This 1944 color restricted film about being an “Aviation Ratings: Aerographer’s Mate” is part of a “Your Job in the Navy” series of recruitment films presented by the U.S. Navy. It opens with a Grumman TFB Avenger on the ground in front of a control tower (:36). Weather conditions are essential to Navy pilots for safe flying. Wind balls indicate which runway to use for takeoff (:45). The direction of takeoff is determined by a weather vane, shown spinning and its instrument panel dials (:46-1:05). A aerographer’s mate opens the door to the psychrometer to check humidity based on the rate of evaporation. It is dipped in water and whirled (1:06-1:29). To test weather conditions above ground level, a round balloon is inflated with helium. It is released and tracked using a theodolite. The talker speaks into his battle phone to relay the information to the aerographer’s mate, who plots the balloon’s course on the plotting disc (1:30-2:39). Two sailors attach a broadcasting unit with its own parachute is attached to a weather balloon. A woman sailor receives these signals at a special radio receiver. This data is transferred to a weather map (2:40-3:32). Planes on an aircraft carrier wait to takeoff as the red flag is held up waiting for weather condition information. The aerographer’s mate performs the same duties as on shore, using a helium balloon and theodolite. The green flag tells the pilots the weather is okay to fly and the Avenger leaves the carrier (3:34-5:00).
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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
