERE THE ODD AND MORE-OR-LESS DANGEROUS MACHINES SET UP AS A RIVAL TO THE BI-PLANE. 32) PS of aeronautical oddity aircraft attempt take off, moving across flat terrain. Plane is high-wing with two smaller wings below, rotor blades between the wings--plane does not take off. 33) MS head on view of same type plane. YOU HAVE WITNESSED PROGRESS OF AVIATION FROM THE FLIGHT BY ORVILLE AND WILBUR WRIGHT AT KITTY HAWK, N.C., DECEMBER 17, 1903. WHEN RECOGNITION WAS MADE OF THEIR INVENTION, THE AERIAL CLUB OF FRANCE PRESENTED THEM IN 1908 WITH A GOLD MEDAL. THE SAME YEAR THEY WERE PRESENTED WITH A GOLD MEDAL BY THE AERO CLUB, UNITED KINGD0M, GREAT BRITAIN. AND ANOTHER BY THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE SOCIETY DURING THE SAME YEAR. IN 1909, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES PRESENTED A GOLD MEDAL. THE AMERICAN AERO CLUB GOLD WAS PRESENTED TO WILBUR AND ORVILLE WRIGHT BY PRESIDENT TAFT AT THE WHITE HOUSE, JUNE 10, 1919. 34) CU after each scene of the medal award. 35) MCU group scene of President Taft, Orville and Wilbur Wright and other members attending the medal presentation. 36) CU of the Aero Club of America Gold Medal which was presented. THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE ALSO RECOGNIZED THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCES. 37) CU of this medal. AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ART, GREAT BRITAIN, 1917, AWARDED A GOLD MEDAL TO THE BROTHERS. 38) CS of this gold medal. THE WILBUR WRIGHT MEMORIAL AT LE MANS, FRANCE, WAS DEDICATED JULY 17, 1920. 39) CS still photo of the memorial. COMMEMORATION OF THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST FLIGHT, A MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO WILBUR WRIGHT BY FREDERICK D. PATTERSON, PAST PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 40) CS Mr. Patterson presenting medal to Orville Wright. 41) CU of the medal. DECEMBER 17, 1928, TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY, THERE WAS DEDICATED AT KITTY HAWK A MEMORIAL MARKING THE FIRST AIRPLANE FLIGHT. 42) CU still photo of the stone marker. 43) CS inscription on same. 44) CU still photo of Orville and Wilbur Wright. NOVEMBER 19, 1932, A MEMORIAL TO ORVILLE AND WILBUR WRIGHT WAS DEDICATED AT KITTY HAWK. 45) MLS still photo picture of memorial atop Kitty Hawk Hill. ORVILLE WRIGHT, THE FIRST MAN TO FLY A HEAVIER-THAN-AIR MACHINE SURVIVED HIS BROTHER AND LIVED TO SEE HIS DREAM BECOME THE MARVELOUS REALITY OF T0DAY. 46) CU of Orville Wright. WILBUR WRIGHT AT LEFT--BORN 1867, DIED 1912. 47) CS of Wilbur and two Frenchmen standing on airfield in France. AND WHAT THE WRIGHT'S LEFT TO POSTERITY. 48) ADS large airfield, rows and rows of aircraft parked upon same. 49) PS Junker type aircraft stationary. 50) AS of large airfield, rows and rows of small Italian aircraft. 51) MS Russian four-engine bombers passing over Moscow. 52) A. formation of early bombers. 53) A. formation of early model U.S. aircraft.
