This U.S. Navy recruiting film entitled PRESSURE POINT was made in 1974 by John J. Hennessy Motion Pictures, with a script by Michael Ross. The film’s point is that attention to detail, something beat into new recruits by a drill instructor, is absolutely critical for a U.S. Navy pilot. Teamwork is another aspect highlighted by the film. The film also shows how training goes on for nearly 12 weeks before anyone gets to even touch an airplane.
The film begins aboard an aircraft carrier before cutting to the U.S. Navy pilot candidate school in Pensacola, Florida (1:14). A drill sergeant is encountered at about the 1:30 mark, straight out of “Officer and a Gentleman” or “Full Metal Jacket”. This material with the D.I. is intercut with emergencies at sea and in the air. At 2:27, a barricade landing for a crippled F-4 is shown and a short time later, an aircraft goes out of control and destructs in flight. The pilot ejects and is rescued at sea by a helicopter. At 8:28, a practice ejection is shown, and at 8:39 a water landing. Navy pilot primary flight training is briefly shown starting at 10:40.
We don’t know the narrator of the film but it sounds sort of like William Dafoe, although too early (1974) to actually be him.
Incidentally, this film used real Navy Aviation Officer Candidates from AOCS Class 22-74 or the 22nd class in 1974 going through Aviation Officer Candidate School.The Drill Instructor was the real deal and one of a number of DIs assigned to this school to train new Naval Officers.
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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
