This film THE GOLDEN CHALLENGE centers around Larry Thornton (:47) the jet pilot and 23 year old from Arizona of the US Marine Corp. The film was made in 1966, in the early Vietnam War era,and shows the training regime for U.S. naval aviators and features F-4 Phantom flight operations aboard the USS Franklin Roosevelt CV-42.
As Larry begins to tell his story we are taken two years prior to the film and he is still in college unsure of his direction (1:13). After seeing an old friend whom had received his ‘golden wings’ he decides to try flight training (3:01). The building of a Marine aviator begins in the classroom where the fundamentals will be learned for the T-34 aircraft (3:21). This aircraft was introduced in 1953 and was the American propeller driven, single engine, military training aircraft. Some of the challenges of the first flight are described as establishing mental and physical unity in the air as well as learning to land properly (4:38). Eventually flying improves and so does confidence so that the pilot is left alone without the instructor (5:22). Solo flight is considered the best way to learn to fly.
Additional training would include night flying (6:20), learning the techniques to land an aircraft carrier (6:27), and then actually landing onto a carrier (6:52). Specialized training, for some, will mean helicopter flight (8:10), one of the trickiest of all aircrafts to control (8:35). And for others, advanced training will mean jets (8:47). Flying is a highly complex science (9:05) involving aerodynamics, mathematics, physics, the engineering of each plane flown as well as tactics and a host of others tools. This pilot chose Marine Aviation as it would give him the best opportunity to land in a jet (9:42). One of the challenges of flying is maneuvering and formation in the air such as the split 5 and Cuban 8 (9:59).
We see the science of flight in action as the same jet the Blue Angels used, the F11, flies across the sky (10:36). Golden wings are received during graduation ceremonies (11:09) and the graduate will then join a new squadron assuming the duties of Marine Officer. His main job will to become proficient in flying the super sonic fighter jet (11:20) aka the F4B. This squadron provides air support (11:34) for all ground forces and entire fleet takes part in landing a exercise (12:06). Lieutenant Thornton’s assignment will be combat air patrol in the beach head area (13:20). All a part of the team will be the ground forces (14:15), the jet fighters flying overhead (14:22), the attack air craft dropping bombs (14:29), giant turboprops with transport for refuelling and the helicopters (14:44). This film was presented by the US Marine Corps (15:40), US Naval Photographic Center.
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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
