“Navy: Wings of Gold” (1964) is a color recruitment film presented by the United States Navy. The film details the process from recruitment to graduation of a cadet in the Aviation Officer Candidate (AOC)/ NAVCAD Programs. Additionally, the film features the classic song “Navy Wings of Gold” by CDR. George Cornelius, U.S.N. as sung by the NAVCAD Choir.

Film opens with sound and image of jets soaring through cloudy sky (0:08). United States Navy Emblem, title page, soundtrack of band and chorus singing “Navy Wings of Gold” (0:18). North American A-5 Vigilante planes flying in formation (0:32). McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in flight (0:51). Vought F-8 Crusader lands on aircraft carrier ship (1:03). Airborne Vought F-8 Crusader (1:16). Piasecki HUP Retriever helicopter (1:27). What appears to be Martin PBM Mariner (1:28). Vought F-8 Crusader, pilot ends mission with plane (1:45). Personnel reassignment and replacement, when one pilot completes mission with squadron, another is on deck ready to take over (2:20). Martin P5M Marlin (2:38). Aerial view Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida – recruits undergo flight training to become combat ready Navy pilots (2:53). Exterior shot of Headquarters of the Chief of Naval Training (3:04). Inside office of personnel officer; Description of Aviation Officer Candidate (AOC)/ NAVCAD Program, samples of recruitment posters etc. (3:17). New recruits get off bus, officer welcomes them to United States Naval School of Pre-Flight (4:05). Recruits are brought to their dorms, physical exams, change into uniform (4:39). Young man in telephone booth calls home (5:20). Scenes of recruits in pre-flight academic courses: Mechanics, meteorology, astronomy, aerodynamics (6:00). Student reads text book at excelled rate using “reading rate controller” (7:03). Physical fitness/ survival: Recruits doing jumping jacks in field, practical survival exercises in pool, competitive sports (7:13). Lesson in military customs and courtesies: Counting off, handling rifle, marching (8:05). Pre-flight graduation ceremony (8:53). More courses, familiarize student with workings of training plane, blindfold cockpit check, simulated parachute jump (9:49). Rows of Beechcraft T-34 Mentor planes on tarmac, first flight with mentor/ instructor (10:04). Courses continued: Navigation, neurology, engines, communications (11:19). Students placed into training squadrons: Plaques on wall showing different names, insignia (11:40). First solo Beechcraft T-34 Mentor flights, “Navy Wings of Gold” plays over footage (11:52). “Neck-tie chopping” ceremony, symbolic proof that student completed first “solo hop” (13:07). Flight precision stage check (13:25). Students check board for advanced study assignments (13:50). Transition training with North American T-28 Trojan, planes in flight, aerial acrobatics (14:12). Link Trainer (14:50). Tactics training: Formation, night flying, cross-country navigation, simulate carrier tactics, air-to-air gunnery (15:11). Final qualifying landings abroad aircraft carrier (16:18). Celebration of carrier qualifications, dance and dinner at student club with live band (17:35). Students move to new stations for advanced training (17:59). Lockheed T2V-1 SeaStar Jet Trainer on tarmac Corpus Christi, Texas (19:23). Cadets wear flight masks while going for ride in low-pressure chamber, practice ejection on special training device (19:40). First flight for cadets in two-seat Lockheed T2V-1 SeaStar Jet Trainer (20:05). Upgrade practice in single-seat Grumman F9F Panther “jet pimp,” fleet formation tactics and other skills (20:32). Helicopter training: Bell 47, advance to Piasecki HUP Retriever, carrier qualification simulated search-and-rescue mission (20:55). Training in Martin P5M Marlin (21:43). Graduation ceremony: Young men march in formation wearing white service dress uniforms, golden Navy wings emblem pinned onto chest (22:19). Graduates round out training and join fleet squad (23:35). Atlantis Martin US Navy P-6M Seamaster (23:55). Close-up poster with “A Navy Flyer’s Creed” (24:42). “A Navy Flyer’s Creed” read aloud, played over montage planes featured previously throughout film: Vought F-8 Crusader, Atlantis martin, P-6M Seamaster, Martin P5M Marlin, Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (24:47). Final shot of Vought F-8 Crusader, “Navy Wings of Gold” (25:44). Closing credits, film ends (26:30).

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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