Written and narrated by famed poet and author Carl Sandburg and released by the United States Office for Emergency Management in 1941, “Bomber” is a short version of a 19-minute film called “Building a Bomber”. The poetic morale-building film examines the capacity of America’s defense industry and the dedication of its workers to produce war material. The film shows the assembly of Martin B-26 Marauders at the Glenn L. Martin Company plant in Baltimore, Maryland. The aircraft was also built in Omaha, Nebraska during the war. A total of 5,288 were produced between February 1941 and March 1945; 522 of these were flown by the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force. While original versions were viewed as dangerous to pilots due to their lack of stability, modifications made the airplane much easier to handle, and the aircraft ended WWII with the lowest loss rate of any USAAF bomber.
BOMBER (:06-:22). Aircraft factory in Baltimore, Maryland. B-26 Bomber ready to leave a hangar. B-26 Bombers almost built to completion. Test pilots get onto the planes and inspect them. Pilots in the planes. Propeller starts up. B-26 Bomber takes. B-26 fly-by (:23-2:07). B-26 Bomber lands on an airstrip. Mechanics work on the bombers. Wings of the planes hang on the assembly line. A worker moves a part through a furnace using a shovel. Parts of the plane are being manufactured. Screws are inserted. Mechanics drill (2:08-4:02). Men at work on the assembly line. Parts are stacked up waiting to be assembled. Parts are carried by two men. The men wheel a cart over. The plane is being assembled on the line. A fuselage section is moved and then the section is pieced onto another larger section. A wing is slid into place to be added (4:03-6:06). Landing gear strut is brought out to be added onto the plane. A wing is riveted. The plane’s engine is hoisted. Wires are encased for protection. Planes inside the hangar being finalized. The cockpit section of the plane is added. Parts of a wing are brought over by a crane (6:07-7:48). Dawn. Pilots walk over towards the B-26 Bomber. Two of the men look over plans. Propeller turns on. B-26 Bomber goes down a runway and takes off into the morning sky (7:49-9:47). End credit is a “V” for Victory (9:48-9:51).
Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor. He won three Pulitzer Prizes: two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln.
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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
