This film from WW2, released in late August of 1994, shows the demolition of the Army Air Force Base in Hengyang, China as Japanese forces were closing in, the OQ-2 drone used for target practice in Guadalcanal as well as the construction of a tar paper airstrip in Normandy. It was prepared by the Army Air Forces Combat Film Service (:28). It opens with the demolition of the air base in Hengyang, China in June of 1944 (:44). Japanese forces moved towards the area on the Hankow railway (:45). Anticipating an attack, the headquarters of the 14th Air Force (:57) was mobilized to destroy and evacuate all installations. Forces move equipment outside of the base (1:12) and load them into planes (1:22). Men begin digging holes (1:32) and prepare bomb fuses for explosives which were to further ruin the field (1:35). Half pound blocks of TNT were fitted into the noses of shells in order to detonate the thousand-pound bombs (1:48). Explosions erupt on the grounds (1:53) and a few days later American bombers finished the job (1:58). The quartermaster and air service command buildings along with hospitals, radio tower and other installations were set aflame (2:07). Troops and supplies headed to a road which was to lead them to safety (2:38). 79 miles southwest in Lingling Air Field, preparations were made to evacuate and destroy everything if necessary (2:47). Bombs were buried in the runway (3:00). Remaining explosives and oil drums were carted to the river (3:06). The Japanese bypassed Hengyang leaving some forces behind to beleaguer it (3:14). Refugees and vehicles are seen waiting to be transported across the Siang River by ferry (3:40). They were to proceed by train to the city of Guilin. The wait was due to a ferryboat having been damaged as it was swept downstream (3:51). Chinese authorities ordered the evacuation of Guilin which had become a crossroads for refugees (4:32). Japanese forces moved in from Hengyang to the north as well as from Canton to the south (4:46). Evacuation was further delayed as trains ran out of coal (4:49). On July 7th, Chinese forces broke through the Japanese siege in Hengyang briefly (4:56). It fell again to the Japanese on August 9th (5:04). Repairs were conducted on the American held Guilin base after Japan had hit the strip (5:11). A ruined plane follows which had been parked on the strip at the time of the attack (5:16). The 14th Air Force and Chinese forces worked to retake Hengyang (5:26). In Guadalcanal, a radio-controlled model plane is used for target practice for anti-aircraft crews (5:49). The Radioplane OQ-2 drone was designed and manufactured by the Air Corps and was about 1/3 the size of a pursuit plane (5:59). It was launched by catapult and then controlled by a remote from the ground (6:06). The radio transmission car is pointed to in the background (6:16). It is catapulted (7:12) over gun positions on the beach (7:12). 44mm Bofors (7:18), 50 caliber machine guns and 90 mm anti-aircraft guns (7:30) were used for target practice. As the plane is hit (7:41), a parachute extends (7:59) and floats the craft back down (8:13). The plane is carted to a repair shop (5:28) to be mended for further use. The construction of a tar paper landing strip by the 9th Army Air Force Engineers follows in Normandy, France (8:50). Laying machines spread the tar paper over the runway (8:54). The undersized was coated with an adhesive made with gasoline and diesel oil (9:17). Additional adhesive was applied to seal cross sections (10:37). A rubber tire roller smooths it down (10:40) and steel mesh was set over to reinforce the paper (10:55). The completed strip (10:57) was to be used by the USAAF and the RAF. The following segment depicts what U.S. forces do with refugees and it opens with an older woman being lifted into a transport without shoes (11:24) and a newly widowed mother and child (11:28). Refugees were considered a military problem as they often clogged lines of supply (11:58). US forces load refugees onto a ship for safe transport (12:49). A man is seen getting hit with a de-lousing gun, probably containing DDT (13:12). Once upon the ship, names, dates, locations and names of any missing loved ones are recorded (14:05). They are to receive food (14:33) and medical treatment (14:56). Refugees were to be sent to resettlement camps in southern Italy.

The OQ-2 Radioplane was the first mass-produced UAV or drone in the United States, manufactured by the Radioplane Company. A follow-on version, the OQ-3, became the most widely used target drone in US service, with over 9,400 being built during World War II.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com